From 14 to 24 May 2024 we went road cycling in Mallorca – nine of us in a house in Alcúdiathat we’d booked through Airbnb. I’ve been to Mallorca with my road bike around seven times now, and every time it’s beautiful again.
Our Mallorca trip
- When
- 14–24 May 2024
- Riding days
- 5
- Distance
- approx. 377 km
- Elevation gain
- approx. 6,300 m
- Accommodation
- Airbnb house, nine of us
- Bikes
- rented from BMC Palma
Why Mallorca is so special for road cycling
Firstly, it’s already much warmer than at home – in Mallorca you can ride from March. Secondly, the roads are in top condition, and the climbs are always really pleasant to ride.
Our house in Alcúdia
For me, Alcúdia is the perfect base for the most beautiful rides in Mallorca. We’d booked a house there through Airbnb, nine of us in total. We almost always cooked ourselves and then ate together.
Besides cycling, we also explored the town of Alcúdia and various beaches. The water was already a pleasant temperature, so we went swimming – and the beaches were always super empty.
Our 5 rides
All routes on the map & as GPX
Simplified routes and elevation profiles from our Strava recordings. Distances & elevation gain according to Strava.
Day 1: From Palma via Lluc to Alcúdia
🚴♀️ 77 km · ⛰️ 956 m elevation gain
In Palma we picked up our bikes and rode straight to Alcúdia to join the rest of the gang – via Santa Maria, Binissalem and Selva up to Lluc and over the Coll de Femenia and Pollença.
Day 2: Cap de Formentor
🚴♀️ 59 km · ⛰️ 925 m elevation gain
Formentor is a classic – super beautiful! Via Port de Pollença and the Es Colomer viewpoint we rode out to the lighthouse at Cap de Formentor. If you start early, you get an incredible sunrise and have the roads almost to yourself.
Day 3: Over the Puig Major towards Sóller
🚴♀️ 128 km · ⛰️ 2,622 m elevation gain
The longest ride: via Campanet, Selva and Caimari up into the Serra de Tramuntana, past the Puig Major and down towards Fornalutx – and back again over the Puig Major, Lluc, the Coll de Femenia and Pollença.
Day 4: Short loop around Alcúdia
🚴♀️ 29 km · ⛰️ 481 m elevation gain
A relaxed coffee ride with the crew around Alcúdia – really nice for a change.
Day 5: Formentor & Coll de Femenia
🚴♀️ 86 km · ⛰️ 1,327 m elevation gain
Out to the classic Cap de Formentor once more, and then via Pollença up to the Coll de Femenia.
The whipped cream incident 🍦
One more story I have to tell you: on the second-to-last day I spooned the whipped cream off Tom’s ice cream. Not a good idea! I ended up with food poisoning , threw up all night – and spent the last day just lying on the sun lounger in front of the house. Well, that’s what you get for stealing someone else’s cream, haha.
Good to know
- When to go: You can ride in Mallorca from March. In May it was already really warm, and the sea was a pleasant temperature too.
- Bikes: We rented from BMC in Palma – but there are bike rentals almost everywhere on the island.
- Accommodation: Alcúdia is a perfect base for the most beautiful rides in the north. A house with a kitchen is ideal for a bigger group.
- Start early: That way you have the roads almost to yourselves.
My verdict
Warm weather, great roads, pleasant climbs and empty beaches – for me, Mallorca is simply one of the most beautiful road cycling destinations. I’ve been there around seven times, and every time it’s beautiful again.
Love, Anna