Pollença to Sa Calobra: Mallorca's mountain road and its famous hairpins

The Serra de Tramuntana rises straight out of the sea on Mallorca's north-west coast. From Pollença the Ma-10 climbs into the mountains to the monastery of Lluc, and a little further on the Ma-2141 drops in a tangle of hairpins down to the cove of Sa Calobra.

MotorbikeConvertibleCarBicycle
Distance47 km
Driving time1 h 17without stops
vs. fastest road+20 min
Best monthsMarch – June, September – October
Openall year
Tollno
Santuari de LlucEscorcaColl dels Reis APollença BSa Calobra 5 km N

This routeFastest roadDownload GPX

The drive, minute by minute

Example: leaving at 08:00 on a day in June. Drag along the strip.

Why this road

The Ma-2141 is one of the most famous roads in Spain. Built in the 1930s, it twists down a bare limestone valley to the sea, at one point looping under itself at a spot called the Nus de sa Corbata, the tie knot. Before that, the Ma-10 from Pollença is a beautiful drive of its own, through holm oaks and olive terraces, past the Lluc monastery, Mallorca's spiritual heart.

The route

  1. A
    Pollença

    Leave the town towards Lluc. The road soon climbs into the mountains through olive groves and old stone walls.

  2. 1
    Santuari de Lluc

    A monastery in a green valley, with a café and short walks. A good break before the descent.

  3. 2
    Escorca

    The Ma-10 carries on west past Escorca. Just after, the Ma-2141 turns off towards Sa Calobra.

  4. 3
    Coll dels Reis

    The pass at the top of the descent. From here the road snakes down the valley, with the sea appearing between the rocks.

  5. B
    Sa Calobra

    The road ends at the sea. Park and walk through the tunnels in the rock to the mouth of the Torrent de Pareis gorge.

Stops worth it

Santuari de Lluc

Half an hour for the courtyard, the church and a coffee, or a short walk in the garden behind it.

Sa Calobra

The walk to the Torrent de Pareis takes a few minutes through tunnels, and then you stand on a pebble beach between vertical walls.

Light and the best time

The descent faces north towards the sea, so the sun is mostly behind you on the way down and the hairpins and rocks ahead are well lit. In the narrow cove and the gorge mouth the light is best around midday, when the sun gets down between the walls. Starting at 8 am gets you down before the tour buses and gives you the climb back up in clear morning light.

March to June and September to October are best. In summer it is hot and the road is busy with coaches from mid-morning. Spring is also peak season for cyclists, who climb the hairpins in groups. The road is open all year.

By vehicle

Motorbike

A dream of a descent, but it is narrow and coaches use the whole road in the bends. Go early.

Convertible

Spectacular with the roof down, especially on the descent with the sea in front of you.

Car

Fine for any car, but be ready to stop and reverse when a coach comes up. Use a low gear on the way back down from Coll dels Reis.

Bicycle

The climb up from Sa Calobra is one of the classic cycling climbs of Europe. Ride it early, before the traffic builds up.

Good to know

No toll. Sa Calobra is a dead end: you come back up the same hairpins, so plan the time for it. Parking at Sa Calobra is paid and fills up quickly. Coaches have priority in practice, give them room. There is no fuel on the way, fill up in Pollença. Bring water in summer, the cove gets very hot.

Route checked against OpenStreetMap on 2 November 2026. Roads, closures and rules change: always check before you go and follow local signs.

Questions

How long is the drive from Pollença to Sa Calobra?

About 1 h 15 of driving one way without stops, and roughly as long to get back up. With Lluc and the walk at Sa Calobra, plan most of a day.

Is the road to Sa Calobra dangerous?

It is narrow and steep with many tight hairpins, but well surfaced. Drive slowly, use a low gear and expect to meet coaches.

Can I take a boat to Sa Calobra?

Yes, in season boats run from Port de Sóller. Some people drive down and take the boat, but then the car stays behind, so plan carefully.

When is the best time to visit Sa Calobra?

Early in the morning, before the coaches arrive, and outside July and August if you can.

Your own trip, as beautiful as this one

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