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The best things to do in Mallorca, Spain
Your vacations are fast approaching and you’d like to visit Mallorca in the Balearic Islands? Discover our complete guide on our travel blog!
- Spain
- Travel Guides
For us, Menorca is a “coup de coeur” destination (as it was for our first trip to Ibiza) and the island shouldn’t leave you indifferent. If you’re the kind of person who loves beaches and coves with translucent waters, good restaurants, all in a relaxing calm amid lush nature, Menorca should be an ideal choice for you.
If you’re traveling with the family, this is also a great destination. We’ve spent a week touring the island, and in this article we’ll give you our must-sees to help you figure out what to do in Menorca. All that’s left for us to do is to wish you a pleasant trip to the Balearic Islands !
Generally when we travel to an island, we like to take two accommodations to keep the time we spend in the car to a minimum. At the same time, as Menorca is not a very large island, you can stay in the same hotel during your stay. If this is your choice, we’d still advise you to stay on the waterfront in the middle of the island. In our opinion, the town of Sant Tomas is a very good choice.
During our stay in Menorca, we had the opportunity to be guests for a few days at the Seth 55 hotel, and we really loved it. It’s very quiet and offers great facilities. The rooms are new and very spacious, and the (giant) swimming pool is very pleasant. What’s more, as mentioned above, the hotel is ideally located in Menorca. Allow 25 minutes on average to reach all the island’s must-sees by car. The Seth Group is a Menorcan hotel group with over 9 establishments on the island. Good to know: if you choose the half-board option, you can dine in any of the group’s hotels, and they’re delicious.
When we were organizing our visit to Menorca, we also chose to spend a few nights in the very south of the island, right next to the must-see village of Binibeca Vell. We really liked the Pierre et Vacances Binibeca hotel, with its breathtaking views over the village. It’s an address we’d also recommend. It’s not quite as upmarket as the Seth 55 Santo Tomàs, but its location and view of the village are more than enough to make it a very good address.
If you’d like more inspiration on where to sleep on the island, we recommend taking a look at our list of the best hotels in Menorca.
The island of Menorca isn’t very big, and it’s very easy to drive across. We invite you to discover all our Menorca must-sees in this blog post. You’ll also find our favorite addresses in Menorca. Did you know? The island of Menorca was recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993. You’ll soon understand why when you visit Menorca!
If you’re like us and wondering what to do in Menorca, the first question that should come to mind is what are Menorca’s most beautiful beaches? We begin our selection with Cala Galdana. Cala Galdana is one of the island’s largest beaches, and has the particularity of being very family-friendly. With easy access and plenty of shade, it’s the beach par excellence if you’re looking for an easy swim in Menorca. As the beach is very easy to access, we recommend that you come early or late in the day to make the most of it. Swimming is supervised on this beach, which is a real plus if you’re traveling with children.
To travel with peace of mind, it’s important to choose the right insurance. We recommend Heymondo, which offers a selection of tailor-made insurances with very good value for money.
Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta are among the island’s best-known beaches. As a result, they are quickly overrun. We therefore advise you to get there early and avoid weekends. To get there, you have two options:
Whatever you choose, don’t forget to take plenty of water with you! Note that Cala Macarelleta has a snack bar, where you can refill your water bottles. Swimming is supervised.
Still in the same area, close to Cala Galdana, you’ll find another beach famous for its beauty and accessibility, Cala Mitjana. We also advise you to go there early or at the end of the day to enjoy the Cala without the crowds. A heavenly setting! To reach Cala Mitjana, park in the parking lot and follow the path for around twenty minutes. The path is easy and paved, making it easy for strollers, for example. Note also that swimming is supervised in this cala.
If Cala Mitjana is too crowded and you’re in good physical condition, you can opt to join Cala Trebaluger and Cala Fustam. The path lies to the left of Mitjana and climbs quite steeply. Allow 25 minutes to reach Cala Trebaluger and a further 25 minutes to reach Cala Fustam. These two calas are wild and more difficult to access, so you should be able to enjoy more peace and quiet. It’s also possible to reach them directly by boat, which can be a very pleasant option!
I love this Cala located in the immediate vicinity of Ciutadella. If you’re looking for a magnificent, ultra-accessible cove for swimming, look no further! Don’t forget your mask and snorkel, as this cala is packed with fish of all kinds. Here you’ll find a magnificent staircase leading down to the cala, a picture-postcard setting par excellence! It’s worth noting that the cala is a popular spot for locals to jump off the rocks surrounding the cala. The atmosphere was so lively that we headed there at the end of the day. All you have to do to get there is park your car and walk down a few steps. In our opinion, it’s impossible to visit Menorca without taking a dip!
If you’re heading to Cala en Brut, don’t hesitate to take a 5-minute drive to Pont d’en Gil. This is a must-see spot for locals to admire the sunsets! We went there after our swim at Cala en Brut, and it was a great way to end our day. We can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a 10-minute walk from the parking lot to the bridge. The path is steep, so watch your feet!
We continue our selection of Menorca’s most beautiful beaches with Cala En Porter. This one is gorgeous and just 5 minutes from Cova d’en Xoroi. If you’re planning to go there, don’t hesitate to drop in – you won’t regret it. There’s a very nice staircase to the left of the cala, where you’ll be able to take some great photos!
One of our favorite addresses in Menorca: a bar in the heart of a cliff. Cava d’en Xoroi has several terraces clinging to or nested in the rock, with spectacular sea views. Please note that it’s best to book in advance to ensure a place to enter, as the place is very popular in high season. On their website, you can book a slot during the day for €12 (with a drink included) and for €25 the evening, which is danceable. For our part, we chose the 4:30-6pm slot and found the atmosphere very pleasant. We’ve fallen in love with this unusual place, which we think is well worth a visit!
Without doubt Alex’s favorite beach! If you’re wondering what to do in Menorca, head straight for the ochre-sanded Cala Cavallerria. Head towards the north of the island to reach this cala. It’s easy enough to get to – just a 10-minute walk from the parking lot. If you like swimming in the waves, you should be delighted! The waves are accessible (2m high on average) but not necessarily pleasant with children. If that’s the case, we recommend you head for the much more family-friendly Cala Arenal De Son Saura.
You’ll find that the beach scenery in the north is completely different from that in the south. Whatever your preference, you’re sure to get a wow-factor from the magnificent wooden staircase leading up to Cala Cavalleria. Note that swimming is supervised in this cala.
We round off our selection of Menorca’s most beautiful beaches with a family-friendly beach in the north of the island. Cala de Son Saura and Cala Galdana, in our opinion, are Menorca’s best beaches for families. Both beaches are quiet, easy to get to and supervised. You’ll notice that the sand on this beach is slightly pink, which adds a nice, unique touch! Note that parking is just 5 minutes from the beach.
After the beaches, let’s continue this blog post dedicated to Menorca, with the island’s must-see towns and villages. We start in the west of the island with the town of Ciutadella. We loved this town and its atmosphere. The buildings are beautiful and the many cafés and small independent stores give the town a really charming atmosphere.
When in town, head for the old quarter and lose yourself in the narrow streets. The 14th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria de Ciutadella is also magnificent – don’t miss it! If you’d like to enjoy a coffee and a good artisanal ice cream, we recommend the Gelateria DelaCrem Menorca. I love the apricot perfume from Menorca! If you’re looking for more ideas of things to do in Menorca, you can also plan a visit to Líthica, Pedreres de s’Hostal. We didn’t have time to go there, but we were told it was also worth a visit. So it might be a good idea to visit if you’re looking for what to do in Menorca near Ciutadella.
In the very south-east of the island, you’ll find one of the island’s must-visit villages, Binibeca Vell. This fishing village is entirely white and very charming! It’s a must-see on your visit to Menorca. The village can be visited fairly quickly; allow an hour on site, including photo breaks.
If you like, you can go for a swim at the nearby beach. It’s a very pleasant, family-friendly beach. The beach is called Binebeca Nou. While in the village, don’t miss the BB cocktail Bar !
Near Binibeca, you’ll find Menorca’s capital, Mahón. We really enjoyed visiting the heart of the town and its port, the largest on the island. We therefore recommend that you don’t miss out on your visit to Menorca. The town center is full of little stores and restaurants, and it’s great fun to stroll around. If you’re travelling by car, we recommend parking in this car park and walk down Pl. de s’Esplanada towards the town’s port.
Es Mercadal is a charming little town in the center of the island. If you’re driving to one of the northern beaches, you’re bound to pass through here! We recommend stopping off for lunch, for example. Alternatively, you can do as we do and pick up a takeaway from one of the town’s bakeries, so you can picnic right on the beach. Although the town is tiny, it’s charming and well worth a visit.
Wondering when to go to Menorca? If you can, we recommend the months of June and September. The temperatures are excellent and you’ll be able to enjoy the island without too many tourists. We visited Menorca in mid-June and had no trouble parking our rental car, even on the island’s busiest beaches. Even though the island is one of the least touristy of the Balearic Islands, we recommend avoiding July and August as much as possible.
To find the best mode of transport to your destination, we recommend you always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all available modes of transport, so you can compare prices very easily.
If you’re looking to rent a car during your trip, we recommend looking on the Discover Cars website. This will enable you to find the best prices and conditions for your rental in Menorca.
We rented our car to visit Menorca from RecordGo. We were really pleased with the service and rates offered, making it a good alternative to the better-known but often more expensive car rental companies. The rental company is located about 20 minutes from the airport, but provides a free shuttle bus that makes the round trip in 5 minutes. We recommend it! Debit cards are accepted without any problem, and the cars on offer are all recent.
In order to find the best hotels in Menorca and to benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!
If you want to get ideas for activities to do on your vacation and want to book in advance, we’d also recommend taking a look at the GetYourGuide website. This will give you an overview of the activities on offer in your destination, so you don’t have to wait until you get there to book your places.
As you might have guessed from reading this blog post, we’ve fallen head over heels for Menorca. After discovering Ibiza far from the clichés and falling in love with it, we were curious to visit another island in the Balearic archipelago. If you’re looking for an authentic destination not too far away to rest and recharge your batteries, Menorca should be perfect for you. If you’re traveling with the family, Menorca would also be a good option. We hope our feedback has inspired you to discover this beautiful destination!
We hope the tips and good addresses on our travel blog will help you know what to do in Menorca!
You can also follow our daily adventures on Instagram 🙂
Clem & Alex
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