Best Cycling Routes in Mallorca

Mallorca is well known as one of the best destinations in the world for road cycling. Its perfect road surfaces, variable terrain and warm year round weather has attracted many cyclists. For those of you who are thinking about going, or perhaps have just arrived in Mallorca, here are what we consider to be the ten best rides on the island.

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10) Port Pollenca & Sa Batalla Circle

This classic loop covers the northern part of the Tramuntana mountains. Beginning anywhere on the coast between the towns of Alcudia and Pollensa, you can follow quiet cycle routes through Campanet, Selva and Caimari, before ascending the Coll de sa Batalla - one of Mallorca's most popular climbs.

The loop is completed by following the rolling terrain past Lluc and then descending the Coll de Femenia towards Pollenca. From here it is just a short trip back to whichever coastal town you started the ride from.

This loop is around 70km and with 900m of climbing, making it a fairly comfortable day ride. Stronger cyclists can extend the route to either Sa Calobra or Cap de Formentor (see further down the list for more details). The highlights of this route are the pleasant country lanes around the villages and the beautiful scenery once you begin climbing into the Tramuntana Natural Park.

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9) Palma to Arenal Coast

This is a short route at around 15km and is almost completely flat. It is also entirely off-road, so is a great choice for families with younger children, or simply for riders who wish to just go on an easy ride while seeing the main sights of Palma - Mallorca's historic capital.

The ride begins from the marina. This is situated at the foot of Bellver Castle and also just a few hundred metres from Far de Portopí (Portopí Lighthouse); the third oldest working lighthouse in the world. From the marina you join a cycle path and head east towards the centre of Palma. The cycle path stays by the coast the entire route and offers fantastic views of La Seu Cathedral and the Palma old town, as well as of the city beaches.

As you leave Palma, the route passes by some quieter beaches and some tourist areas, but is a really nice ride with fine views out to the Mediterranean Sea. Once you reach the town of Arenal the route comes to an end and you can follows the same cycle path back into Palma.

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8) Castell de Santueri & San Salvador

The east of Mallorca attracts fewer cyclists than the west of the island, which is of course home to the fantastic Tramuntana Mountains. However, it should not be completely written off, as there are some excellent routes here. The best, particularly for cyclists that like climbing, is situated around the town of Felanitx.

Two shortish ascents begin from Felanitx that are among the most enjoyable on the island - and are certainly the best in the south-east corner. The more famous and better climb is to San Salvador. There is also a pleasant hiking trail running parallel to the very winding road which leads to a small hotel and sanctuary at the summit. Here there is also a small display with cycling memorabilia, including several former World Champion jerseys.

After descending San Salvador you can do the second climb, which also starts from just outside Felanitx. Castell de Santueri is a significantly easier climb, but has similarly pleasant scenery in the Serra de Levant mountains. At the top of the climb is a small castle; an Arabic fortification dating to the 14th century.

Riding both climbs involves a distance of around 25km with 750m of climbing. To make this into a longer route, you could continue heading south from Felanitx towards the picturesque coastal village of Cala d'Or or the pleasant Mondrago Natural Park.

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7) Manacor to Arta

This route is a great choice for families or riders looking for a quiet and gentle half-day ride in the east of Mallorca. In 2015 a new via verde (a former rail-road converted into a cycle route) was opened up between the towns of Manacor and Arta. The path also goes through the towns of Sant Llorenc and Son Servera along its 29km length. The route is gently rolling and almost completely off-road, making it a great option for young children or for anyone that doesn't want to ride on open roads.

The scenery here is not the most spectacular in Mallorca, but it is pleasant enough and the town of Arta is well worth visiting. The narrow streets and churches of the historic center have been in place for over 700 years, and the town retains a very traditional and authentic charm.

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6) Central Villages & Puig de Randa

The central part of Mallorca offers fantastic rolling terrain for cycling, and is also dotted with beautiful historic villages which are a world away from the hustle and bustle of some of the coastal resort towns.

Our favourite circular loop begins in the town of Alaró, before following narrow lanes through Lloseta and Sineu. From here you head south through Algaida and climb to Puig de Randa; a small hill which offers incredible views across the whole island from its summit. After descending back to Randa, you can continue back to Alaró through Sencelles and Santa Maria.

This loop is about 80km long and has just over 1,000m of climbing. However, there are many other quiet roads in this area and you can basically make the route as short or as long as you wish to; however, we would certainly recommend trying to visit the towns of Sineu and Alaró, as well as enjoying the superb views from Puig de Randa if you like to climb.

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5) Sa Calobra

Sa Calobra is probably the most famous cycling climb in Mallorca. Its iconic snaking bends, superb road surface and incredible views make it a magnet for cyclists who wish to challenge themselves. It is one of the more challenging climbs on the island (although not the most challenging) and is without doubt one of the most enjoyable to ride.

Set in the heart of the Tramuntana Mountains, Sa Calobra can only be reached by first climbing one of the Sa Batalla, Puig Major or Coll de Femenia. This makes it more challenging than the average statistics suggest and means that it can only really be included as part of a longish ride. Sa Calobra is also quite mentally challenging as you descend the climb first. Once you have made the descent, the only way out is to climb back up - there is no bailing out half way up the climb (unless you take the ferry from the bottom to Port Soller - but if you did that, could you really ever look your bike in the eye again?)

The route above climbs the Coll de sa Batalla first, followed by Sa Calobra, before descending down to the coast and finishing in Port Soller. It is modified from one of the routes on our Mallorca: Mountains & Coast cycling holiday.

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4) Deia & Valldemossa

The coastal route between Soller and Valldemossa is far removed from the resorts that are found close to the capital Palma; however, it has long been a place of refuge for more discerning travellers. The charming historic villages of Deia and Valldemossa are the favourite destinations; with the latter boasting an impressive historic center and 13th century charterhouse.

However, it is the MA-10 road itself, as much as the villages, which provides the attraction for cyclists. The route is rolling throughout with a couple of more sustained periods of climbing, but the gradients are very gentle and accessible for riders of varying abilities. The twisting road, perfectly surfaced, offers incredible views throughout, with the glistening Mediterranean sea on your right hand side and the looming presence of the Tramuntana Mountains on the left. Add in the delightful villages and invariably sunny weather, and this is one of the most enjoyable days that you can have on a bike.

The road from Soller to Valldemossa is only 20km in length, which opens it up to riders of all abilities. Stronger riders can extend it by combining the route with numbers 1 or 3 in this list.

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3) Orient & Soller

This route between the towns of Alaró and Soller includes three cols. However, fear not, this is not the Alps; the entire route is just 37km with 900m of climbing, meaning that strong riders can do it comfortably as an out and back route. This is a great route both for its superb natural scenery and also for the beautiful towns and villages which it passes through.

Beginning from Alaró, you first climb the Coll d'Orient, a gentle ascent into the Tramuntana Mountains, which finishes near the village of Orient - a picturesque and historic village which is a nice place to stop for a coffee. From Orient it is a short ascent to the Coll d'Honor, before a fine forested descent along a beautiful quiet country lane.

The final climb of the day is the legendary Coll de Soller. Although we said that this is not comparable to the Alps, the spectacular Coll de Soller does have more hairpins than Alpe d'Huez, and in considerably less distance. It is a gentle climb which allows you to appreciate the fine views of the olive and almond groves which are dotted along the climb, and it is also quiet as most of the traffic takes a tunnel under the mountain. The descent over the other side into the town of Soller is even more impressive, with tight hairpin bends coming every 200m for nearly 6km. This is a fantastic route that you won't forget in a hurry.

As well as the cycling itself, the charming towns of Orient and Soller are real highlights of the route. The historic centres are UNESCO World Heritage listed for their example of traditional rural life in the Mediterranean area, and the beautiful stone buildings make for a very picturesque coffee or lunch stop.

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2) Cap de Formentor

Perhaps the only route to rival Sa Calobra in terms of popularity and fame, Cap de Formentor is an incredibly spectacular ride along a peninsular on the northern most tip of Mallorca. The route begins from the town of Port Pollensa and continues for nineteen undulating kilometres until you reach a lighthouse at the end of the road.

Cap de Formentor is hilly throughout, with the longest and most challenging climb coming at the very start, but it is never especially steep. The scenery makes the effort well worth it, with incredible coastal views throughout the vast majority of the route, particularly in the final 4km after passing through a short (and unlit) tunnel. Alternatively, it can be used as a great training ride. Local resident Bradley Wiggins holds the record from Port Pollensa to the end of the peninsula and back - doing the near 40km in under an hour!

The road surface was upgraded in 2015 and is now a pleasure for riding, with a smoothness that is so typical of the mountain roads in Mallorca. Cars are banned from the road during busy periods and so you don't even have to worry about excessive traffic here!

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1) Southern Tramuntana Coastal Road

The best cycling route in Mallorca is in the southern part of the Tramuntana Mountains; following the coastal road from the town of Esporles to Andratx. Like much of Mallorca, the route is rolling with a succession of short hills rather than featuring sustained climbing.

This is really a must ride route if you are on the island; the views along the entire route are stunning, with the Mediterranean on your right hand side and the magnificent Galatzo peak on your left hand side. The road is wide, perfectly surfaced and with considerably less traffic than most other routes in this part of the island. The road bends and sweeps along a ledge built into the mountain side and is incredibly fun to ride.

This route also passes through two of the most charming villages in Mallorca. First up is Banyalbufar, part of the Tramuntana UNESCO World Heritage Site - a title afforded to it because of the unique agricultural use of its landscape - particularly the dramatic stepped fields. The next village of Estellencs is just as picturesque and another charming place to stop for a coffee. The route is also book-ended by Esporles and Andratx - two slightly larger towns, but also with impressive historic centres and a real authentic charm.

You can make this into a circular route by joining it with the inland Tramuntana villages - featured at number 1 in our list of Mallorca's Lesser Known Cycling Routes. This is a truly unforgettable 65km loop which showcases the best of Mallorca, and is undoubtedly one of the highlights of our Mallorca Mountains & Coast cycling holiday.

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More Great Routes

These are just a few examples of some of the many great rides you can do in Mallorca. But there are many more possibilities including those featured on the climbs section of the website.

Many of these routes are partly taken from the rides on our cycling holidays on the island, which you can find more information about below. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like to book a holiday with us or for any other information.