Ultimate guide to cycling in Mallorca

On group rides across the land, there is one word on every rider’s lips: Mallorca. This rock in the Mediterranean has earned its reputation as a Holy Grail of cycling, a safe space for wearers of lycra, and a favourite location for pros in the off-season. Why? Because Mallorca is a sunny paradise of incredible roads, beautiful scenery, and patient drivers.

If you’re wondering how to plan your own trip to Mallorca, read on. We’ve gathered all the information you need to plan a perfect trip. We’ll fill you in on when is best to visit, what you should take, where to stay, and of course, where to ride, as well as give a few other things you won’t want to miss while you’re there.

To get the full scoop, have a look at our GCN+ documentary, Cycling Heartlands: Mallorca, in which we got a guided tour from Mallorca local and ex-professional Vincente Reynes.

When to visit

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Perfect riding conditions in Mallorca

Mallorca’s weather is pretty consistently dry – it’s one of the reasons Mallorca has become a favourite winter training destination for the pros. Even in the depths of winter, the temperature tends to stay above 10ºC, and there are usually less than 10 days of rainfall a month. Mallorca is quiet in the winter: there are few tourists and many of the restaurants and cafes close up for the season. The benefits, if you’re willing to risk bad weather, are quiet roads and cheap accommodation.

The ideal seasons to visit Mallorca are spring and autumn. In March, April and May, and in October and November, the temperatures peak somewhere between 18ºC and 25ºC each day, and the island is awash with cyclists. Head out onto the roads, and you’ll encounter enormous pelotons of riders of cyclists at every level. Most training camps run in spring and autumn, but spring is the ‘classic’ time to visit.

If anything, the worst time to visit is summer, when the temperatures are regularly north of 30ºC, and the roads are busier with rental cars and buses. Hitting the road early can mean you miss the worst of the heat and the traffic, but you won’t have the same freedom you might in spring and autumn.

How to get there

The simplest way to get to Mallorca is by air, and flights to the capital city Palma are available from about 30 different countries.

From the airport, it’s only 8km to the capital, with plenty of buses and taxis linking the two. To get to the northern towns of Alcudia and Port de Pollença (where most cyclists tend to stay), you can either take a taxi from the airport (for about €60), or catch the bus from Palma.

If you’d rather come by car, there are daily ferries to Mallorca from Barcelona landing at Palma and Alcudia. From Palma, it's just over 60km by car to reach the north of the island.

Where to stay

Most cyclists choose to stay in the two northern coastal towns of Alcudia and Port de Pollença. From here, you’re only a few kilometres from the Tramuntana mountains that cling to the northern edge of the island. These are home to the iconic climbs that make Mallorca so popular with cyclists.

Both towns provide easy access to the famous coast road, to the stunning northern tip of the island, and to the rolling countryside in the centre of the island.

Of the two, Alcudia is the prettier, with plenty of mediaeval streets to explore by night. It was a Roman settlement and has a number of 13th century manor houses to marvel at. Port de Pollença on the other hand has slightly more direct access to the best cycling roads and is right by a long, white sand beach.

Staying in these two cycling hubs means easy access to bike shops, hire centres and restaurants, as well as access to the Mallorca Cycle Shuttle, which opens up countless routes and roads that would otherwise be too far to reach in a single day.

Finally, for a true city break feel, there’s the capital, Palma. The biggest city on the island still has good access to the northern mountains, although the roads will naturally be busier around the city.

What to take

First of all, the big question: should you bring your own bike? And to that, we have one clear answer: maybe. Bringing your bike on the plane can be a bit of a faff, but it’s nice to be riding a familiar set up. And since the island is so popular with cyclists, taxis, apartments and rental properties are good at accommodating bikes.

But if you’d rather save yourself the headache (and don’t want to stand at the terminal window and watch how far the baggage handler can throw your pride and joy), hiring a bike is easy. Bike hire shops are everywhere, and they have some pretty serious bikes. In fact, this might be a good opportunity to ride a really special bike for a week or so.

Bikes are available for all levels of rider, and every discipline of cycling. Most hire companies can provide e-bikes or bikes with UK-style brakes, and most can deliver your bike to your accommodation for you. Just remember to book before you travel to secure a bike that’s the right size and spec for you.

Kit-wise, it depends on what time of year you’re visiting. But whatever the season, check the forecast and pack accordingly. Generally speaking, you’ll be fine with your summer kit plus a few extra layers for cooler mornings or higher altitudes.

Iconic climbs

Sa Calobra

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The Tie Knot – the famous 270 degree bend on Sa Calobra

Length: 9.4km

Gradient: 7%

The most famous climb on the island starts from the coast. To get to the base, you must first descend from the top.

Puig Major

Photo: © Velo Collection Dario Belingheri / Getty Images.

The men's WorldTour take on Puig Major

Length: 14km

Gradient: 6.2%

This climb, approached from Soller, is the longest on the island, taking in over 800m elevation gain.

Cap de Formentor

Length: 3km

Gradient: 4.1%

The stunning road to the lighthouse on the northern tip of the island is one of the most beautiful on the island, or anywhere.

Coll de Soller

Length: 7.4km

Gradient: 6%

This climb is more challenging if approached from Soller. Since a tunnel was built underneath, the climb has become practically car-free.

Coll d'Orient

Length: 5.6km

Gradient: 5%

One of the two most popular routes into the mountains from the southern lowlands. Best of all, there’s a cafe at the top.

The coast road

Length: 121km

Elevation gain: 2700m

This last one isn’t a climb, but the road from Pollença to Andratx is one of the most famous on the island. The MA-10 road heads through the Serra de Tramuntana, passing many of the climbs listed above.

Mallorca heartlands

Our Mallorca Cycling Heartlands documentary on GCN+ is full of insights about this incredible island. Here are some of the places we visited in the documentary that are worth seeking out.

Tirador Velodrome

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The Tirador Velodrome is one of the oldest in the world

The Tirador Velodrome might be in disrepair today, but in the 20th century, this was the cultural centre for cycling in Mallorca. It was opened in 1903, making it today the 12th oldest velodrome in the world. Track cycling was one of the first sports to capture the imagination of Mallorcans, making this velodrome a crucial part of Mallorca’s modern identity.

Vincente Reynes’ secret climb: Na Burguesa

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Near to Palma is the climb that Reynes used to test his fitness pre-season

Vincente Reynes is one of the most decorated cyclists from Mallorca, and a true local legend. When Vincente was preparing for the race season, Na Burguesa was his training ground. It averages 9.9% over 1.5km, and has a spectacular view from the top.

Vincente Reynes’ family bakery in Deià

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Vincente Reynes is as comfortable rolling dough as he is rolling turns

Vincente Reynes isn’t just a decorated pro cyclist, he’s also a dab hand with a dough hook. Since retiring from the pro ranks, he’s taken the reins on the family bakery, which his grandfather started in 1958. Either pick up a sweet treat here, or from Vincente’s coastal cafe in Port de Sóller.

Vincente Reynes

Ex-professional rider

Vincente is a retired pro cyclist, who rode professionally between 2003 and 2016.