When you imagine Menorca, you inevitably think of its heavenly beaches and coves. And that’s why we chose this Balearic island after falling in love with Ibiza and Formentera . Menorca has 196 beaches, so it’s impossible to discover them all. And since our week in Menorca was also about relaxation, we had to make choices, so here are a few of the beaches we were able to see!
WESTERN BEACHES, around Ciutadella:
Cala In Brut
Cala En Brut located very close to Ciutadella is not a beach but a cove with exceptional water. It is also the most beautiful place we have seen in the west of the island. Platforms have been set up to be able to jump from the cliffs. It is therefore not the ideal place for little ones but it may please the youngest!
Cala Blanca
Cala Blanca is a small, easy-to-access, U-shaped sandy beach . It is located in the residential area of the same name! Unfortunately, there was quite a bit of seaweed at the water’s edge when we went.
Cala Santandria
Cala Santandria was very close to our hotel. And like all the beaches around Ciutadella, it is quite small. It stretches for about 100 meters but it is perfect for families. Its little extra is that it is adapted for disabled people . All around there are hotels and restaurants.
Sa Caleta
La Sa Caleta d’En Gorries is a very small family beach but there is a small beach bar. The water is clear although when we were there in early July there was also seaweed on this beach. The sea is calm and therefore it is an ideal beach with young children but can quickly get crowded in summer.
SOUTHERN BEACHES:
It’s Calo Blanco
Es Calo Blanc is the first beach we discovered when we arrived in Menorca because it is located in the southeast of the island, 15 minutes from Mahon airport. You should know that you can see planes flying by very close by (and hear the noise that goes with it). Es Calo Blanc is not a beach but a rocky cove. As a result, it is not a very comfortable place to lay your towel but its crystal clear water is truly magnificent. In addition, it is easy to park in the car park located just above.
Cala Galdana
Cala Galdana is one of the most famous beaches in Menorca but it is also one of the most urbanized. The hotel bar on the seafront spoils the landscape a little. However, the beach seen from above is large and beautiful. There are many water activities there. It is also and above all from Cala Galdana that you can hike via the Cami de Cavalls to admire the most beautiful beaches in the south of the island.
Cala Macarella & Cala Macarelleta
These two beaches are certainly the most famous beaches in Menorca. After the magnificent photos seen on Instagram, we only wanted one thing: to see it with our own eyes!
How to get to Cala Macarella?
In high season, from June 1st to September 30th, it is not possible to park in the Cala Macarella car park. To access this cove , you have to take the Cami de Cavalls hiking trail from Cala Galdana, opposite the Artiem Audax hotel. We had read that it took about 25/30 minutes to reach Cala Macarella. But it took us almost 45 minutes to get there because in the blazing heat of almost 40 degrees and a little girl who was complaining, the hike was longer than expected! We advise you to bring water and sneakers because the trail is not in good enough condition to go there in flip-flops!
Cala Macarella
Once we arrived at the beach of Cala Macarella, we won’t hide the fact that we were very disappointed! The beach looks nothing like the photos seen on Instagram because there is a lot of seaweed. We didn’t swim there and we tried to gain height to reach Cala Macarelleta. And it was while climbing that we marveled at the beauty of this turquoise blue water .
Cala Macarelletta
To reach Cala Macarelleta, it takes 15 minutes from Cala Macarella by taking the path that climbs to the right of the beach. The stone staircase is however a little steep and slippery which can be complicated with young children. The different viewpoints on Cala Macarella reconcile us with this cove. On the other hand, we will not go down to Cala Macarelleta because it is crowded but from above it seems much more beautiful than its neighbor.
Son Saura/Bellavista Beach
Still in the south of Menorca, 30 minutes from Ciutadella, we find the beach of Son Saura. Here we discover a large beach of fine sand with beautiful clear water! We tried to go there for the first time one morning at 9am but the free parking was already full. So we tried again one evening at 7pm and there was no problem finding a place! From the parking lot, we reached the beach in 10 minutes. Obviously because of the brightness at the end of the day and the wind that day, we did not find clear water but a little cloudy. It is nonetheless one of the prettiest beaches we saw during our week in Menorca.