Cycling tourism in Mallorca – the ultimate cycling paradise
Cap de Formentor – Cycling to the tip of Mallorca
The ride to Cap de Formentor is one that will remain etched in your memory forever. The beautiful winding road ends at the Formentor lighthouse. Tastes differ, of course, but in our opinion this is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful ride on Mallorca and is simply one to tick off your ‘must-ride list’. From Port de Pollença, you can enjoy more than 18 kilometers of winding road that takes you from one viewpoint to another. We deliberately chose to do the trip in the evening, because it is much quieter than earlier in the day and because we wanted to experience the sunset.
From Port de Pollença, you first ride along a wide boulevard towards the start of the Col de la Creueta. The first few kilometers of the Col de la Creueta are already worth framing. You quickly take the first hairpin bends and immediately have a great view of Pollença and the bay between Pollença and Alcudia.
Surfing to the lighthouse
Once at the top, it’s time to take some beautiful photos. Leave your bike for a moment and walk a little further to the two viewpoints. Here you can also turn right and do the last part of the Sa Creueta or just continue straight on to Cap Formentor. On the road to the lighthouse, you are immediately treated to a number of beautiful hairpin bends that are a pleasure to ride.
The descent is relatively short, followed by a slightly longer section that is mostly slightly uphill or slightly downhill. In this section, you will always encounter stray goats, which are used to cyclists and therefore pose no danger. Still, stay focused, because you never know when they might suddenly cross the road. After this section through the forest, the views start to come at you at an increasingly rapid pace. The road winds up and down the peninsula, with views of the sea on your left and right. Don’t make the mistake of just speeding through here. Take the time to stop occasionally to enjoy the views.
The lighthouse
About seven kilometers before the end point—the Cap Formentor lighthouse—you will encounter the section with the maximum gradient of 9%. The road continues to undulate up and down and from left to right. The uphill sections are significantly longer than the downhill sections. The last section is a steep descent, followed by a vicious 450-meter climb to the lighthouse. The road ends at Cap de Formentor, where there is nothing but the Mediterranean Sea and the lighthouse. Be sure to take the time for a photo shoot and a piece of cake with a coffee. It is a place to simply enjoy yourself before starting the return journey. The advantage of such a dead-end road is that you have already seen where you need to stop to take photos on the way back.
We stop just before the climb up the Col de la Creueta – now from the other side – to admire the beautiful Playa Cala Formentor and the pretty little bay with its island.
The last part of the return journey
From the beach, the road climbs back up and you tackle the Col de la Creueta from the other side. It is a nice, steady climb where you can maintain a good pace. The descent is very clear and you can see almost all the bends very well, even when darkness begins to fall after sunset. So you can descend at a good speed, with another beautiful view of Pollença.
If you cycle this route at sunrise or sunset, you will have an added bonus, as it seems as if the glow of the sunlight embraces the mountain tops in a warm hug.
Text and photo: Patrick Van Gansen
