Sunny day and ride to Arta and Capdepera

The weather was soooo much better today. Bright sunshine and hardly any wind. We took a ride down the coast to Arta and then on to Capdepera. 77Km total, with some rolling hills and only a few minor climbs- except for the 16% grade to the castell (castle) in Capdepera. That road had cobbles and we walked our bikes up the last two meters as the grade got very steep.

Our ride to Arta was uneventful and we had a number of groups which split off for different options after our coffee stop in Arta. We were joined in Arta by Dana and Joyce, who took a more leisurely pace from Alcudia to Arta. And they had discovered some good shopping in the Arta market which operates on Tuesdays.
Milan, Kathie, Bill, Jan and Sylvie in Arta.

Bruce and Axel at our coffee stop in Arta.

After our coffee Kathie, Ken and Jerry strolled through the market and the streets of Arta. Milan, Dana and Joyce enjoyed a bit of a longer stay at the restaurant and then took a leisurely ride back to Alcudia. Sylvie wanted to see a place she had come in the 1960's with her family from France at Costa de los Pinos. Bill, Jan, Axel and Bruce headed of with Sylvie to that vacation area about 10Km from Arta.

Ken, Kathie and Jerry headed to Capdepara where we had a spectacular view of the one of the defensive castles built on Mallorca. We proceeded through Capdepera and made our way up the streets to the castle, walking the last 50m due to the 16% grade on cobbles. The castle was impressive and has been in place since the 12

th century. It became a place of refuge for local citizens when the Arab pirates raided the island. A view of the castell from below.

And Jerry coming up the narrow cobbled lane where we walked our bikes the last 50 meters.

The fortified town of Capdepera was started in 1300. It had good visibility of the sea, from whence attacks usually came, since it was on a hill. The distance and visibility gave the citizens time to retreat to the defensive castell when attacks came.

Ken and Kathie up on the ramparts near the church inside the castell.

Kathie on the rampart with the view to the sea.

We have one more day in Mallorca and it looks like we will ride to Sineu again for a trip to the market, but we will make our final decision at breakfast tomorrow.