Sa Calobra, in the Serra de Tramuntana, owes its worldwide fame to a road built in the 1930s to connect the isolated cove of the same name to the island’s interior — a route that has become one of the favourite training camp climbs for professional teams.
An unbroken climb up from the cove
From the cove of Sa Calobra, the road climbs 9.3 km for 668 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.2% with barely a flat stretch, through a dozen tight hairpins cut into the limestone rock. The most iconic section remains the Nus de sa Corbata, a 270° hairpin where the road loops back under itself through a tunnel to absorb the steepest gradient on the route.
Getting the ride right
Heat can build quickly in this sun-exposed rocky amphitheatre, with little shade over most of the climb: starting early in the morning avoids both the heat and the tour buses that share the same road down to the cove. A compact or triple crankset is still worth having despite the modest length, as the gradient leaves little room to recover.
When to go
March to November, the road being rideable year-round but summer heat making the climb gruelling in the middle of the day. Spring and autumn offer the best conditions, with lighter tourist traffic.
Good to know
Sóller, about thirty minutes away by road, offers the widest choice of accommodation in the area, with convenient access to other Serra de Tramuntana classics for a cycling stay centred on Mallorca.
