La Trapa, one of the gnarliest roads in Mallorca

# La Trapa: Mallorca's White-Knuckle Mountain Monastery Run

Tucked away on Mallorca's dramatic southwestern coast, La Trapa is an abandoned monastery that'll test your driving skills—and your nerve. If heights make you queasy, you might want to keep your gaze firmly on that steering wheel.

Nestled in Sant Josep valley on the slopes of the Tramuntana mountains, this remote monastery (abandoned way back in 1820) sits at the end of a seriously twisty gravel road. Fair warning: the route is genuinely challenging and definitely not for inexperienced drivers. Those vertiginous drop-offs along the way? Yeah, they're real. Also heads up—the road is gated off to private vehicles, though locals and authorized access still use it.

Starting from the paved MA-1030, you're looking at a 4.8 km journey across Mallorca's rugged west coast. And honestly? It's absolutely stunning. The coastline unfolds beneath you, with Sa Dragonera island providing a postcard-perfect backdrop. The only catch? Some sections are genuinely tight—barely wide enough for two medium-sized cars to pass. You'll definitely want to feel confident with your reversing.

The real challenge kicks in as the road climbs steeply toward Coll de ses Animes mountain pass (359m elevation). The first 4 km averages a brutal 10% gradient with hairpin turns that'll keep your hands locked on the wheel. This isn't a casual scenic drive—it's an adrenaline-fueled adventure for serious drivers only.