To the Lighthouse — Cap de Formentor

The road to the lighthouse

The first kilometres out of Pollença are deceptively flat. The bay opens to your left, the Tramuntana to your right, and the road follows the shoreline north with the kind of ease that makes you suspicious. It doesn't last.

Past Port de Pollença the road begins to climb in earnest, threading through pine forest and limestone rock toward the Mirador des Colomer — a viewpoint at 200 metres that would be worth the climb even if the lighthouse didn't exist. From here the road descends, climbs again, narrows, and delivers you to the peninsula's headland with the lighthouse at 221 metres above the sea.

The descent into Cala Pi is the road's secret. Most riders turn around at the lighthouse. The ones who continue discover what Formentor actually is — a road that rewards patience.

At the lighthouse

Stop here. Not because you need to — the café is unremarkable — but because you've earned the view and you should take the time to look at it properly. The sea drops away on three sides. On a clear morning you can see Menorca on the horizon. The light at this hour, low over the water, is the reason people come back to Mallorca year after year.

The return

The return to Pollença retraces the outward route. For those with more in the legs, a detour toward Alcúdia adds 15 kilometres of flat bay road — good for spinning out before a late lunch. The inland route through Campanet and Búger is quieter, more agricultural, and has the best bread in the area at the bakery in Búger that opens at 7am and closes when it sells out.

Timing

Best window: March to June, September to November. July and August are possible before 8am — after that, the tourist traffic on the single-lane sections makes the descent uncomfortable.

Sunset option: Leave Pollença at 3pm in late September. Time the lighthouse for 6pm. The light on the western cliffs at that hour is something you don't see in photographs.

Practical notes

• The peninsula road narrows significantly past the Mirador des Colomer — descend with attention
• Water at the lighthouse café and at the Mirador viewpoint
• No shade on the final 8km to the lighthouse — factor this in summer
• The lighthouse car park is free for cyclists
• Can be combined with the Femenia and Sa Batalla route for a full day — add 40km and 900m