Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning Your Trip
When to Go
Mallorca's outdoor activities are, in theory, possible year-round thanks to the island's rel-
atively mild winters and oft-touted 300 days of sunshine. That said, many organised
activities will only be doable from roughly Easter to October, particularly water-based
sports.
The ideal conditions for most activities, particularly hiking and cycling, is in spring
and autumn. Daytime temperatures in summer can be uncomfortably hot and the traffic
on the roads can make cycling a stop-start affair. These drawbacks are partly com-
pensated for by the long daylight hours.
What to Take
Most activities operators in Mallorca can provide you with all of the necessary equip-
ment, while high-quality bicycles can be rented all over the island. Although
professional-standard equipment is available for purchase on Mallorca, anyone planning
on hiking should bring their own boots - the trails of the Serra de Tramuntana are not the
place to be breaking in new footwear.
On the Land
Hiking
From the bald and dramatic limestone mountains in the west to the rocky coastal trails of
the north and east where the lure of the sea is a constant, Mallorca offers some of the
finest hiking anywhere in Europe. The
Consell de Mallorca
(
www.conselldemallorca.net
) has become serious about signposting and maintaining the
island's trekking routes, many of which have been used for centuries by pack animals
and wayfaring pilgrims.
The Tramuntana cannot rival the Alps in height but its serrated peaks, crags and rav-
ines are every bit as wild and not to be underestimated, and the hiking season here is
longer. A network of
refugis
(mountain refuges;
Click here
) gives weary hikers a place to
bed down for the night, as do the hilltop monasteries and hermitages that have been con-
verted into simple accommodation.
