Sa Calobra

The Sa Calobra climb or Coll dels Reis climb is one of the most ridden hills in Mallorca. There are two ways to approach it. The first is from sea level at Sa Calobra, a category 1 climb. The second is from the viaduct side which is a cat 4 climb.

Road cyclists come from all over the world to ride the Sa Calobra climb as it is one of, if not the best climb in Europe.

The Descent

You drop nearly 700m to sea level down a road built in 1932 that could have been tailor made for cyclists as it has no tunnels and plenty of swooping and sweeping bends.

Say ‘Hola!’ and smile when going past the Mallorca Cycling Photos team who are there to capture images of you in action on Sa Calobra.

By the time you reach the small port at the bottom, your hands and fingers will probably be tired from braking and your neck will need a rest from following the amazing views.

The Ascent

An iconic climb which is on many people’s bucket list and is arguably the most sort after on the island. The road winds up from the small port on 9.5km of tarmac which seems to have just been thrown onto the side of the mountain for the benefit of cyclists.

Numerous hairpin bends and short straights make it difficult to get a good rhythm going as the gradients keep changing.

What to look out for

Coaches and rental cars spill down the hill to Port Sa Sa Calobra between 10:00 and 15:00 each day. Any time outside the winter, we recommend trying to be back at the aqueduct for 9 a.m. this means an early start but will allow you to miss the tourist buses and rental cars which tend to collect their passengers from their hotels after breakfast has been consumed.

If however you do find yourself behind some traffic, pulling over to the side and taking a few pics for 5 minutes will ensure that you have a clear run.

Your brakes will probably get hot, and your hands and fingers will probably get tired. There is a Mallorca Bicycle Rescue hotspot about three quarters of the way down where numerous cyclists have overshot a corner and damaged themselves slightly or their bicycles and have been unable to start the ascent under their own steam. Take care.

Prices for food and drink are more expensive in the captive market of Port Sa Calobra, so be prepared.

If you are looking to set a personal best for the Sa Calobra climb or just want to ride this iconic climb with fresh legs, why not take the Sa Calobra Express to the start of the descent.