When planning our trip to Spain’s Balearic Islands, we decided to visit Menorca in addition to Mallorca and I’m so glad we did! Menorca is quite different than Mallorca – much smaller in geographic size and population, with rolling hills (vs Mallorca’s mountains) and fewer, quieter roads. Yet Menorca has amazing beaches, quaint towns and other interesting sights definitely worth checking out. I will be sharing posts on all these sights in the coming weeks!
I say “somewhat quieter” in this post’s title because even though the local population is only 1/10th of Mallorca’s (about 100,000 people live on Menorca vs. about 1 million on Mallorca), tourists (especially Europeans) have discovered Menorca and some of the most popular beaches can get pretty crowded during the summer months. You need to plan ahead (like going to the beach early (7 am) to get close parking spots or waiting until the late afternoon (5-6 pm)). That said, there are so many beach/cove options you won’t have trouble finding a spot to lay down your towel, even if it’s not where you originally planned to go.
Menorca is on of the three primary Balearic Islands, and only 43 nautical miles (80 km or 50 miles) from Mallorca. The other primary island is Ibiza, which is a little more geographically separated from Mallorca and Menorca (although closer to mainland Spain) and we did not visit it.
Getting There: Menorca is a short flight (about 20-30 minutes) or ferry ride from Mallorca. We flew to save time, and the flight was enjoyable because you could see a lot of the island from the flight path. You can also fly to Menorca directly from Barcelona and other locations.
Transportation: We rented a car on Menorca and this was a convenient way to get around, since we wanted to explore as much of the island as we could in 4 days. The roads are in good condition and fairly quiet, there’s not a lot of traffic. There is a bus system, but since we didn’t use it I don’t know how convenient or frequent the buses are.
Where to Stay: There are many options and we decided to stay in an apartment in the Cala Galdana area on the south coast. Besides being a beautiful location with a lovely beach, it was easy to get from Cala Galdana to almost anywhere on the island in less than an hour, including some amazing coves and beaches that are just short hikes away along a coastal trail.
There were a number of hotels, restaurants and shops in Cala Galdana, including various tour agencies for diving and other water-related activities. I think the best swimming beaches are on the southern coast, since they seem more protected than the north shore.
Menorca’s main towns of Ciutadella and Mao (or Mahón) are on either end of the island and seemed less tourist-oriented. However, they were both fun to explore and lovely towns. It seems that most tourists make their home base in one of several main resort locations on the south coast, except for the town of Fornells on the north shore, which has its own vibe and is a tourist hub as well. We noticed at least one campground not far from Cala Galdana.
Island Trail System: There is a trail system (Cami de Cavalls) than circumnavigates the island along the coast and provides access to many of the beaches and coves. There are signs along the trail indicating distances (in kilometers) between major beaches and towns.
We found the trails very useful. If one parking area was full, then we just parked at another accessible parking area and took the trail back to our desired beach – it may mean a slightly longer walk, but the tradeoff is enjoying the coastal scenery.
If you want a little quieter getaway in the Mediterranean Sea, Menorca may be your spot! In future posts, I will share information on the island’s sights – beaches, towns and amazing prehistoric ruins.
Note: Featured Image is Cala Mitjana, just a few kilometers east of Cala Galdana.