Paguera – Faro del Port de Sóller

Routes and climbs: Hotel La Concha Soul – Calvià – Coll des Tords – Coll de Sóller (Palma) – Sóller – Port de Sóller – Faro del Port de Sóller – Coll den Bleda – Deià – Coll de Can Costa (Sa Pedrissa) – Valldemossa – Coll den Claret – Superna – Puigpunyent – Galilea – Hotel La Concha Soul.

A scenic but demanding route with more than 2,500 metres of vertical gain, leaving from the remodelled Hotel La Concha in Paguera, with excellent services for cyclists.

The route begins with a gentle climb to Coll des Tords, through the Calviá area, to warm up your legs for the climbing ahead. After a few more fairly flat but still gently rising kilometres, you reach the first important climb of the day, Coll de Sóller, from the Palma side (see profile). The enjoyable descent down the other side, winding down the Coll de Sóller’s hairpin bends, takes you to the village, where you continue onwards until you reach the port. Here you begin another climb, this time short but very steep, to the lighthouse, Faro de Port de Sóller (see profile). When you reach the top, all your efforts will be rewarded with one of the best views on the island.

The return journey delves deeper into the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, first climbing the gentle slopes up to Coll den Bleda (see profile), passing through the idyllic village of Deià, and then tackling the far more demanding climb to Coll de Can Costa, also known as Sa Pedrissa (see profile).

On reaching Valldemossa, you continue along the Serra on the road to Coll den Claret and descend towards Esporles, taking the turn before the village towards Puigpunyent. The next climb is Superna (see profile), a long but not especially hard ascent to the pass, followed by Galilea (see profile), taking advantage of its easier side. From this point on you can enjoy the descent all the way to the end of the route, returning to Hotel La Concha.