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Sa Calobra – Mallorca’s iconic mountain road and cyclists’ paradise
Cycling tourism on Mallorca is enjoying growing popularity. Around 200,000 cycling tourists visit the island each year – and the numbers are rising. Around 200 hotels have adapted to cater for cyclists, offering workshops, gyms, nutritionists, and bike rental facilities. Two of the top three cycling destinations are located in Mallorca North—Puerto Alcudia and Playa de Muro. These resorts are not only popular with visitors but also attract buyers seeking frontline apartments and villas with easy access to fine-sand beaches.
For cyclists, however, it’s the variety of routes—from scenic coastal roads and quiet country lanes to challenging mountain tracks traversing the UNESCO-protected Serra de Tramuntana—that makes the terrain so appealing.
Table of Content
Sa Calobra – An engineering marvel
The cyclists’ challenge
A route for pros and amateurs alike
Sa Calobra – A destination for everyone
Sa Calobra – An engineering marvel
Widely regarded as an engineering masterpiece, the road to Sa Calobra was designed by Antonio Parietti Coll, a civil engineer of half-Italian, half-Mallorcan heritage. Completed in 1932, this serpentine route winds down the mountains to the small fishing village of Sa Calobra, offering spellbinding views along the way. Originally constructed to attract tourists, Parietti’s true achievement was to make the road itself as much of an attraction as its destination.
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The cyclists’ challenge
For cycling enthusiasts, it is the numerous hairpin bends—and in particular, a remarkable 270-degree hairpin turn—that are truly breathtaking. This turn, technically known as a “spiral bridge,” was designed to overcome a sheer rock drop where a standard hairpin was impossible. Such structures are rare, with fewer than five across Europe, most of which are motorway junctions.
The Sa Calobra ride spans 9.4 km, climbing 668 metres with a maximum gradient of 12 per cent and an average gradient of 7.1 per cent—making it an exhilarating, if leg-burning, challenge.
A route for pros and amateurs alike
This demanding circuit is one reason why Mallorca North serves as the annual pre-season training ground for Team Sky. According to cycling lore, Sir Bradley Wiggins holds the unofficial record for Sa Calobra, clocking a time of around 22 minutes and 30 seconds during the winter before his 2012 Tour de France victory. Amateur cyclists typically complete the ascent in closer to an hour.
Sa Calobra – A destination for everyone
Even if cycling isn’t your passion, driving down this spectacular road is a must. At the bottom lies the tiny seaside village of Sa Calobra. A 1 km footpath from the village leads to Torrent de Pareis, one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Mallorca’s north.
Do not miss the open-air choral concert held on the first Sunday in July. First organised in 1964 by Mallorcan painter Josep Coll Bardolet, the concert benefits from the remarkable acoustics of the surrounding rock faces. Over the years, the programme has included everything from classical music to gospel and jazz.
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