Biking Through Palma de Mallorca: A Day of Pedaling, Laughs, and Local Treats
I huffed and puffed through the streets of Palma de Mallorca, wondering what I had gotten myself into.
With only a short day in port, I thought booking a bike tour was a great idea. My husband, of course, responded with, “You’re riding a bike?”—a fair question.
To be honest, I don’t work out. My idea of exercise is walking the dogs to a coffee shop for a latte and a chocolate croissant—then strolling home, pretending it cancels out the calories. Before this day in Palma, I hadn’t been on a bike in over 20 years! My husband has tried to get me to ride with him, but I’ve never been interested.
I should have trained, but the tour guide assured us it was an easy ride—even a child could do it! That convinced me I’d be fine.
Well, that was a lie I told myself because once I was there, I was convinced I’d either collapse or crash into someone.
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Thankfully, neither happened. And now, I get to tell you about our day bicycling through Palma de Mallorca—the bike tour company we used, the highlights you shouldn’t miss, and the local treats worth trying.
This itinerary is based on our day in Palma de Mallorca in 2019. While the experience reflects our visit, I’ve updated this post to keep the information helpful for planning your own trip.
Exploring Palma de Mallorca by Bike
Our time in Palma de Mallorca cruise port was short—just 1 PM to 8 PM on the Norwegian Epic—not much time to explore. I didn’t want to be crammed into a tour bus, stuck in traffic, or left wandering on foot, only to regret not seeing more.
A bike tour ended up being the perfect way to experience the city. We covered more ground, avoided traffic, and took in Palma’s sights at a good pace. It worked out even better because there was a cycling competition that day—while cars were stuck, we breezed past.
We booked our tour with Call & Ride, and our guide did a fantastic job introducing us to his city. More importantly, he kept me motivated to keep pedaling. He deserves an extra star for his patience.
Palma de Mallorca is a bike-friendly city, so renting a bike and exploring on your own is an option if you’d rather go at your own pace.
Tour Ideas:
Palma de Mallorca Bike Tour with Optional Tapas [book here]
3 Hours E-Bike Tour in Palma de Mallorca [book here]
Palma de Mallorca Easy Bike Tour [book here]
Read more: 11 Helpful Tips for Booking Shore Excursions Independently
Highlights of Our Bike Ride Through Palma de Mallorca
If you’re arriving by cruise ship and planning to rent a bike or join a tour, you’ll likely start by riding through the marina. The smooth, scenic ride comes with a sea breeze on your face and sailboats dotting the view—a sight that never fails to make me smile.
At this point, I was biking on flat ground, chanting to myself, “I can do this… I can do this.”
We pedaled through Palma’s historic streets, stopping at key sites while our guide shared entertaining legends and local history. I won’t cover every stop, but here are the highlights worth noting:
Must-See Stops in Palma de Mallorca
- La Seu Cathedral (Cathedral de Mallorca): Palma’s iconic Gothic cathedral.
- Old Town Palma: A maze of charming streets filled with history.
- Passeig des Born: A lively boulevard lined with shops and cafés.
- Santa Catalina: A trendy district blending local culture with modern vibes.
- Convento de Santa Clara: A peaceful convent with a long history.
- Can Joan de s’Aigo: A beloved café, perfect for trying local treats.
One of our first significant stops was La Seu, the Cathedral of Palma. Its sheer size alone is impressive, making it an excellent spot for classic travel photos.
If you think La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is taking forever to finish, wait until you hear about this one. King James I ordered its construction in 1229, but it wasn’t completed until 1601—almost 400 years later. After a devastating earthquake in the 1800s, it had to be restored, and in 1901, Gaudí even contributed to its renovation.
Another cool fact? The cathedral was built atop a mosque, a fascinating piece of its layered history.
Even with my struggles on two wheels, I couldn’t help but notice how bike-friendly Palma de Mallorca is. The ride became easier once past the crowded areas, revealing quiet streets and open spaces perfect for cycling.
Local Treats in Palma de Mallorca
What kept me pedaling? The promise of tasty treats. At the mention of cookies, I suddenly moved like I was in an imaginary SoulCycle class—one I had never actually attended.
Cookies Baked by Nuns at Convento de Santa Clara
Baking cookies at this convent is a centuries-old tradition. When visiting, you can ring the bell and order through a turnstile table at a window—without ever seeing a nun, as they have no direct contact with the outside world.
One local legend says that couples getting married in Palma must donate eggs to the nuns in exchange for prayers for clear skies on their wedding day. Skip the eggs, and you might just end up with rain. So, if you’re planning to tie the knot in Palma, bring eggs weeks in advance!
As for the cookies? Delicious. We bought two boxes to share with the group, and somehow still had leftovers—so we had to sneak them onto the cruise ship. Unsealed food isn’t allowed back onboard, but let’s just say we managed.
Have an Ensaïmada at Can Joan de s’Aigo
Our small group may have been full of strangers, but we quickly discovered one thing we all had in common: we loved to eat. So when our 30-minute break rolled around, we asked our guide where to find something good. He smiled and asked if we wanted to go somewhere special. No objections there.
Back on our bikes, we followed him to Can Joan de s’Aigo, the oldest café in Palma de Mallorca, known for its ensaïmadas—a traditional Majorcan sweet bread—and Spanish-style hot chocolate. That day, only two ensaïmada flavors were available: plain and pumpkin. Naturally, we got one of each, paired with café con leche.
Yes, I skipped the hot chocolate—painful, I know—but I needed a caffeine boost to survive the rest of our ride. The plain ensaïmada was perfect—soft, lightly sweet, dusted with powdered sugar. I could have easily eaten a whole one myself. The pumpkin version was good but a little too sweet for my taste. I wished they had custard-filled ensaïmadas that day—next time.
Oh, and the café con leche? Excellent. Exactly what I needed.
Tour Ideas:
Drinks & Bites in Palma de Mallorca Private Tour [book here]
A Bike Ride to Remember
I survived! I never gave up! Don’t give up!
We wrapped up our bike tour back at the meeting point with a couple of hours to spare. I won’t lie—I was exhausted. My husband had to convince me to go back into the city center, and I’m so glad he did. We browsed a few shops and treated ourselves to a well-earned glass of wine.
Biking through Palma de Mallorca was a fantastic way to experience this resort city. Even if you’re not an avid cyclist (clearly, I’m not), it’s a fun and efficient way to explore.
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Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
“My name is Kathy, and I don’t like biking.” GAHAAHAAHA!!!! I am DYING.
When we first moved to Florida, we decided to buy bikes for the trails. I had not been on a bike for YEARS and YEARS. Can I just tell you how hard it is? Like hello, balance. Hello, screaming calves…and biking uphill is BADDDD…. But, unlike you, I do sorta enjoy biking. It just takes practice (and I do work out a lot lol).
P.S. At 35, I learned that if kids can do it– I probably CAN’T. Still dying here with that one too. I also totally believe that you almost died. ; ) If there was a cockroach in the basket, you’d be done for.
A sea breeze kissing my face sounds poetic, and man, those pictures are gorgeous. Maybe you just needed wine first. I’d love to see how that would have turned out…
What kept me pedaling?! COOKIES. Girl, I was just about to say that when I do workouts like that, I just fantasize about all of the food that I will consume as a reward. And then, BAM, you did it. Looks delicious.
I love your posts. They are hilarious (and honest), your pics are STUNNING, and I know that there will be FOOD.
Let’s go bike ride…maybe in Lucca… and drink all the wine together…
I am laughing so hard right now!
I would love to bike in Lucca! It’s mostly flat! I was going up and down hills in Palma. I didn’t think I was going to make it.
Food is my weakness and the carrot that was dangled in front of me. Those cookies were a nice reward.
Love this post times a mil! I am thinking of biking in Porto. Hmmmm. Maybe I will rethink this!!?
Don’t let my post scare you from an adventure! I will always remember this day because I chose to ride and not give up. Also, if there are less hills in Porto (never been), you’ll be fine. Can’t wait to hear about your Porto’s trip.
I once hired a bike in Ibiza twenty years ago. I was young and it was a drinking holiday. It was one of my worst ever travel decisions. Ok the beach we got to and the coast were nice but the heat and cycle nearly killed me. Must be something about the Balearics. Never again. I’m thinking you are of the same mindset
Yes! I don’t think I’ll bike again. Not because the tour itself wasn’t good, but I really can’t deny my weaknesses and strengths. Biking is not one of them. ? However, I won’t say NEVER because you just never know. I almost killed myself once on an ATV and yet I still am willing to get back on. Of course, I’m not pedaling on an ATV so there is something more comforting about that. Thanks for sharing your biking experience. I seriously thought it was just me. 😀
I definitely chuckled at this :’) I think I’d love to bike! I lovvvve to run though, so although my quads & legs overall are strong because of that, I don’t know if I’d have the stamina for a long bike ride. Cookies sold out of a convent?? That tradition of donating eggs?? Too cool.
I’m so happy I was able to make some of you laugh! This is the one stop that I failed as a blogger to record everything. I didn’t even take enough pictures, so I knew I had to make my retelling entertaining.
The guide told so many fun traditions and legends. I loved hearing them at the time, but the ones with the nuns were the most memorable. Just remember, don’t forget the eggs if you get married in Palam.
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Appreciate it.
You seriously cracked me up! I almost died from laughing so much. I’m not great on a bike either. I was as a kid but that was forever ago. I went on a bike during a beach wedding in Kiawah and my friends wanted to go on a bike ride. I reluctantly agreed. It was the perfect beach to ride on since it was a flat, hard beach, but I still felt unsteady the whole time.
Haven’t been on one since.
I love that convent. So sweet that they make cookies for everyone. I love the story about the eggs.
This city looks so beautiful! Palm trees and sailboats? Perfection! Your featured image is pretty sweet. Is that a cathedral in the background? Looks impressive! Is it the one you wrote about just from a different angle?
LOVED your post! It’s seriously so good and I need to go to Italy stat.
Spain! I meant Spain! This post really makes me want to go to Spain and Italy too. Why not? Not too far from each other, right? ??
I seriously thought I replied to this but it was obviously in my head. I do this a lot lately. Sorry!
Yes, go to Spain, Italy, France… London! Just go and travel. It’s all a fun experience!
Yes, that’s the other side of the cathedral in the background. It’s pretty massively impressive. We were standing on that spot at the guide was telling us how once a year the sun hits the stained glass windows perfectly and shine through to create sort of like the shape of the rose beneath the other stained glass on the other side. Sounds confusing, but pretty lol.
I seriously thought I replied to this but it was obviously in my head. I do this a lot lately. Sorry!
Yes, go to Spain, Italy, France… London! Just go and travel. It’s all a fun experience!
Yes, that’s the other side of the cathedral in the background. It’s pretty massively impressive. We were standing on that spot at the guide was telling us how once a year the sun hits the stained glass windows perfectly and shine through to create sort of like the shape of a rose beneath the other stained glass on the other side. Sounds confusing, but pretty lol.