My son and I are thinking of riding to Mallorca (where his mum lives) possibly in late April/early May before it gets too hot down there.
Very short notice but that’s the way of these things. I’m a very experienced rider (50+ years) and have ridden in Europe before. My son certainly isn’t new but hasn’t ridden over there. Time frame is probably 10-12 days in total.
I have a rough idea of routing but not the ferry bit to and from the island - it looked horrendously expensive when I last looked!
Anyone here ever attempted this or any part of it who might offer advice?
Many thanks in advance.
Ron
EDIT: Senior moment when I originally typed this, I meant Majorca not Marbella, which is on the mainland. Doh!
Not used it myself, but @Jay and @pricetta used bike shuttle to take the bikes down to Toulouse. That’s where you put the bike on a truck, yourself on a plane and start the holiday in the good bit. This was pre brexit, so I’m not sure if its gotten harder or more expensive since.
Another option is a 24hr ferry to Santander, which was cheaper, but not by much with all costs added together from what I remember.
For Spain though, we’ve used the ferry to Bilbao and then toured in a loop over a week, back to Bilbao. It was great. The ferry could have been faster. It’s 20 hours or so each way, but it’s nicer than slogging it on the motorway through France and squaring off your tyres. Urgh.
It’s quite fun on the ferry, with your own little cabin. We would definitely take the ferry route gain. In fact I looked at it the other night, as I was toying with the idea of riding to Seville this summer for an event.
The cost is not insignificant, but then it wouldn’t be much cheaper if you rode all the way through France, when you factor in fuel, hotels, tolls, maybe tyres, etc. It’s far more enjoyable in our opinion to cut out the boring motorway bits with services like ferries and Bike Shuttles and then arrive fresh, ready to enjoy nice twisty roads.
When you say Island, what do you mean? I’m thinking of this Marbella:
I’ve done the ferry to Santander. It was pretty straightforward. You’ll need a cabin to stash your gear and be comfortable. There are loungers you can hire to save money but you’ll regret it. The bars and food on-board were pretty good. The time passes pretty quickly and on the way out at least most people onboard are in good spirits.
I went in July which was a terrible idea as it was simply too hot. Even with all your helmet vents open you just got blasted with hot air.
You are looking at well over 1,200 miles to do a round trip so consider new tyres before you head out if yours are squared off or getting towards the end of life.
Here’s a vote against the ferry to Santander/Bilbao. First time I went to Spain on the bike I used it, never again! Embarked about 10.00, put stuff in my cabin and went out for some on-board R&R. After about 6 hours mooching about I thought, ‘oh great, only another 18 hours to go!’
If you don’t like riding your bike on fab French roads then yes, go by ship, that’s why you bought a bike after all!!
Anyway, I think the OP was asking about the ferry from the mainland to the Balearics. Sorry, no experience of them but I do remember seeing a ferry in port in Barcelona with the name of “Isla de Botefuc” and I idly wondered where the island of Butt Fuck was located. Well it made me smile!1
Trouble is, most people don’t have enough holiday budget to allocate three weeks to ride non-motorways from the UK down the bottom of Spain. That’s why ferries/shuttles are popular. Of course, if you have the time, why not ride nice, twisty, non-motorway roads all the way, but for us at least, that’s just not possible with the pressures of work life, and riding motorways all day for days is just soul (and tyre) destroying.
Also, if you ride nice roads all the way, you’ll spend a lot more on hotels, more than the cost of a ferry no doubt. Horses for courses, but I’ve not found a lot of fun to be had either riding through the top two thirds of France. It’s all rather flat and boring IME.
Ditto. Especially if you have good company the voyage passes very quickly, a few nice meals, an overnight sleep and you’re there.
We went in March foolishly thinking Spanish weather in March must be good for biking. Maybe we were unlucky but it was awful. It rained every day apart from the days it snowed. Still had a great time, lovely roads and, maybe it’s changed now, but there seemed to be a very flexible attitude to speed limits.
looks like you can get a ferry from Barcelona to Majorca. i’m assuming you can get your bike on it. if so i’d probably get the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao/Santander. use the n260 (awesome road) which takes you more-a-less from Bilbao to Barcelona and then hop on the ferry there. then, whilst you’re on the n260, you can make a few sorties up into the Pyrenees and stay overnight, sometimes in France, sometimes in Spain. that would maximise quality riding time in my opinion. ain’t gonna be cheap though.
I’ve done motorway miles and ferries to get to the mountains and would probably choose the ferry every time now. i did the alps in a day on a daytona 675 and as much as the pain felt like a rite of passage, I probably wouldn’t want to do it again! rural french roads are pretty cool but not as fun as mountain passes. in fact now i’d probably lob my bike in a van, drive to the alps in a day and then you’re there. probably the cheapest option.
but what you’re talking about is a road trip of a lifetime. personally i’d throw money at it and make it something to really remember. have a good one!
Really appreciating all the replies and information guys, thanks.
Another small edit (but I don’t think it makes a difference), plan is probably late April start.
Yes it probably is a ‘trip of a lifetime’, my son and I have never really had the opportunity to make a trip like this. I’m a fit 74 but I think this will probably be my last long distance ride of this nature.
I like the idea of Santander/Bilbao but 33 hrs is a big chunk of time not biking, even if the destination is Majorca (got it right this time!).
I’ve ridden to (and back) the south of France before (St Tropez to Paris in 8 hours… never again…).
I’d want to miss the north of France as it’s seriously boring. Some nice runs down from St Malo maybe, take a couple of days. Head maybe for Bordeaux- Toulouse, Perpignon cross the border to Barcelona. Then this next bit I know nothing about - ferry to Majorca. Is worth heading further south into Spain and take a ferry from, say Valencia? I had a quick look at prices a while back and they were horrendous!
Marbella or Mallorca? I live in Mallorca. Will you ride your bike here? It is a very nice trip. Just tell your preferences and I will tell in my experience what may fit better if you decide to ride the spanish pirenaic side. I can tell of very nice winding trips, with amazing landscapes and places
Thanks Alighieri, we’re visiting Mallorca, stay for about 5-6 days then back to mainland Spain. My son’s mother lives on the island.
We would love to know of any nice biking roads and places to visit while on the island. Also, maybe you know the best (and cheapest!) ferry options from either Barcelona or maybe Valencia? (We’re thinking of going there) then back across Spain to Santander.
Thanks Jay, we were discussing it last night. The cost is fairly high (to Santander) but as you (and others) say it skips the boring French part. But my son hasn’t done any continental riding (although he’s done a lot of travelling) and he said we should look at riding down the coast of France, no auto routes.
That said he thought it might be fun on the ferry too!
Arriving Santander I prefer to go to Barcelona. Just follow this trip:
Take A8 to Laredo. There is a beautiful port to stop and have a coffee. Then N364, pass Castro Urdiales to Bilbao and then face to Pamplona. When arriving Pamplona take A21 to Yesa and leave the highway to get N240. This is a bit boring due the highway, but from that point the road and landscape will worth getting there. Face Jaca, a nice town to look for a place to stop and rest for the night. In Jaca there is a citadel shaped like a pentagon, whose moat is inhabited by deer. If you have the time, you can deviate north following N330 to Canfranc, a beautiful old Train Station built in 1914. Follow N330 to Sabiñanigo. Be careful not to deviate to N330a because you have to look for N260 to get to Ainsa and from there to Castejón de Sos. You will enjoy very much that road and landscapes, driving near the Ésera river. If you have no haste keep in N260 to Pobla de Segur and then to Sort, then to La Seu d’Urgell and from that keeping N260 to Ripoll. From there you can take C17 to Barcelona.
Regarding the ferry to Palma, sorry to say it is not cheap unless you live in Mallorca. The good thing is now there are a bit more options, and due to the pandemic you will probably find good offers. I use to take Balearia ferries, but google for the best option.
Once you arrive here, the Tramuntana is a must. From Palma get to Andratx. Once arriving in Andratx look for a deviation on your right that says “Sa Coma” and follow to Carrer Son Lluis to look for Ma10 to Estellencs and follow that road to Pollença. Then face to Alcudia, the old citadel where you will enjoy parking your bike and visiting the old medieval city. Places to visit in Tramuntana: Estellencs, Deia, Valldemossa (a must, where Chopin and George Sand Lived) and Port de Soller
On the opposite side of the island, there is a nice trip following Ma6014 to Portopetro and north form that Portocolom. It is a lighter trip comparing Tramuntana.
