Terrain
70% mountains, 30% flat
Best for
Road cyclists
Highlight
Sa Calobra — the snake road
Season
Mar–May · Sep–Nov
Base
Port de Pollença or Palma west
Bike rental
High availability · Carbon standard
Mallorca has a reputation built on beach holidays and package tours. I arrived with low expectations the first time — and left completely converted. The roads are exceptional, the climbing is relentless in the best possible way, and once you move away from the coastal resorts, the traffic disappears. It is one of the finest cycling destinations in Europe, and it deserves better than its tourist-brochure image.
When to go
March to May and September to November are the sweet spots. Temperatures sit between 15–22°C, roads are dry, and you share the climbs with professional teams on winter training camps. Spring brings almond blossom in the valleys and snow on the higher Tramuntana peaks — the contrast is extraordinary.
Avoid July and August. Heat on the exposed climbs is punishing, tourist traffic on the mountain roads is heavy, and the experience is simply not as good.
Where to base yourself
For serious cycling the answer is always the west side of the island — the Serra de Tramuntana is where the best riding is, and you want to be close to it.
Port de Pollença
My preferred base. A small, relaxed town on the north coast with a beautiful marina and an easy-going cycling culture. From here you can ride Sa Batalla and Col de Femenia directly from the door, head south to Coll de Soler, or ride out to Cap Formentor. Restaurants along the marina are excellent for post-ride evenings — we made it a ritual to sit outside and eat well after long days in the mountains.
Palma — west side
A good alternative if you want more city infrastructure. Base yourself in the western part of the city for direct access to the mountains without long warm-up kilometres through traffic. From western Palma you can be climbing within 20 minutes. We rented a house through Airbnb for a group of seven — it worked very well.
The east side
Not just for recovery days. The routes east of Palma and south from Pollença offer a completely different landscape — rolling hills, quiet roads, medieval villages and the monasteries that sit at the top of short punchy climbs. Petra, roughly in the centre of the island, is a classic lunch stop where you will find dozens of cyclists every day. Worth building a route around.
Getting there
Fly into Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) — well connected from most European cities. Most airlines allow bikes as sports equipment; book in advance and pack carefully.
Several professional bike hire shops operate in Palma and Port de Pollença if you prefer to travel light. Quality is generally high — full carbon road bikes with power meters are standard.
Key stops and cafés
Repsol station, top of Sa Batalla
The petrol station at the summit is a pilgrimage site for cyclists. Coffee, food, and a restaurant next door serving proper meals. After the climb, you have earned it.
Kiosk at the Sa Calobra junction
Where the road splits off toward Sa Calobra, there is a small kiosk with drinks, ice cream and snacks. Stop here before the descent — you will want something cold on the way back up.
Petra
The small town in the heart of the island is the natural lunch stop on the flatter eastern routes. Sit on the church square and watch the pelotons roll through. On the Sant Salvador route we stopped here — it is exactly the kind of place that makes cycling in Mallorca feel different from anywhere else.
Port de Pollença marina
The right place to finish the day. Outdoor restaurants along the waterfront, the Tramuntana behind you, cold beer in hand.
Cap Formentor
Cap Formentor is Mallorca's northernmost point — a spectacular road along a narrow peninsula with sheer cliffs dropping to the sea on both sides. It is a must-ride.
Start as early as possible. We were on the road by 7am and had the peninsula almost entirely to ourselves. The café at the lighthouse may not be open at that hour — but that is a trade worth making. By mid-morning the road gets busy and the experience is not the same.
Note that from mid-May to mid-October, private cars are restricted during daytime hours. For cyclists this is academic — bikes are always permitted. But it means the road is considerably quieter during the restriction period, which is another reason to time your visit for spring or autumn.
The routes
Nine routes covering the island's defining climbs — Sa Calobra, Cap Formentor, Sa Batalla and Puig Major — and extending east into the quieter monastery roads and coastal routes.
Col de Femenia & Sa Batalla Loop
One of the most popular and accessible mountain loops in Mallorca — taking you straight into the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana from the north, combining two of the island's most classic climbs in a single compact day. From Port de Pollença the route rolls west across the agricultural plain towards the historic town of Pollença before the mountains begin. Col de Femenia is the first major challenge — a steady, beautiful 7.6 km climb at 5.5% average where the views open up progressively as you gain height, revealing Pollença Bay, Cap de Formentor and the Alcúdia peninsula stretching into the distance. At the top, the route crosses an almost alpine plateau of grey limestone formations and deep valleys, passing the junction down to the famous monastery at Lluc. Then comes the reward: the descent via Coll de Sa Batalla — a technical, exhilarating drop through tight hairpins in dense pine forest with dramatic cliff faces on all sides. The well-known cycling café at the top of Sa Batalla is a classic meeting point before the long swooping descent. The return through Caimari and the quiet inland roads via Pollença rounds off one of the finest half-day rides on the island.
Col de Soller & Puig Major
The definitive epic mountain stage on Mallorca — four of the island's most celebrated climbs in a single day, deep into the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana. This is a route for riders who love altitude, hairpin bends and true alpine scenery. From Port de Pollença the route heads south towards the hidden Orient valley — one of the most beautiful and least-visited corners of Mallorca. The winding road through olive groves to the postcard village of Orient sets the tone before the climbing begins in earnest. From Bunyola, the south side of Coll de Sóller rises ahead: a masterpiece of road engineering with over 20 hairpin bends and almost no cars, since all traffic uses the tunnel. The views from the top south towards Palma are extraordinary. The technical descent into Sóller — the island's famous orange valley — is the natural lunch stop. Eat well on the square, because the biggest challenge of the day comes next: the 14-kilometre climb to Puig Major, Mallorca's highest accessible point by bike. The landscape transforms from lush garden to bare alpine rock as you gain height. At the top, the road passes through a tunnel before the dramatic Gorg Blau and Cúber reservoirs appear — turquoise water cradled between the island's highest peaks, some of the most dramatic scenery in all of Mallorca. The long return descends past the Sa Calobra junction and through Lluc before Col de Femenia drops you back to the Pollença plain and home.
Sant Salvador Monastery Loop
The pilgrimage climb of Mallorca — Sant Salvador monastery sits alone on a 510-metre summit in the southeast of the island, far from the Tramuntana mountains, giving a 360-degree panorama over the entire island that no other climb can match. From Alcúdia Bay in the north to the Cabrera islands in the south, the view from the top is unlike anywhere else on Mallorca. From Port de Pollença the route heads south across the flat central plain — the Pla de Mallorca — on fast, open roads perfect for riding in a group and maintaining good tempo. The real Mallorca reveals itself here: fields, windmills and dry stone walls stretching to the horizon. Through Santa Margalida and into Petra, the island's unofficial cycling capital, where the town square is almost always packed with riders from across Europe. A coffee and a slice of almond cake at Can Tomeu is close to obligatory. Porreres is the natural lunch stop before the climbing begins — Cafeteria Es Poltre in the village centre is cyclist-friendly, portions are generous and service is fast. From Felanitx the road rises immediately towards Sant Salvador. Five kilometres at 7% average with several hairpin bends, passing the giant stone cross of Es Picot on a neighbouring summit before the monastery appears above. Inside, world championship jerseys donated by professional riders line the corridors — a reminder of how deeply cycling is woven into this place. The long return north across the plain is where wind awareness matters most. A headwind on the way home can be relentless on the open flatlands — save something for the final stretch back to Pollença.
Cap Formentor, Sa Batalla & Sa Calobra
The queen stage of Mallorca cycling. Cap Formentor, Sa Batalla and Sa Calobra back to back — three of the island's most iconic climbs in a single day, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop throughout.
Andratx to Pollença — The Grand Traverse
The ultimate Mallorcan diagonal — a 146-kilometre point-to-point epic from Andratx in the southwest to Port de Pollença in the north, crossing the full breadth of the island through its most celebrated landscapes. The route opens with one of the finest stretches of road on the island: the Ma-10 coastal road, hugging the cliffs above the Mediterranean with views that rival anything in European cycling. Through the famous villages of Estellencs and Banyalbufar — their ancient terraces dropping to the sea — and on through Valldemossa and Deià, where the roads wind through olive groves past some of the most coveted real estate on the island. From Sóller the route tackles Coll de Sóller — fifty-plus hairpin bends climbing above the valley, with virtually no traffic since all heavy vehicles use the tunnel. The views from the top stretch south across the Palma plain and north back into the Tramuntana. After the descent into Bunyola, the terrain flattens and the route crosses the heart of the island through lush agricultural land towards Inca — perfect for settling into the aero position and making time. The final stretch follows the Camí Vell de Campanet: quiet, narrow lanes flanked by dry stone walls, almond trees and grazing sheep — the hidden Mallorca that most cyclists never find. Port de Pollença and the seafront promenade await at the finish.
Palma to Andratx — Mallorca Coastal Cycling Loop
One of the most beautiful coastal routes on Mallorca — a 77-kilometre loop from Palma along the spectacular southwest coastline, through glamorous harbour towns and back through authentic Mallorcan countryside. Leaving from Paseo Marítimo in Palma, the route immediately tackles Coll de Sa Creu — a 5.8 km Cat 3 climb that gets the legs working from the very first kilometre. The reward is a fast descent down to the coast, where the route then follows the stunning southwest shoreline westward through Cala Major — where the Spanish royal family have their summer residence — past the fashionable enclaves of Illetes and Portals Nous, through Palmanova and Santa Ponça. Port d'Andratx is the jewel of the route: one of Mallorca's most beautiful harbour towns, perfect for a coffee stop watching the superyachts. From Andratx the route turns inland through Es Capdellà — authentic Mallorcan villages surrounded by olive groves and almond trees — before the descent back to Palma with the city's iconic cathedral visible in the distance.
Palma — Sa Batalla, Sa Calobra & Puig Major Epic
The ultimate challenge for riders based in or near Palma — conquering Mallorca's highest peaks in a single day from sea level at the harbour. Coll de Sóller, Puig Major, Sa Calobra and Sa Batalla: four of the island's most celebrated climbs, all in one epic loop. From Paseo Marítimo the route heads out across the flat plain before Col de Sóller arrives — five kilometres of switchbacks with light traffic. Down into the Sóller valley for lunch before the biggest climb of the day: Puig Major, Mallorca's highest accessible point by bike, finishing inside the Monnàber tunnel at 872 metres. Then comes Sa Calobra — descended first on the famous corkscrew road to Torrent de Pareis at sea level, then climbed back out. 10 kilometres at 7% average, 26 hairpins. Everything you descend, you climb. The Repsol station at the top of Sa Batalla marks the final summit. From there a long descent through pine forest and flat roads carry you back to Palma. A day that earns its difficulty rating.
Palma — Southeast Mallorca & Santanyí Cycling Route
A beautiful journey through the southeastern corner of Mallorca — a part of the island that operates at a completely different rhythm to the mountain roads of the Tramuntana. Open plains, authentic villages, dry stone walls and the golden sandstone town of Santanyí: this is the real Mallorca, away from the tourist crowds. From Palma the route heads southeast across the agricultural heartland of the island — the Pla de Mallorca. Wide open skies, ancient windmills that once pumped water to the fields, and the characteristic dry stone walls known as marges lining every road. Through Llucmajor — a well-known cycling hub with a good town square for a coffee stop — and on across the southern plains where almond and apricot trees mark the seasons. Santanyí is the jewel of the route. Built almost entirely from the golden local sandstone that was also used to construct Palma's famous cathedral, the old town is a beautiful maze of narrow streets, art galleries and excellent cafés. The main square is especially lively on market days — Wednesday and Saturday. A pamboli of local bread with oil, tomato and cured ham is the correct lunch order. The return passes through Ses Salines, where salt has been harvested for centuries, before the flat roads carry you back to Palma. A route where the pleasure is in the rhythm, the culture and the landscape rather than the climbing.
Palma — Port de Valldemossa & Port des Canonge
Two of Mallorca's most dramatic and least-discovered coastal descents in a single route from Palma — Port de Valldemossa and Port des Canonge. This is the route for riders who want to go beyond the famous climbs and find the roads that most tourists never reach. From Paseo Marítimo the route heads northwest over the first ridge via Coll des Vent before entering the western Tramuntana. Port de Valldemossa comes first — often called Sa Calobra's little sister, and rightly so. The descent is one of the most technically demanding and spectacular roads on the island: narrow, winding, with cliff faces and vertical drop-offs at every bend. At the bottom, Es Port restaurant overlooks the small harbour and is the perfect stop for a coffee or a quick espresso before the climb back up. The 4.86 km ascent at 7.5% average is no joke — this is a proper Cat 2 effort. The historic village of Valldemossa, with its famous monastery and cobbled streets, is the natural café stop before continuing to Port des Canonge — a labyrinth of hairpin bends through pine forest descending to a tiny, completely authentic fishing village where red cliffs meet turquoise water. The silence here is extraordinary. Everything you descend must be climbed back up before the return to Palma. Coca de Patata — the local potato pastry at Pastisseria Can Molinas in Valldemossa — is close to obligatory.