The way up from Bunyola to the Coll d’Honor is one of the signature climbs on Mallorca. The quiet road is winding through most beautiful Tramuntana landscape, all the way up to the pass on 550m altitude. And who can resist a destination called Orient, anyway? What sounds like long-distance travel actually isn’t far from any point on the island. 

Once you leave the woods behind a high plateau opens up and you enter a different world. Birdsong mingles with the bells of grazing sheep and the hum of small insects, butterflies playfully chase each other. Past lush green meadows and abandoned cornfields the road leads further on to Orient.

The tiny picturesque village nestles on the hillside. We often make a stop here, just to enjoy the scenery, a snack and a coffee. Recently, the break took a bit longer than usual. A shoe was broken, all of a sudden the sole came off. But Petra and Patrick, the new owners of Nou Dalt Muntanya, were super attentive. With plenty of glue and a screw clamp the shoe was fixed (and lasted all the way to Palma).

In the meantime we enjoyed the hotel‘s terrace and had a look at the lovely garden. When the glue had finally dried we made our way back. The downhill through the two giant rocks of Alaró is one of my favorite tour segments on Mallorca. An exciting descent with fabulous views.

The name Orient by the way derives from a Latin word that means „the rising sun“. A clue for the best time of day to start your trip to this small Mallorcan gem, maybe. But in any case a nice metaphor for my state of mind when cycling to Orient.