Andratx is the south-western gateway to Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana, the mountain range that runs like a spine along the island's north-western coast, and the start of the Ma-10, the island's most famous road. The town is a quiet inland place of about twelve thousand people, with a church fortified against pirates, narrow lanes and a lively Wednesday market, and the sea is a few kilometres away at Port d'Andratx, a smart harbour lined with restaurants and yachts.
The Tramuntana was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011 as a cultural landscape, because for centuries farmers have shaped the steep slopes into terraces of olive and almond, held up by dry-stone walls, and watered by an ingenious system of channels. The mountains rise to over 1,400 metres, and the coast is a rugged line of cliffs and small coves. The road to the north-east passes the villages of Estellencs and Banyalbufar, whose terraces drop to the sea, and Deià, a village that has long attracted artists and writers. Valldemossa, with its Carthusian monastery, is where Frédéric Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838 and 1839, an unhappy stay that nevertheless produced much of his music.
The Ma-10 is one of the great motorcycle roads of Europe, a ribbon of bends, tunnels and hairpins cut into the slope, with fine views over the Mediterranean. It is also very popular with cyclists, tour buses and rental cars, particularly in spring and summer, and overtaking is difficult. Surface is generally good, though some stretches are rough, and the road is narrow, with a few tight tunnels. In winter and early spring, it is much quieter, and the light on the sea is very clear.
Fuel is easy in Andratx and Port d'Andratx, and less so on the mountain road, so fill up before leaving. Cafes and restaurants line the harbour, serving fresh fish, paella and the local ensaïmada pastry. Camp de Mar, a small resort a few kilometres away, has a sheltered beach.
The best months for riding are April, May, June, September and October, when the days are mild and the crowds thinner.