Cycling in Mallorca, our best ever day on a bicycle

Cycling from Andratx to Port Pollenca was without a doubt our group’s best ever day on a bike. I was one of a group of eighteen ladies all from Sweden. We booked to go from Port Pollenca with Mallorca Cycle Shuttle to Andratx. Let me say right now that we are all experienced cyclists and this was the best day we have ever had on a bicycle. So good that we have booked to come back to Mallorca again in 2017 just because of this cycling route from Andratx back to Port Pollenca. (Which hotel wants us? :-)). ​ All of our bicycles were safely packed between mattresses in a large trailer. The transfer took just under one hour and a half and the service was efficient. Like most cyclists we never normally take a bus to be able to ride our bikes but this was a chance to experience somewhere different on the island that we would have found difficult to ride all the way to Andratx and then back again without it impacting hugely on the rest of our stay. Leaving Andratx, the climbing started immediately and then settled into an undulating road with small steady climbs then nice descents all along the scenic coastline. Estellencs and then Banyalbufar are lovely little towns. We stopped in Banyalbufar after one hour for the first coffee and cake of the day in the restaurant Bella Vista which hangs over the sea. We continued on to the first two additions to the basic vanilla route, Port Canonge and Port Valldemossa. Wow, just wow! We loved these two climbs. Both are narrow and winding and scenic with no traffic.

We carried on to Port Sóller for a nice lunch and a rest next to the beautiful bay before taking the longest climb of the day up Puig Major where we were glad to see that both tunnels now have lights. Down we went to the aqueduct for the recommended fresh orange juice from the famous Sóller oranges before climbing Coll dels Reis and the amazing downhill into Port de Sa Calobra. The group spread out on the tough but enjoyable climb back up to the top. The ride back to Pollenca was fantastic and mainly downhill which was gratefully received by all of our tired legs and by now slightly tender rears. 162km, lots of climbing and the highlight of not only our trip to Mallorca, so far the highlight of any day cycling – my best ever day on a bike. See you again Mallorca and Mallorca Cycle Shuttle in March 2017. Tove Fränkel, Stockholm May 2016.​