Site of our cycling camps
We are located at Playa de Palma, about 10 minutes from the International airport and 15 minutes from the centre of Palma
Centre “Cyclisme Majorca”: Hôtel Pamplona, C/ Néopatria, S/N, 07610 Playa de Palma, Mallorca, Baléares, España.
Géography
Majorca has two mountainous regions each about 70 km in length. These occupy the north-western (Serra de Tramuntana or Tramuntana range) and eastern thirds of the island. The highest peak on Majorca is Puig Major (1,445 m) in the Serra de Tramuntana. As this is a military zone, the neighbouring peak at Puig de Massanella is considered the highest accessible peak (1,364 m). The northeast coast comprises two sweeping bays: the Badia de Pollença and the larger Badia d'Alcúdia. The northern coast is generally rugged and has many cliffs. The central zone extending from Palma is generally flat fertile plain known as Es Pla.
The climate is Mediterranean, with markedly higher precipitation in the Serra de Tramuntana. Summers are hot in the plains and winters mild to cool, getting colder in the Tramuntana range; in this part of the island brief episodes of snow during the winter are not unusual.
The island is surrounded by two uninhabited small islands: Cabrera (southeast of Palma) and Dragonera (west of Palma).
The official languages of Majorca are Catalan and Spanish. The local dialect of Catalan is Mallorquí, even though the dialects are different in each island and in most villages. Typically, young Majorcans are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, with some knowledge of English or German as a foreign language, especially due to the large number of tourists and foreign residents on the island.
History
Majorca has been inhabited since antiquity. Burial chambers and traces of habitation from the Paleolithic period (6000–4000 BC) have been discovered. The island was occupied by the Romans in 123 BC under Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus. It flourished under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Pollentia (Alcúdia), and Palmaria (Palma) were founded. The local economy was largely driven by Olive cultivation, viticulture, and salt mining. Majorcan soldiers were valued within the Roman legions for their skill with the sling.
In 426, the Vandals sacked the island, and annexed it to their kingdom in 465. In 534, Majorca was conquered by the Byzantine Empire, and administered as part of the province of Sardinia. Under Byzantine rule, Christianity flourished and numerous churches were built. But from 707, the island was increasingly attacked by Muslim raiders from North Africa.
In 902, the Caliphate of Córdoba conquered Majorca, ushering in a new period of prosperity for the island. With the Caliphate at its height, the Moors improved agriculture with irrigation, developed local industries and the island benefited from the overall prosperous times. After the Caliphate was dismembered in 1015, a new, more decadent, era started. Majorca came under rule by the Taifa of Dénia, and from 1087–1114 was an independent taifa. However, in 1114, an expedition of Pisans and Catalans overran the island, laying siege to Palma for 8 months. After the city fell, the invaders retreated, and were replaced by the Almoravides from North Africa, who ruled till 1203. The Almoravides were replaced by the Almohad dynasty until 1229. In the ensuing confusion and unrest, King James I of Aragon launched an invasion which landed on Santa Ponsa, Majorca, on September 8-9, 1229 with 15,000 men and 1,500 horses, entering the city of Madina Mayurqa on December 31, 1229, and annexing the island to his Crown of Aragon after a campaign which finalized on October 30, 1230.
After the death of James I in 1276, his kingdom was divided between his sons. James II became king of the new Kingdom of Majorca. In 1344, King Peter IV of Aragon invaded, and re-incorporated the island into the Crown.
From 1479, the Crown of Aragon was in dynastic union with that of Castile. The Barbary corsairs of North Africa often attacked the Balearic Islands, and in response many coastal watchtowers and fortified churches were erected. In 1570, King Philip II of Spain and his advisors were considering complete evacuation of the Balearic islands. In the early 18th century, the War of the Spanish Succession resulted in the replacement of that dynastic union with a unified Spanish monarchy. In 1716, the Nueva Planta decrees made Majorca part of the Spanish province of Baleares, roughly equivalent to present-day Illes Balears province and autonomous community. In 1891 a disease destroyed Majorca’s vineyards and decimated the island's main source of income. From 1891 to 1895 Majorca witnessed a large emigration of islanders to mainland Spain and to the Americas.
Climat
What to see on the island !
FORMENTOR CAPE
Located on the North-Eastern coast of Majorca, these natural landscapes can offer wonderful views and are definitely worth a visit. Another unforgettable experience is to have a safari-tour. There are many spectacular view points and do not forget the lighthouse at the end of road.
DRACH PORTOCRISTO'S CAVES
Coves del Drac or Dragon Caves are located in the municipality of Manacor south of the village of Porto Cristo and have become one of the top tourist attractions in Majorca. Open throughout the year, there is a small entrance fee charged to enter the caves. The guides inside explain the interpretation of the bizarre stalactite formations in four different languages. The whole one-hour tour ends up with a violin concert on Lake Martel and visitors can take a boat ride steered by a gondolier.
LA GRANJA
A beautiful «finca» in the middle of stunning gardens. You will be able to visit a live museum, see artisanal gastromomy and be able to taste it for free….
VALLDEMOSSA
A lovely little village in the mountain where you will visit a church, as well as the royal house of King Sancho.
PALMA DE MAJORCA
PALMA'S CATHEDRAL
Gothic in style, Palma Cathedral was built during the XIII and XIV centuries. It has soaring delicate columns and a beautiful rose window. The Cathedral Museum is next to it, displaying Gothic art and gold work. Around it lies the historic Old Quarter of the city, worth visiting not only for its old buildings but also the lovely courtyards of many of the aristocratic mansions. Palma is a town of many courtyards. The churches of Santa Francesc, Sant Miquel and Santa Eulàlia are Gothic buildings of great beauty and ornate interiors.
Contributions by artist Miquel Barceló consisting of a large ceramic mural, stained glass windows and fixtures can be visited in one of the chapels of Mallorca's Cathedral. This avant-garde proposal was promoted by the late Bishop Teodor Úbeda and supported by various institutions under the auspices of the Art a la Seu Foundation, which has not been free from a debate similar to the one surrounding Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in the early twentieth century, just one more reason to visit this magnificent landmark, one of Europe's most brilliant Gothic buildings.
PALMA'S COURTYARDS
The guided tours to the courtyards leads us through Palma's oldest, most historical streets, many of which bear the names of the illustrious families who lived there or the monuments and churches that adorn them.
The history of Palma's courtyards dates back to the thirteenth century, with the advent of the Gothic period, and culminated between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. The city's most prominent houses were rebuilt during this time and, in some cases, reformed according to Renaissance and Baroque tastes.
Nowadays, these palatial homes have been turned into headquarters for institutions and museums and, in many cases, are still private homes. Most of them are three storeys high, elegant homes that prove the Majorcan saying 'sa casa fa es senyor' (The house makes the gentleman) and feature staircases, large flowerpots and wells, not to mention the grates that allow a peep at their cosy, quiet courtyards.
PALMA'S MUSEUM
It is located in the palace of the Counts of Ayamans, popularly known as Ca la Gran Cristiana. The building was constructed in the 16th Century by joining together several old houses and it has three floors, a main doorway with a round arch, a stately floor with Baroque balconies and an attic with Gothic windows. Remains of what are regarded as the first identified Muslim house on the island have been found in its central courtyard.
A tour around the museum enables the visitor to enter the time tunnel and discover Majorca's history. For example, in the basement you can view the reconstruction of a burial cave, the life-size reproduction of a talaiot or prehistoric tower, and a primitive pottery workshop. Also dating from the prehistoric period are the series of sculpted marble urns which come from the Sanctuary of Son Oms.
Of particular interest are the rooms which show the evolution of weapons, ornaments and spiritual symbols of the early settlers. Or those of protohistory, with a collection of materials found at the site of Turó de Ses Beies, which reflects the flourishing trade of the Mediterranean during the 3rd Century BC.
An island of colonisation
The different periods of colonisation which the island underwent are reflected through reproductions such as the Greek-Punic boat; the rooms of a domus, a Roman house with its typical atrium, a small pool situated in the centre of the house, and the replica of an Arab tomb. Dating from the same period as the latter is the collection of Andalusian pottery and jewellery which belonged to a Muslim family.
The museum contains rooms of Gothic paintings with important works, such as the altarpiece of Sant Bernat, the oldest image which is known of the saint. Also of special interest are the areas dedicated to Renaissance ceramics and the Baroque period, where one can contemplate Italian-style pottery and the first portraits painted in Majorca. The last part is reserved for Modernist furniture and the work of Majorcan painters or those living on the island during the last century.
FAMOUS PEOPLE IN MAJORCA
The visit by these illustrious luminaries left a mark on Mallorca and Valldemossa, a colourful village that set in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains, roughly 20 km from Palma.
Upon his doctor’s recommendation, Frederic Chopin came to the island to take advantage of the Balearic’s mild winter climate, although 1838 was an especially rainy year. The musician’s illness, the couple’s unmarried status and the progressive customs of Aurore Dudevant, George Sand’s real name, clashed with the beliefs and customs of the conservative society of the day. Nevertheless, the island’s beautiful scenery captivated both of them. Chopin said, '... I shall live in a wonderful cloister in the most beautiful part of the world...', and his companion thought, 'Anything that can be dreamt by the painter or the poet has been created by nature in this place'. The two produced part of their work on the island, in Chopin’s case, several scores and in George Sand’s, A Winter in Mallorca, inspired by her stay. In 1982, the Balearic Government’s Ministry of Tourism created a programme with the same name, A Winter in Mallorca, which features entertainment and cultural activities planned especially for visitors during that time of the year.
Today, the grounds of the Royal Monastery of Valldemossa are open for visits to the many different chambers it contains, among them the cells that these illustrious visitors occupied along with objects related to them, including the Pleyel piano brought expressly from France for the composer.
Today, the grounds of the Royal Monastery of Valldemossa are open for visits to the many different chambers it contains, among them the cells that these illustrious visitors occupied along with objects related to them, including the Pleyel piano brought expressly from France for the composer.
