Spain continues to be one of Pure Adventures’ most popular cycling destinations, with tours offering  flat to rolling countryside, charming villages, vineyards, castles, Roman history, and museums. Majorca (Mallorca in Spanish) is the largest of the Balearic Islands, its 310 mile long coastline a draw for millions of sun worshipers every year. But there’s more to Majorca than beaches.

Ensaimadas

Traditionally filled with ‘cabello de ángel’ (pumpkin strands in syrup), ensaimadas are a sweet and airy pastry made with eggs, flour, butter and sugar. Travelers can find ensaimadas in virtually every cafe on Majorca, with fillings and toppings ranging from a dusting of powdered sugar to sinfully sweet apricot preserves and whipping cream.

Caves

Chamber of Purgatory. Chamber of Hell. We wonder if it’s true that Jules Verne was inspired by the Cuevas de Artà to write Journey to the Center of the Earth. Occupying a stretch of land closing Canyamel Bay to the north, these ancient caves were formed by seawater erosion with some interior chambers rising nearly 151 feet. A unique feature of the caves is the Chamber of Flags, where three towering columns each emit a different tone when struck by your tour guide.

Mountains

The Sierra de Tramontana forms the northern backbone of the Majorca. In 2011, this mountain range was awarded World Heritage Status by UNESCO. Summiting Puig de Massanella, the mountain’s second highest peak, is a popular excursion – are you up for the challenge of climbing 4,475 feet?

Museums and monuments

Majorca’s seafaring history and ecological significance lends itself to rich cultural experiences. While on Majorca, visit the Museo de Mallorca, housed in a 16th-century mansion popularly known as “Casa de la Gran Cristiana”  and the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences and Botanical Garden, surrounded by hundreds of plant species from the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Wine

You can’t visit Spain without enjoying the wine, but did you know that until recently, most of the wine drunk on Majorca was imported from the mainland? The island’s abundant almond crops left little room for vineyards, but a group of winemakers came together in the 1990s and dedicated themselves to better growing methods, new varieties and improvements in wine production. Today, those vineyards throughout Majorca open their doors to wine enthusiasts to enjoy reds, whites and sparkling wines that cannot be found elsewhere in the world.

Pure Adventures offers two unique cycling tours in Majorca – a challenging self-guided road cycling trip ideal for bike clubs and triathletes and a more leisurely hybrid self-guided cycling vacation package that takes in Majorca’s postcard perfect countryside. Contact us for a quote or request our free destination guide.

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Bicycle tours and hiking tours in Europe in our unique self guided format is what we do! It is our mission to provide exceptional self guided cycling and hiking tour services that allow our clients to experience their destination in their own unique way. Of all of the great reasons to enjoy a self guided cycling vacation in Europe, here are the five reasons why travelers choose Pure Adventures.

5: Support

The support Pure Adventures offers is second to none,from a orientation and bike fitting in English on the first day of your vacation to precise road maps inclusive of off-the-beaten track and scenic local routes.

4: Convenience

The convenience of having in-country experts plan in advance a personally tailored itinerary complete with lodging reservations and dining and sightseeing recommendations, as well as the convenience of having luggage transported from one accommodation to the next in advance of guest arrival.

3: Privacy

Adventures are shared among self-selected companions — not strangers brought into the mix as is the case with most pre-set, guided tours.

2: Flexibility

Surprising flexibility is a top reason cyclists choose Pure Adventures for their self guided European cycling vacations. Guests can travel on dates of their choice within a given service season, which means the period of time that the company can logistically support an itinerary; and while on a trip guests are in charge of their own time, free to linger at a museum or to bike on to the next dining adventure.

1. Cost savings

Did you know that self-guided vacationers can save on average 50 percent by opting for this mode of travel rather than guide-led excursions?

“Factor out the costs of a guide who’s normally on duty for 24 hours over a seven-day trip and the savings are substantial – without sacrificing any trip quality,” said Loren Siekman, founder of Pure Adventures. “Another consideration is the fact that lodgings can be arranged according to budget.”

Note, not all self guided tours are created equal!

This concept has become a popular offering recently by tour operators in Europe and North America.   As with anything, be sure to read ‘what is included’ in every offer to know how each operator defines support, and if they include any meals, and so on.  Pure Adventures adheres to a higher standard for hotels and support services.  Getting the lowest price is not our objective, but getting the best trip for the money is what we strive to achieve.  Anyone traveling to Europe is going to spend an important sum just to fly, we don’t believe in adding on miscellaneous services for extra euros  or cutting a few euros for a cheaper hotel.  The savings of 100 to 200 euros usually isn’t worth it!   Taking a self guided trip versus a guided trip that can save 1000-1500 euros or more per person – now that we think is worth it when comfort and service are the same!

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