Cycling C'an Picafort to Pollenca & Alcudia

Having only recently taken up road cycling this summer, I felt Mallorca was one of the best places to learn the joys of cycling as bikers of all levels can enjoy a ride here. Surely tens of thousands of cyclists cannot be wrong.

I was lucky enough to get a guided tour from local cycle hire shop Wheels Sport who offer an extensive range of road bikes, hybrids and city bikes - their main shop is located in Can Picafort, close to Alcudia in the north of Mallorca. We decided on a fairly easy route, from Can Picafort, to Pollenca and then on to the Alcudia Peninsula. I was kitted out with water bottles, helmet and energy bars and we got on the road around 10am before the midday heat kicked in.

The tour took us through the small and quiet streets around the back of Alcudia to the old town of Pollenca with our target being the top of the Calvari. The back roads are very well sign posted at every turn and even if you’re picking roads at random you’re unlikely to get lost. Coasting through the tranquil streets in the North of Mallorca you can almost hear a pin drop as the sun shines down over the Tramuntana mountains in front of you. This sort of cycling is brilliant for the hobby cyclist who fancies sampling alternative views of Majorca, or for road cyclists wanting to get away from the traffic. The roads here are generally very smooth and rarely do you meet any cars, the only issues I’ve had is stopping to give way to a flock of sheep.

Many of the main roads in Mallorca now feature cycling paths, especially around the popular towns of Pollenca and Puerto Pollensa. Roads here have been designed to make it safe for cyclists with dedicated cycle lanes built on new roads and cycle paths extended on existing roads such as the one from Pollenca to Puerto Pollensa. Drivers have also had around eight years of experience of driving with cyclists, so as long as you obey the traffic rules, you should be fine.

On my tour with Wheels Sport we wound our way up to the narrow streets of Pollenca, my inexperience in road cycling started to show through as I huffed and puffed my way to the top of the Calvari. I am sure a keen road cyclist could make light work of this 1km climb but I on the other hand found it a bit of a challenge. One of the most popular attractions in Pollenca, the Calvari, is generally done on foot as the 365 steps take you up to a small chapel that overlooks the North of Majorca. By bike however, the road surface was definitely less than perfect, with many potholes and stones covering the road meaning the route up has to be chosen wisely. Once at the top of the Calvari the views are stunning and the hard work pays off, whether it be on foot or by bike. From the top of the Calvari you can see all across Pollenca, Puerto Pollensa and the Puig de Maria but most importantly you can quench your thirst at the cafe by the chapel.

After a shakey ride back down the Calvari we headed towards Alcudia setting our sights on La Victoria - another popular trip for cyclists in Mallorca. Fortunately we were not aiming for the top but to the restaurant S’Illot that sits at the bottom of La Victoria which offers great views across the bay and a delicious paella. Here is where our road cycling ended and we traded our wheels for a couple e-bikes. After a bellyful of paella it was little wonder we needed an extra boost to get back to Can Picafort before calling it a day. Pedal power on one of these bikes is little more than putting a knife through butter as the electrically assisted bikes turn any hill climb into light work. These bikes are thoroughly enjoyable and are a great way to discover parts of Mallorca without breaking a sweat.

One of the most popular cycling routes in Mallorca is Sa Calobra with the road winding up 75km through the mountain it’ll see you climb up 871m, not a ride for the faint hearted. Be aware that this road can get very busy with cars and buses in the busier months so be extra aware of this. Other popular routes include the 40km road to Cap de Formentor which won’t see you reach the dizzying heights of Sa Calobra but is still a satisfying challenge for beginners or a warm up route for the pros.

Have a look at other cycle routes in Mallorca.