If you only go once by bike in Palma, it has to be along the seaside promenade heading east from Santa Catalina towards the areas of Portixol, Molinar and beyond. There is nothing like feeling the sea-breeze and sunshine on your skin as you pedal past the Cathedral on one side and the sea on the other, along a traffic-less cycle path which stretches all the way to Ca´n Pastilla and the Beaches of Palma Bay.
The cycle path streches all the way around Palma Bay, (Photo: Martin Furtschegger).
At StayCatalina Boutique Hotel-Apartments we offer two brand new mixed purpose bikes to encourage our guests to go on this lovely day-trip. As the Apartment building is only two streets away from the sea and the promenade one can be on the cycle path in less than a minute, from there the cycle path weaves in and out through some buildings until it spectacularly opens out onto the main promenade by the Cathedral. After riding between the Cathedral and the sea we find Palma’s beach of Ca’n Pere Antoni, with its two beach clubs, Nassau Beach and Anima Beach on either side. Carrying on we come to the marinas of Portixol and Molinar, with its (now converted) fishermens houses and cafes looking out to the sea where you can enjoy tapas, salads, sandwiches or just a table in the sunshine.
If by this time you haven’t had enough (its only fifteen minutes!) you should carry on towards ciudad Jardin with its busy beach, the as yet underdeveloped Cala Gamba and the empty area of Es Carnatge, where you can see the airplanes lining up one after the other and pass overhead to land at the airport. In Cala Estancia, following the route is the uber-cool Puro Beach and then the path finishes at Cán Pastilla, where the massive beach of Playa de Palma and Arenal begins.
There are wonderful places to stop on the way. Depending on your mood and timetable, we can particularly recommend; In Portixol and Molinar, Es Vaixell, with its big cups of frothy coffee, sandwiches and salads, and the bar and restaurant at Hotel Portixol, for something more delicate and special. In Ciudad Jardin, Italian Seaside Cooking in Al-Mare and beside it, the wonderfully situated fish restaurant El Bungalow (reservation a must) just next to the gently lapping waves.
The trip is specially recommended for Easter, Spring and on sunny days in Winter. In the Summer its also nice to grab the bikes in the late afternoon, have a quick swim in the sea, and then go out for dinner in one of the many restaurants along the way. Don’t hesitate to ask at reception for tips and recommendations!
