Riding the best cycle route in Mallorca was without doubt my best day on a bike. Ever! A big day – one that we had trained for though and better than any sportive we had done. 169km with 4300m worth of climbing. We stopped often and I mean often at the excellent little cafés that seem to be in all the small towns. I drank more coffee and ate more cake than is probably healthy, but you know what? I earned it!

We took the excellent Mallorca Cycle Shuttle from Port de Pollença to Andratx. Kick off was at 0800 when we me the shuttle bus and custom trailer. We rode down from Alcudia old town where we were staying to the pick up point at Club Pollentia. Good idea to ride to the pickup point actually in that it ensured we had everything we needed. Would have been fun if one of us had got off the bus in Andratx ready to cycle back without a cycle shoe (Grant, did you forget anything? :-))

The driver packed all the bicycles carefully and securely in a large trailer (I watched. Carefully. I love my new expensive carbon baby!) and after an hour or so down the motorway past Palma, we cut across to the old town of Andratx and were dropped off on the outskirts to make our own way back. Journey time was about an hour and a quarter. There were some groups on the bus as well as solo riders plus some couples like my boyfriend and I. There was a lot of discussion over which routes to take to get back, and a few loose alliances were made to ride back together or maybe meet for a coffee / lunch.

The route we chose was to hug the ma-10 coastal road as much as possible; dropping down to Cala Estellencs and to Port des Canonge; back to the ma-10, then down to Port Valldemossa; into Port Sóller; climb up Puig Major by going through Sóller; past the reservoirs and through the tunnel; turn left before the aqueduct and scale Coll dels Reis then swoop down to Sa Calobra followed by the tough climb back up before rejoining the ma-10 past Lluc and straight down Coll de Femenia to old town Pollença then onto Port de Pollença where we would take the coastal road on to Alcudia.

The highlights? All of it, but what sticks out slightly more than others by a nose is the section between Andratx and Déia for its brilliant views and roller coaster road; then Port Valldemossa for such a mad winding road, closely followed by the winding Port des Canonge climb; Banyalbufar, Cala Estellencs and Port Sóller for their beauty. We will be coming to do the same route again. it was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. The highlight of our week without a doubt.

The roads were not busy, and when there was some traffic which was not often, the drivers were considerate, The road surfaces were amazing. The views? Just brilliant. This experience will stay with us forever. Mallorca has it all for the cyclist, great surfaces; weather; support services; cafés; courteous drivers plus brilliant routes and climbs. This was my fifth time cycling in Mallorca. I love the place and will keep coming. As I mentioned before, this was my best day on a bike ever.

Is the Andratx to Port Pollenca cycling route the best in the world? If not, it is right up there – certainly better than all those I have ridden over the years in the Alps, Pyrenees and Italy. ​ Here is a link to our route. ​Written by Louise S. September 2015.