Themed route · start & finish Can Pastilla
Palma – Bellver
- Easy
- 29 km
- 124 m
- ≈ 1–1½ h
Map and elevation profile
Move along the elevation profile to see where you are on the map.
Food & coffee stops
Tried-and-tested places where cyclists like to stop for coffee, food or water.
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Café 10 kmRapha Mallorca Palma
The Rapha clubhouse is where Palma's cyclists meet: coffee, snacks and light meals, live race coverage and group rides open to locals and visitors. Café Mon–Sat 9:30–19:30, closed Sunday. About 5 minutes' walk from the cathedral through the old town.
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Restaurant 10 kmMercat de Santa Catalina Palma
Breakfast and tapas at the counters of the market bars, among the fish and fresh-produce stalls. Bars Mon–Sat 7:00–17:00, closed Sunday. About 5 minutes' walk from the Passeig Marítim cycle path.
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Café 20 kmCa'n Joan de s'Aigo Palma
Palma's historic chocolate shop and patisserie, founded in 1700: hot chocolate, ensaïmada, the fluffy quarto sponge cake and homemade ice cream. Open daily 8:00–21:00. About 10 minutes' walk from the cathedral through the pedestrianised old town, so lock the bike or push it.
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Palma by bike path: cathedral, Llotja and the round castle of Bellver
Route summary:
A half-day culture ride almost entirely on the seafront bike path: 29 km, about 22.5 of them on bike paths, and roughly 125 m of climbing on a single hill. From the shop in Can Pastilla you follow the shore past the fishing cottages of Es Molinar and the Portixol harbour to the cathedral, the Gothic Llotja and Es Baluard. Then you climb to Bellver, the round 14th-century castle with the best view of the bay, and roll down a car-free park road to Porto Pi. Thanks to the path it suits relaxed riders, families, e-bikes and rest days. Allow 1–1.5 hours of riding, 4–5 with visits. Refuel at Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo, Rapha Mallorca or the Santa Catalina market. On Mondays Bellver and Es Baluard are closed.
Cycling route summary:
Km 0–1: Can Pastilla's streets, partly with a separate cycle track, lead to the seafront bike path.
Km 1–5.4: through Ciutat Jardí, along the Passeig des Carnatge and past Es Coll d'en Rabassa. Between km 2 and 4 come about 1.5 km of smooth paving stones, fine at a relaxed pace; near km 4.5, ride 150 m of footway at walking pace.
Km 5.4–11: flat asphalt past Es Molinar (km 6), Portixol harbour (km 7.3), Parc de la Mar below the cathedral (km 9.8) and along the Moll de la Llotja onto the Passeig Marítim. Expect joggers, walkers and scooters; ride at their pace.
Km 11–13.7: the only climb. Carrer del Marquès de la Sènia kicks up steeply to Avinguda de Joan Miró; from km 11.9, Camilo José Cela and Carrer del castell de Bellver climb 1.8 km at 4.5%, the steepest 100 m close to 10%, to the castle at 107 m. Cars and buses use it too.
Km 13.8–15.4: descend the Carretera del General Ortega, a car-free park road through the pines, busy with walkers and runners: brake early. A short link through El Terreno returns you to the Passeig Marítim.
Km 16.2: the bike path ends at Porto Pi. Turn around; never join the Ma-1. The last 13 km retrace the path to Can Pastilla.
Tourist summary:
This is King Jaume II's Palma. In the early 1300s the king had the Almudaina, the Moorish fortress beside the cathedral, rebuilt as a royal palace, raised Bellver castle on its hill, and a codicil to his will contains the first record of the Portopí lighthouse at the turnaround. La Seu, with its huge Gothic rose window, towers over Parc de la Mar and a ceramic mural by Joan Miró. Sa Llotja, the 15th-century merchants' exchange, has spiral columns that branch into the vault like palm trees. Es Baluard shows modern art inside a Renaissance bastion, and Santa Catalina, Palma's oldest market, serves tapas at its counters. From Bellver's roof terrace you see the whole bay.
Climbs click to show on the map
- Castell de Bellver from Palma – Avinguda de Joan Miró / Carrer de Camilo José Cela (km 12) 1.8 km · Ø 4.5 % · max. 9.8 % · top 107 m km 12–14
Tips from our guides
- Ride Tuesday to Saturday. On Mondays Bellver and Es Baluard are closed; on Sundays Bellver is free but open only 10:00–15:00, and Rapha and the Santa Catalina market are shut. From October Bellver closes at 18:00, with last entry 30 minutes earlier.
- Bring a lock. The streets around the cathedral, Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo and Rapha are a paved pedestrian zone, so push the bike there, and bikes stay outside the monuments. Es Baluard has bike parking in its courtyard and charges cyclists €2 instead of €8.
- The seafront path is busiest around the cathedral, Portixol and the Passeig Marítim. Set off before 10:00 or ride in the late afternoon, use your bell and slow to walking pace in crowds. Do the same on the 150 m of footway at Es Coll d'en Rabassa (km 4.5 and 24.5), and at Porto Pi turn around rather than join the Ma-1.
- Staying for sunset on the Es Baluard terrace? The sun sets around 19:35 at the end of September, 19:10 in mid-October and about 18:00 after the clocks go back on 25 October 2026 – and Can Pastilla is still about 10.5 km away. After dark Spanish law requires a white front and a red rear light, plus a reflective garment on interurban roads.
- Any bike will do, e-bikes included. The ride is almost entirely on the seafront bike path, so it suits relaxed riders and families; streets appear only in Can Pastilla, on the Bellver climb and through El Terreno. With small children, turn around at the cathedral (about 20 km, flat). Under-16s must wear a helmet in Spain, in town too; bring water and a snack, as shade is mostly in Parc de la Mar and the Bellver forest.
Did you know?
- Bellver is one of the few circular castles in Europe. Master builder Pere Salvà raised it in 1300–1311 for King Jaume II of Mallorca, and in 1802–1808 it held the Enlightenment minister Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, who wrote the first description of the castle and commissioned its first plans. source
- According to the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), Portopí is the third-oldest working lighthouse in the world. It is first mentioned in 1300, in a codicil to King Jaume II's will, and moved to its present signal tower in 1617. source
- Twice a year, on 2 February and 11 November, the morning sun shines through La Seu's great rose window and its coloured projection lines up with the smaller rose window on the opposite wall, drawing a figure eight of light. Palma calls it the Festa de la Llum. source
Places along the route
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16 km
Es Molinar
The quarter is named after the windmills that once stood here and grew up as a fishing village. Its low cottages now hold cafés and restaurants facing a small beach. The path runs right along the water, and you share it with walkers.
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27 km
Portixol
A small fishing harbour with colourful boats, cafés and ice-cream counters right on the water. Good for a first coffee, or for a seafood lunch on the way back around km 22.
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310 km
La Seu Cathedral and the Almudaina
The cathedral towers over Parc de la Mar, whose lake brings back the reflection the sea once gave the city walls; Joan Miró's ceramic mural is in the park too. Lock the bike below and walk up the steps (about 5 minutes). Tourist visits run Monday to Saturday, with hours that change by season; the Almudaina royal palace stands right next door.
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410 km
Sa Llotja
Guillem Sagrera designed this Gothic merchants' exchange, built between 1426 and 1452. Inside, six spiral columns without capitals branch into the vault like palm trees. The hall opens only occasionally for exhibitions, but it is worth a stop from outside too – it stands right by the bike path.
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510 km
Es Baluard
A modern and contemporary art museum built into the 16th-century Sant Pere bastion, with terraces over the port, the bay and the cathedral, plus a terrace café. Open Tue–Sat 10:00–20:00, Sun 10:00–15:00, closed Monday. Arrive by bike and you pay €2 instead of €8 and park in the courtyard by the entrance; on Fridays you pay what you like.
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611 km
Mercat de Santa Catalina
Palma's oldest municipal market, about 5 minutes' walk inland from the Passeig Marítim. Stalls open Mon–Sat 7:00–15:00, the bars until 17:00; closed on Sunday, and the fish stalls on Monday too. It is liveliest in the morning.
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714 km
Castell de Bellver
Built in 1300–1311 for King Jaume II, it is one of the few circular castles in Europe: a round courtyard, three smaller towers and a keep joined by a high bridge over the moat. Inside is Palma's history museum, and the roof terrace gives the widest view of the bay. From October Tue–Sat 10:00–18:00 (until 19:00 April–September), Sun 10:00–15:00, closed Monday, last entry 30 minutes before closing; €4, free on Sundays and for under-14s.
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814 km
Bellver forest
The castle stands in a pine-forest park, and the Carretera del General Ortega winds down through it, closed to cars. Stay on the asphalt: the forest tracks are gravel and dirt. It is one of the few shady stretches of the ride.
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916 km
Porto Pi and the Portopí lighthouse
The bike path ends at Porto Pi; a few hundred metres away stands the Portopí lighthouse, according to IALA the third-oldest working lighthouse in the world. Its maritime signals exhibition can only be visited by appointment with the Port Authority, so enjoy the view and turn around here.
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