Palma — Port de Valldemossa & Port des Canonge
About this Route
← Mallorca Cycling GuideTwo 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.
Port de Valldemossa and Port des Canonge are two descents every cyclist should ride on Mallorca. We knew about them but had kept them for the right day — and this was it.
The route out of Palma is straightforward — flat roads northwest through the suburbs before the Tramuntana begins to rise ahead. The road winds through olive groves and past Esporles before the real character of the day reveals itself.
Port de Valldemossa comes first. The descent is a technical masterpiece — tight switchbacks carved into the cliff face, the road so narrow in places that you wonder how anyone planned it. The asphalt is not perfect, but perfectly rideable. At the bottom, a small restaurant overlooks the harbour. We stopped and ate — good food, complete calm, and an unbeatable view over the sea. Then the climb back up, which is no joke at 7.5% average.
Then Port des Canonge. The road narrows dramatically and winds down through dense pine forest with glimpses of turquoise water below. Hairpin after hairpin, the tiny fishing village appears at the bottom, tucked between red cliffs and the sea. Extraordinary silence. Everything you descended, you climb back up.
Valldemossa village is the natural café stop on the way home — the Coca de Patata at Pastisseria Can Molinas is close to obligatory. The return to Palma from there is quick and pleasant. A route that feels like discovering a side of Mallorca most cyclists never find.
Kilometre by Kilometre
Flat roads northwest out of Palma through the suburbs. The Tramuntana rises ahead as the road winds through olive groves past Esporles toward the junction for Port de Valldemossa.
The first hidden gem. Tight switchbacks carved into the cliff face descend to a small harbour restaurant at sea level — good food and an unbeatable view over the sea. The climb back up is 4.86 km at 7.5% average. A proper Cat 2 effort on roads that feel like they belong to another era.
The road narrows dramatically as it winds down through dense pine forest with glimpses of turquoise water below. The tiny fishing village at the bottom is tucked between red cliffs and the sea — extraordinary silence. Everything you descended must be climbed back up.
Quiet inland roads back toward Palma. The hardest climbing is done — roll home on legs that have earned it.
Gallery
Route map & elevation profile
Key Climbs
Subida Port des Canonge
Cat 3Port de Valldemossa — Full Climb
Cat 2Highlights
- •The Port de Valldemossa descent — tight switchbacks cut into the cliff face, down to a small harbour where the sea meets the rock. Sa Calobra's little sister, and rightly so
- •Port des Canonge: an authentic fishing village between red cliffs and turquoise water, that almost no cyclist ever reaches
- •The silence at the bottom of both descents — a completely different Mallorca from the Tramuntana icons
- •The MA-10 west coast: one of the island's most dramatic roads with sea views throughout
- •The feeling of having found roads that most cyclists never find
Must know
- ⚠Both descents must be climbed back out. Port de Valldemossa (4.9 km / 7.5%) and Port des Canonge (4.6 km / 6.0%) — plan your energy accordingly.
- ⚠The roads down to both ports are extremely narrow. Two cars cannot pass without one stopping. Keep speed controlled on the descents and be alert for oncoming traffic.
- ⚠Start early from Palma — both ports are best in the morning before tourist traffic builds on the narrow approach roads.
- ⚠Road surface on the descent to Port de Valldemossa is rougher than most Mallorcan roads, particularly on the inside of hairpin bends.
Café & Water
- km 25Restaurant Es Port de Valldemossa
Stop for an espresso by the sea before the 7.5% climb back up. Don't linger too long — cold muscles make the climb harder.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Port de Valldemossa and Sa Calobra?
- Port de Valldemossa (4.9 km / 7.5%) is often called Sa Calobra's little sister — comparable intensity, but shorter and with far less traffic. The road is narrower and technically more demanding in the bends. Sa Calobra is iconic; Port de Valldemossa is where almost nobody goes.
- Do I have to climb both ports twice?
- Yes. The route is a loop from Palma — you descend to the harbour at both ports and climb back out. Port de Valldemossa (4.9 km / 7.5%) and Port des Canonge (4.6 km / 6.0%) are each climbed twice in total. That is what makes 1,550 metres on just 73 km possible.
- Is this route suitable as a day ride from Palma?
- Yes — start and finish is Paseo Marítimo in Palma. No transfer needed. Allow 5–6 hours in the saddle. Start early, ideally by 08:00, to avoid tourist traffic on the narrow roads.
- What is the KOM on Port de Valldemossa?
- The KOM is Felix Grossschartner's 12:57 on the Strava segment (4.9 km / 7.5%). The Port des Canonge KOM is Alfred Grenaae's 11:53 (4.6 km / 6.0%).
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Route Details
For experienced cyclists. Significant elevation and demanding distances.