Puerto Pollensa (Mallorca) – in October

Anyone been?

We know it will be high teens, low 20’s, possible chance of rain

Firstly did you like it there? Pollensa/Pollença town inland looks lovely. We are familiar with Cala D’or further down and love it there, but looking for somewhere different

Been deliberating where to go in October – a lot of places have a high chance of rain. We were fancying Dubrovnik, but that seems an even higher likelyhood of rain.

Suggestions – other than the usual obviously properly hot destinations – some of which themselves maybe in rainy/hurricane season anyway?

Been at Easter a few times, it’s road bike paradise…other than that…it’s nice enough. I’d get bored though

Id put your chance of rain on any given day at 50% at that time of year – source : I have a place in majorca, but not in pollenca.

Its fine – its your standard majorca family holiday resort – and road biking heaven if you like that sort of thing.

I went there for one of the worst holidays of my life! Not the sun/sand/sex that might have prolonged a marriage, but instead cold, raining, and a chest infection… I did get a day of roading riding in sort of cool but dry weather, which was nice. Part of the problem was I hadn’t gone equipped for epic wet – and it was flooding levels of wet – so combined with being ill I just couldn’t get warm (and the villa really wasn’t geared up for anything other than warm).

Pollensa town is nice and would be fine to walk around if you went equipped for Edinburgh in autumn as well as the fantasy of sunshine. I think I got really unlucky with the circumstances and the weather. If you’re absolutely dead set on warm/dry, then maybe look somewhere else. Mainland Spain, maybe? I did go on a Kona launch in October many years ago, flew to Malaga, stayed somewhere north of Estepona I think. It was pleasantly warm and sunny, a bit of a mix of rural desolation, cute hilltop  and nice national park-ish cork trees and pine forests type stuff.

We went 5 years ago. It was pleasant enough, quite quiet, we walked down the Boca valley path to the beach there a couple of times. Got the bus to Pollenca.

I think the temperature was in the low 20s, it was dry the whole time we were there. I did go in the sea but not for long as it was pretty cool.

Went last year with the club. 26C every day of our training camp. Rained the week after. Going again this year. Will probably rain.

We went for a cycling trip one February. I’ll never forget the chain gang back from Arta in torrential rain at 8°, it was type 2 fun of the highest order. The following day’s descent of Sa Calobra where the rivulets of water from the previous day’s rain had frozen was also pretty special, but I did clock the fastest descent that day on Strava.

None of the above put us off going back in October, which was certainly better weather. Not many people about, which was nice. Very chilled.

the villa really wasn’t geared up for anything other than warm

This was my main issue in the colder months.

When the rain hits it can be useful to have some local knowledge as some of the roads and surface run off can make things very slick compared to the hideously rough roads we are used to in the UK

Well I’ve been twice in October and it’s been t-shirt in the day, jumper at night kind of weather both times. Puerto Pollensa is terrific. Lots of nice bars, restaurants etc. and bus connections to other area. Even if you’re not there for cycling, worth hiring one for a day trip to Forementor lighthouse.

Can’t have you slagging off that wee corner of Mallorca without balancing it with it may be a wee bit quieter but the sea will still be warm and I love the place, compared to grey Edinburgh almost 3 days haar last Friday Sat and Sun while the west coast basked in 25°

I know where I’d much rather be

We are heading there mid-Oct. Been plenty of times in the spring but never autumn. I’m expecting 18-20 deg with possible cloud/rain.

If you want somewhere similar but better weather , accessible and with good riding then the Canaries should fit the bill.

If you want somewhere similar but better weather , accessible and with good riding then the Canaries should fit the bill.

I’d been shying away from the Canaries as didn’t really fancy any of them – but looking at some of the above answers, think I might stick it on the list. It’s probably the most accessible for decent weather in October. Not sure which island though.

I’ve been to there about 5 times. Love it. Usually go early may and its perfect for road riding, not too hot but still warm, amazing bars and places to eat. Rained about one day total in all times I’ve been there.

Now the bad news. I’ve been once in October last year. It was OK, but rained for 3 of the 6 days I was there, and much windier.

Still far better than being in the uk, but I’d probably not go again at that time of year. Chose gran canaria this year instead. Road cycling not as good, and the town isn’t nearly as nice as peurto pollensa,  but the weather will be better

I’ve done march/april/may half a dozen times for training camps and getting away from the rain/snow. Probably 50-60 days total, it’s rained maybe 3 times when i’ve been out riding and caused 3 or 4 rides to be delayed.

The one year i went in September on a family holiday was a disaster on both weather and bike fronts. The rentals were badly assembled and worn out, we had electrical storms, torrential rain and part of the road up to Lluc got washed out. The day after we left the storm drain next to the hotel overflowed and trashed the restaurant and the road outside.

Kids had a great time with their grandparents though and my wife moved out after we got home.

Been a couple of times, including this year, albeit in early and mid summer. Puerto Pollensa is actually pretty nice, as resort towns go – not horribly built up and minimal tackiness. Pollensa itself is pretty charming. Buses are great and open up loads of destinations – day trip to Palma totally doable. Was surprised how much I liked Palma – it’s a bit like a sawn-off Barcelona. You can also get the cute little wooden train from Palma to Soller/Port de Soller – winds its way very prettily up into the mountains; again, totally do-able in a day from Puerto Pollensa. Great food was easy to find wherever we went – highlight was Blai in Port de Soller.

I’d been shying away from the Canaries as didn’t really fancy any of them – but looking at some of the above answers, think I might stick it on the list. It’s probably the most accessible for decent weather in October. Not sure which island though.

The Canaries is reliably better weather – Gran Canaria, Fuertaventura and Lanzarote are all really well set up for cycling and they get far and away the bulk of the tourism so there’s usually some cheap deals somewhere. Lanza tends to get the bulk of the triathlete market.

Majorca – my club has just cancelled a planned trip out there based on the cost and the anti-tourist  stuff that’s been in the news. A mate lives out there (he retired out there before Brexit) and he said that April and October you can barely move for all the bloody cyclists (and he is a bloody cyclist himself, formerly a very good one!)

The one time I went to Majorca, we had 3 days of rain over the week that we were there and it turned the roads into skating rinks. Was basically just cold wet and miserable. On the other hand I’ve only had one day of rain in the 3-4 times I’ve been to Gran Canaria.

Andalucia.

Loads of hills / mountains, amazing cities / history and it’s mostly been excellent weather when I used to go in October.

Have a fino for me.

been 4 times to Mallorca, 3 in May / June twice in October, 4 times to Pollença, Puerto and once to Cal ‘Or .

hired bikes etc time and got out most days despite being a family holiday( leave early back by 11/12). definitely for cycling I’d favour the Pollenca region its superb, May / June the weathers always been great, the couple of times we’ve been in October, last year was really nice but one rainy day, previous time there were storms and some local flooding but in between really nice!  But the weather is very uncertain everywhere these days so a bit of a lottery.

Suggestions – other than the usual obviously properly hot destinations

Madeira? Did a week end of September/start of October last year, was in the 30’s most of the time and didn’t have a drop of rain all week. This was a riding trip so didn’t see much of the touristy parts of the island, the riding (mtb) is absolutely amazing although a guide is pretty much essential if you’ve never been before

We stayed in a villa a few km outside Pollença both last year and this, lovely area, plenty of biking possibilities, we were more interested in riding off-road.

We hired from here

Home EN

Really friendly and good value.

It’s a lovely part of the world and October will be much quieter and better temps for being outdoors.

Ive been in September, not October. Stayed in Porta Pollenca. But we drove most days to Cala san Vicente. Swimming in CsV is just awesome. Even better than the Cinque Terra. It’s like swimming in an acquarium. We only had normal swimming goggles, but spent hours just floating along on the surface, feeling like we were in the movie Nemo! Also drove up to Lluc which is stunning. Formentor is also beyond beautiful. Great corner of the world. Would be very different in the rain and cold though.

But the weather is very uncertain everywhere these days so a bit of a lottery.

Majorca been catching a fair bit of the extreme downpours this year.

Mainland southern Spain gets my vote.

Similar experiences snorkelling in Cala St Vincent here…including lots of cuttlefish, octopus and cormorants diving right in front of us.  Then again, sea conditions have to be right…been there with a major swell in the bay and never felt more sea sick in my life! Literally like being in a washing machine but still with great visibility and marine life to see.

Am in Puerto Pollensa now. Couldn’t be bothered to hire a bike this time. Regretting it big style as weather has been great.

I was there last year in October and it was lovely. Needed a jumper in the evening and probably wasn’t the weather for sitting on the beach. Dry though.

The place is nice I’ve been a few times. Family friend has a place there. Nice base for riding, walking and sightseeing.

Went to Majorca March once and it snowed!

You could try Spain, Rhonda. Costa Blanca, Calpe and places all down that coast. The further south, normally the warmer and drier.

Cala st Vicente is an easy walk from port Pollensa and the sea at Cala Molins  is great but often red flag even in the height of summer, according to the lifeguards it is well known to be  dangerous

We experienced hot sunshine, heavy rain and hail storms during one week at the end of September into October (which coincided with some strangely hot weather back in the UK which was better than Mallorca). Had to carry a full range of clothing

Nothing I look at in the Canaries grabs me, so thanks to @chakaping now looking at Andalucia – Nerja and Estepona on the CDS in particular. Leaning more towards Nerja – although there are some reports of a sewage problem, but they are mostly last year or before and a new sewage treatment works is reported to be in operation

PP is far and away a million times (okay slight exag) than those places you mention.  Sure, you can be unlucky, but its such a beautiful place, with so much to do in the area.  The hiking is amazing and varies from some simple flat stuff to tough dramatic routes.   Amazing restaurants where you can just sit and watch the world go by in front of stunning views.  The old towns of Pollensa and Alcudia ten mins away for shopping and cafes/bars etc.

I’m there every Oct and unless you’re really unlucky, any poor weather blows over pretty quickly.

Edit:  The extreme downpours have been very highly documented in the media, but the reality is that there is a water shortage in Mallorca, due to lack of rain.

@TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR also got a friend who goes to Nerja every year and cycles there each time, looks very nice! His wife sea swims and i think one year they couldn’t due to sewage issues but been fine the last 2 yrs i think! might need a guide there or some local knowledge to find good routes though whereas Mallorca its so so easy!

I should add – as there have been quite a few cycling suggestions. I won’t be riding a bike – just a relaxation break with the Mrs

I’ve been four times in recent years. I would suggest joining facebook groups, of which there are a few. Some are full of rubbish, some will be very informative, for example, the main beach had a red flag up because sewage had been dumped in the sea after heavy rain. The sea literally stunk (I noticed while I was there in August several times that I could smell sewage).

This place https://hotelllenaire.com/es/ is a nice walk and does amazing coffee and orange cake for 5 Euros per person.  I haven’t stayed there but it looks amazing, if a little far from the beach.

This year I really started to fall out of live with the place. Perhaps I need to find somewhere new to go.

Settled on Chania, Crete – go in 12 days