As Menorca is reputed to have more beaches than all of the other Balearic Islands put together, it’s impossible to write just one article on the beaches of the island. One could in fact write many and not just on the touristic aspect but also on the cultural significance. One of my Menorcan hosts, when watching a stunning video of horse riding on the shore at dawn, spoke of Cala Pregonda in an almost spiritual way. I was left with the distinct impression that the sea and the shore, along with the horse, are very much elemental in Menorcan identity.
Once again, these selections are in no particular order and my reflections take in the pros and cons of each location, with accessibility and facilities, suitability for families or children and the volume of other beach users taken into account.
Cala en Turqueta
Cala en Turqueta, on the southern coast of Menorca, quite rightly draws visitors attracted to its deep turquoise sea and the beauty of an isolated cove surrounded by pine woods. This is one of Menorca’s “virgen playas”, a theoretically unspoiled beach. This means that there are few facilities other than a rather grim toilet block near the beach, and a café / chiringuito back at the small car park. The parking is closed when full and therefore to avoid disappointment I’d suggest the best way is to book a bus in advance from the kiosk in Placa dels Pins in Ciutadella, or book online. The buses are small and places are limited.
The bus deposits passengers in the car park and one then enjoys a leisurely stroll for a few minutes (though longer and less leisurely on the way back) on a sandy path down through the scented pines to the beach. In theory, one should then be ready for a relaxing day on a beautiful, isolated beach with visitor numbers carefully limited.
However, I found at one point shadow after shadow being cast over me as I lay in the sun, and realised that hordes of boat trippers had been decanted onto the beach by a pair of sizeable daytrip boats. Then at a later point the boats sound their horns and the folk troop back onto the beach. During this spell it’s particularly crowded. However, when these crowds depart the beach returns to a more serene mode and one can really appreciate the sun sparkling on the sea.
Here one might sometimes spot wild goats and there’s the opportunity to walk in the woods around the beach to enjoy some delightful views on the bay, or one could walk to some of the smaller neighbouring beaches. Cala en Turqueta is an undeniably beautiful beach, a beautiful cove, with sensational azure sea and wild surroundings but for me there were just too many people at the peak period.
Cala’n Blanes
This small but scenic beach is at the end of a steep-sided inlet around the road that runs from the northern side of Ciutadella, past some rather charming clifftop houses with sensational open sea views, to the distinctly touristy contiguous developments of Cala’n Blanes, Los Delfines, Torre del Ram and Cales Piques. I must admit I did not spend a beach day here but rather took a chance to rest in the share of trees at the back of the beach, during a walk from Ciutadella.
There’s a beach bar, restaurant, picnic tables and toilets here, and the large Cala’n Blanes hotel backs the beach at the end of the cove. It’s a pleasant spot with a mix of bathing from the shore in relatively shallow water with more daring opportunities to dive from the rocks into the azure sea further along the cove. The surrounding resort is, to my taste at least, less attractive The resort itself is on a bus route which loops through the neighbouring developments, though the nearest stop is probably a few minutes walk from the beach.
Cala Algaiarens (La Vall) – Playa des Bot
This is among my favourites of the beaches that I have visited in Menorca so far. It’s a genuinely unspoilt beach, there no facilities to speak of and it is only reached by a good stroll through the woods from the La Vall car park where one is dropped by the bus (again, tickets from the kiosk in Placa dels Pins in Ciutadella, or book online) . There are two car parks and free but limited parking to which access is controlled.
The two beaches of Algaiarens, also known as La Vall, are Platja des Tancats, closer to the car park, and a more isolated beach to which I’d suggest it’s worth walking a little further, Platja des Bot. The walk skirts fields where melons are harvested and winds through woods where one might spot wild tortoises. Just before reaching the beach, the path opens out at a creek where terrapin heads occasionally pop up and huge dragonflies hover.
Platja or Playa des Bot lies at the eastern side of a fairly wide bay where yachts bob in the crystal water. The creek flows to the back of the beach which has a wide stretch of sand piled up to dunes behind and cliffs and pine-covered slopes above. The sand here can become absolutely baking hot and there is no natural shelter on the beach so it’s recommended to bring footwear, cold drinks, a parasol and lots of sunscreen. Some people retreat to the woods on the hills and cliffs for shade as the sun moves around the bay.
Light relief comes from vendors with funny songs about their wares which were widely copied by the beach goers. The beautiful water is again shallow well out and it’s suited to children and adults alike. As with the walk to the shore, the sea offers opportunities for encounters with nature, from small fish in the shallows, to octopii under the rocks and perhaps a cormorant perching on old fishing hut, oblivious to the crowd.
One drawback is that there’s no shelter from the sun when waiting for the return bus. However, the bus drivers who ply this route are to be commended for skill in smoothly negotiating the narrow, twisting roads down to the beach.
Cala Macarella & Macarelleta
This pair of adjoining coves in the south-west of Menorca, not far from Cala Turqueta and Son Saura but way down another similar twisty country road, have a reputation for pure scenic beauty. However, that appears to come at a cost. When I visited in September 2018, the only ways to access the beaches of Cala Macarella & Macarelleta was by bus from Ciutadella (as noted above), by boat, or on foot via a woodland walk of about 2-3km from nearby Cala Galdana. The car park was closed and signposted as such from the main road. However, I read complaints that visitors by car were making the trip through the windy country roads to the checkpoint only to be turned away. It’s therefore worth checking if the car park is open before setting off.
Such restrictions did not prevent the beach from being extremely busy, especially the smaller Macarelleta which barely had room to lay another towel. While I understand the disappointment, I also can see the necessity to prevent the beach from being completely overrun which, when facilities such as toilets are scant, can have some serious and unpleasant effects on the surrounding countryside.
With all that said, this is an exceptionally pretty spot which is often pictured as an ideal representation of Menorca’s virgin beaches. The natural setting is certainly delightful, many shades of green woods surround many shades of vibrant blue sea. One descends from the car park through the woods to the cafe and then on to white sand backed by shady trees. During the walk, tantalising views of stunning blue sea appearing through gaps in the woods as the beach comes closer. Even better to wander along the tricky clifftop path to Macarelleta which is surrounded by sheer cliffs that afford superb views of the twin beaches. Here, as seems so often to be the case in Menorca, boats at anchor appear to be suspended in mid-air rather than floating on a sea, so clear and so blue are the waters.
I spent the first part of the day here at Macarelleta, thinking it might be quieter, earlier, but in fact it was already crowded and only became more so. The bathing here is particularly sheltered and one can relax, or try to, while marvelling at the cliffs above. At one point a chap arrived by boat to prepare fresh fruit cocktails attracting quite a few customers. I decided to move back round to Macarella where there was more space on the sand and in the sea. People here were just kicking back and enjoying the scene, lending a less frantic atmosphere. I recommend a visit but perhaps somewhat more off-season. In terms of facilities, there’s a beach bar and restaurant, toilets and showers as I recall but not much else – it’s a rustic, rural spot so good idea to bring a picnic.
Son Bou
This is a long and scenic beach when looking to sea or along the beach to surrounding green hills and sea cliffs. Unfortunately it’s backed by a fairly touristy resort with some larger hotels and apartment buildings. This is nothing compared to many mainland Spanish resorts but still, best to look out rather than in…
Close to the beach car park one finds the busiest section, with sun loungers laid out and plenty of families. It is, however, pleasant enough with plenty of space. The water is generally quite shallow and child-friendly but some sections can be unsafe for swimming due to undercurrents – lifeguards are proactive in advising where to bathe safely. This is in part because Son Bou is not in a cove but on a long stretch of coast. The beach is therefore much more open to the open sea and subsequently sees larger waves coming ashore and here one finds some really invigorating bathing.
I took some advice from a hotelier and walked along the shore towards the western end. This takes one away from the crowds and is much quieter, lying between the sea and a wetland nature reserve. There are no lifeguard stations on this section which I understand is also popular with nudists. I am unaware of any connection. Access is either along the beach or along a boardwalk and roped-off path which are there to prevent visitors from rambling all over the dunes.
Son Bou is easily reached by bus from Mahón, there are plenty of facilities as it’s a small but well equipped resort with shopping, bars, restaurants and a good sized car park.
Further Reading
Walking between Cala en Turqueta and Cala Galdana on the Camí de Cavalls.