Cycling from Palma de Mallorca: 12 Rides From the Old Town, Hotels and Airport Logistics

Palma is the only base where you can ride into the Tramuntana in the morning and walk to dinner in a city at night, and the airport is 8 km away.

Base yourself in Palma for a short trip, a winter trip or a group with non-riders: from the old town we ride 12 routes, from a 10 km spin to Bellver Castle to a 141 km day over Sa Batalla and Sa Calobra.

The trade-off is the first and last kilometres through the city. Below: the rides with real distances, the hotels we use, and how the logistics work.

When does Palma make sense as a cycling base?

Palma makes sense when the trip is short, the season is winter, or the group mixes riders and non-riders. It is the only base with the airport next door, a city that stays open all year and roads into the Tramuntana that start within the first hour. It makes less sense for a week built around the north: Formentor and Sa Calobra are a long way from here.

In winter it becomes our default. Many hotels in the mountain villages close between late autumn and early spring, while Palma's stay open, and the western Tramuntana (Esporles, Valldemossa, Banyalbufar) is within a morning's ride. Our guide to cycling Mallorca from October to December explains how the season changes the base, and our comparison of the best cycling bases in Mallorca puts Palma next to the other six areas.

Which rides can you do from Palma?

From an old-town hotel we ride twelve routes without a transfer, from a 10 km spin to Bellver Castle to a 141 km day that takes in Sa Batalla and Sa Calobra. Most riders use three or four of them in a week: one easy, two that reach the western Tramuntana, and, if the legs allow, one long day. Distances and climbing come from our route database.

Two of these deserve a note. The south side of Coll de Sóller is the easier way over the pass, so the Sóller–Deià loop is the one we pick for a rider's first big Tramuntana day from the city. The Sa Batalla challenge is the opposite: 141 km and 2,596 m, which is why most riders who want Sa Calobra should sleep in the north or in Sóller rather than ride it from Palma.

Where should cyclists stay in Palma?

Stay in the old town or on the seafront, so the first kilometres out of the city are short and dinner is on foot. We work with twelve Palma hotels; these are the ones riders ask about most, with the reason to pick each.

• Hotel Convent de la Missió (5★): a restored 17th-century convent in the historic centre.
• El Llorenç Parc de la Mar (5★): in the historic centre beside Parc de la Mar; it is the Palma hotel on our Signature Mallorca Bike Tour.
• Sant Francesc (5★): a boutique hotel in the heart of Palma and the first night on our Epic Island Cycling Loop.
• Can Alomar (5★): on the Passeig del Born, with a rooftop terrace; the most central address.
• Calatrava (5★): overlooking the bay, the closest to the seafront promenade route.
• Santa Clara Urban Hotel & Spa (4★), between the cathedral and the old walls, and Posada Terra Santa (4★), in a medieval building: the two 4-star options in the old town.

Two practical points apply to all of them. Ask for secure bike storage when you book. And on a Medfeel trip the bikes are delivered to the hotel and collected there at the end, so you never ride to or from a bike shop.

How do the airport, bikes and transfers work?

Palma airport is about 8 km from the old town, so on a Palma-based trip the transfer is the shortest on the island. On a Medfeel trip it is included: a driver meets you, takes you to the hotel, and your bike, fitted to your measurements, is waiting there with helmet, pedals and a device mount.

Booked on its own, a private transfer costs from €150 for a short route or €190 for a long one, so the airport-to-old-town run is at the low end. The road and e-bike fleet we deliver to Palma hotels is the same as on our tours: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 4 and Madone SL6 Gen 8, Cannondale SuperSix EVO Carbon 2 and the Trek Checkpoint+ SL 5 e-bike, depending on sizes for your dates.

One guest review from April 2026 describes the arrival better than we can: "From the moment we stepped off the plane they had a driver waiting to take us to our hotel where we were met by someone from Medfeel to fit our bikes, talk to us about the trip and they asked us what else they could do to ensure a comfortable arrival." (Paul T, United States)

How do you plan a week from Palma?

Mix one easy day, two western Tramuntana days and one long day, and keep a weather day free. Palma's advantage is choice: if the mountains are in cloud, the Randa and Central Plains routes stay low and away from the Tramuntana, and the next day you can go back to Esporles or Sóller. A five-riding-day week we often suggest looks like this:

That is 318 km and 4,057 m across five days, about 550–600 m less climbing than our 7-day road tours, and without changing hotels. Riders who want the north as well usually split the week: three nights in Palma, then the rest in Pollença or Sóller.

Our take: who should base themselves in Palma?

Base in Palma if your trip is three to five days, if you travel between November and February, or if someone in the group won't ride every day. Don't base in Palma if the week is about Sa Calobra, Puig Major and Formentor: the north and Sóller put those climbs at the door. By rider type:

• Long weekend: Palma, two rides from the table above, no transfers.
• Winter week: Palma, mixing the western Tramuntana with Randa and the plains on cloudy days.
• Couple with one non-rider: Palma; the city carries the day for whoever isn't on the bike.
• Climbing week in spring: start or finish in Palma, but sleep in the north or Sóller for the big days.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Palma airport from the old town?

Palma de Mallorca airport (Son Sant Joan) is about 8 km east of the old town, so it is the shortest transfer on the island. On a Medfeel trip the transfer is arranged for you; booked on its own, a private transfer starts from €150 for a short route and €190 for a long one.

Is it safe to ride out of Palma on a road bike?

Yes for riders used to city traffic, but the first kilometres out of any city are the least pleasant part of the day. Our Palma routes leave the centre towards Establiments, Esporles or along the bay promenade, and every GPX file flags the busy sections and technical descents.

Can I add Palma nights before or after a Medfeel tour?

Yes. Every Medfeel tour can be extended at either end: tell us your flight times and we add the hotel nights and airport transfers around the tour dates. A night in the old town is the easiest way to absorb an early or late flight.

What is the flattest ride from Palma?

The bay promenade: 17.5 km with 28 m of climbing along Palma's seafront, ideal for an arrival-day leg stretch or a non-training partner. For a longer flat day, our Central Plains route covers 107 km with only 585 m of climbing through the interior.

Is Palma a good base for a non-cycling partner?

It is the best one on the island. The cathedral, the old town, the Passeig del Born and the seafront are on foot from every hotel we list here, so the day works for both of you even when one rides 80 km and the other doesn't ride at all.

Sources & methodology

• Routes and climbs: Medfeel's route and climb databases (distance, elevation gain, average gradient), routes starting from an old-town Palma hotel, checked 23 October 2026.
• Hotels: Medfeel's hotel database (Palma properties, star rating and location).
• Transfers and bike fleet: Medfeel's product catalogue (live items only), October 2026.
• Review: verified guest review on file with Medfeel, quoted verbatim.
• Guide notes: our guides' experience riding these routes with guests.

Keep planning your Mallorca cycling trip

• The best cycling bases in Mallorca
• Cycling Mallorca in October, November and December
• How to choose a guided cycling tour in Mallorca