Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Palma: Hostal Pons (Booking.com)

Bike Route: Colonia de Sant Jordi to Palma, 32 miles, 1100 feet of climb

Most of the bike route was along the coast, on dedicated bike trails, shared recreational trails, and small roads. We had just a few stretches on large, fast highways. The last 5 miles were along a string of beaches with resorts, restaurants, bars, and shops, all catering to the tourist crowds. We saw lots of wurst houses and taverns for visitors from Germany.

It was fun and very different. I wondered if we have anything like this on any of our coasts in the US--in Florida, California, New England? We'll have to check that out sometime.

We found our house-turned-hotel in Palma Old Town easily and were welcomed by our friendly hosts, a brother and sister whose family has lived there since the 1800s. It was a beautiful place, with a terrace on the ground floor, unique tile floors, and an airy reception room on the first floor. We were expecting a double room with large windows and antique furnishings, to match the photos in the listing. Instead, we got a very small room with one rickety chair, a creaky old wardrobe whose door wouldn't open, and a tiny bathroom with no door or place to hang towels. It was right on the street, noisy, and chilly. We were disappointed. It would have been quite fine for a hostel, but it was advertised and priced as a hotel.

Nevertheless, our hosts were warm and helpful, and recommended a great restaurant not far away, and we had a good enough stay. In the evening, we walked through the main square outside the Old Town walls, into a neighborhood of very nice shops and restaurants. We were in search of a patisserie recommended by Laura, the daughter of our host in Bordils. We found the shop, bought yummy desserts, and wandered back to our room at dusk.

The edge of Palma as we approached the city.

The bike path followed the coastline. Several miles from Palma, there were few people or bikes. As we got closer to the city, and the beaches, it became quite crowded.

Palma is a large city. Our hotel was in the old section, with tall stone buildings and narrow streets. About a half mile away, we found wide boulevards, trees, and upscale shops.

A typical street near our hotel. We ate lunch at the restaurant on the left, with the light below the awning. It was a bright, cozy space just below street level but with large windows letting in plenty of light and air.