Mallorca's Cycling Highlights

2. Faro de Formentor (Formentor Lighthouse)

Summary

Around 35 km in length, over 800 m of climbing, breath-taking views, remarkable engineering and a near perfect road surface makes this ride arguably one of the most enchanting in the world and certainly a ride not-to-missed when visiting Mallorca.

History

Italian engineer, Antonio Parietti built the road to the Lighthouse eight years before the road to Sa Colobra in 1925. Previously, the active lighthouse, which was built in 1863, was only accessible by sea (climbing 272 steps cut into the steep cliffs) or by negotiating a meandering 17 km mule track. The remote and precarious location made this a remarkable feat of engineering. Formentor is the highest lighthouse in the Balearic Islands, built 210 m up on the high and precipitous cliffs. The area has served to be an inspiration for many artists and inspired Pollenca's most famous poet, Miguel Costa i Llobera (1854-1922), who wrote 'The Pine Tree of Formentor'. Agatha Christie visited Port Pollenca in the early 20th century and wrote of 'a view that in the misty haze of a fine morning had the exquisite vagueness of a Japanese print'. Indeed, the Hotel Formentor, was opened in 1929 by German-born Argentinian millionaire Adam Diehl, who had a dream of creating a space where artists could draw inspiration from their surroundings. Visitors to the hotel include the Dalai Lama, Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, John Wayne, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Today the area is one of the most photographed and portrayed places on the island. ​

Cycle Facts

The Formentor road consists of two category 3 climbs with shorter, punchier ascents for good measure in between, making this a ride that is achievable by the majority of cyclists.  

Climb Breakdown

0-3.5 km: Leaving Port Pollenca, prepare to negotiate 223 m of climbing at an average gradient of 6%, while drinking in views of the attractive fishing port below and arriving at the El Mirador de Sa Creuta, a popular lookout for tourists and locals.
KOM: Alberto Contador - 6.48 (Apr 25 2019) 441 average watts; 29.3 km/h average speed
QOM: Elisa Longo Borghini - 8.36 (Jan 14 2020) 23.1 average speed

3.5-16 km: Descend down towards Formentor Beach and into a Pine Forest, where you climb gradually towards more rugged and barren terrain, and a sharp climb revealing the crystal clear turquoise waters of Cala Figuera Beach, before ascending into a 300 metre tunnel. After climbing up and out of the tunnel the road levels out to reveal the snaking curves that will draw the rider towards the headland. The views here are stunning and the riding is sublime but perhaps not for the faint of heart. The road undulates and suddenly reveals a stunning vista of the lighthouse before plunging down and then back up to the lighthouse itself, where you are most likely to be greeted by the local goats that line the surrounding cliffs. On a clear day, it is possible to see the neighbouring island of Menorca from here..

Return to Port Pollenca: After the initial descent, brace yourself for a steep 1 km climb with gradients of around 15% taking you up 90 metres followed by a less aggressive climb and then an exhilarating descent back through the tunnel and the pine trees and finally up the cat 3 Mirador Formentor (3.45 km; 252 m; 5%) before the final descent back into Port Pollenca.

Optional Extension: Talaia d'Albercutx (Pepperpot): A rougher, sometimes pot-holed road of around 2.5 km (between 6-9% and 150 metres) leads to the Pepperpot, rewarding the brave with stunning views over Pollensa Bay and the Tramuntana Mountains.

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