Mallorca - Island of love for bikes

The Balearic island is a well-known destination for the professional cyclists of the UCI Pro Teams, who reel off their training sessions here in the winter and spring months as preparation for the season. On the one hand, the mild subtropical climate speaks for the island: the thermometer ranges between 8-15 degrees Celsius in January, and between 15-22 degrees in May. From June to August, however, the temperatures skyrocket, then it's bathing season and for many active sportsmen it's too hot. On the other hand, there are attractive bicycle tours through a picturesque landscape with a wide variety of altitude profiles.

German speaking guests feel at home here
The west coast is characterized by the Serra de Tramuntana, a mountain range that stretches from Formentor to Andratx. Also on the east coast there are mountainous zones. In between there is a large plain. The roads are well developed, the traffic is friendly to cyclists and the Spaniards are generally quite friendly and helpful. These factors, together with the climatic advantages, have led many tourists to spend their vacations on the island by bicycle. Mallorca is not only an interesting, but also an inexpensive vacation destination within Europe. A good 4-star hotel is available in May on the south coast for a good 80 euros, a tasty 3-course meal, nicely arranged and served, for 25 euros or a beer on the beach for 2.75 euros. This explains, apart from the great entertainment program, why so many tourists find their way here. These are partly the reasons for the German tourist wave that has settled at Ballermann 6 in S'Arenal, better known by its Spanish name "El Arenal". But there are also many Swiss and English people on the island. The preponderance of German-speaking tourists brought a positive change for us. All Spaniards on the island today also speak German, more or less, whether receptionist, cab driver, waitress. And this facilitates communication and prevents problems from the outset. This does not change the Spanish mentality and the lively nature of the locals, who can appear typically southern, temperamental, but are lovely people with social, sociable character. The climate proved to be cool in the evenings during my visit in May, which is why I, like many others, had to put on a jacket to avoid freezing. It was only because of the strong sunlight that one did not freeze during the day. And so active sporting activity is possible at pleasant temperatures and this corresponds to the desire of bicycle tourists, namely to pursue their passion in ideal sunny conditions.

The many possibilities besides cycling
At www.seemallorca.com you will discover how many countless possibilities the island offers, day after day. Whether it's water sports, adventure tours, go-karting,...

You can find the whole article in the issue 02/2013