A perfect week long itinerary in Menorca

My seven day long sojourn to the Mediterranean island of Menorca was an adventurous albeit relaxing holiday away from the dreariness of London. The Balearic island is a perfect concoction of calm, culture and adventure.

Below I have detailed a day-by-day itinerary of my time on the island. Seven days, in my opinion, is more than enough to enjoy everything the island has to offer and to sit back and take in the warm, salty air.

We did not hire a car which is, perhaps, a more convenient way to explore the island and works out cheaper especially if in a small group. Whilst you have the freedom to move about, having a car does come with its challenges- parking is a major issue, especially in the popular areas.

After much research, we discovered that Menorca has a very efficient and reliable public transportation system. This itinerary is based around the bus schedules but can be adapted to suit a car hire or taxi rides.

Day 1- Arrival and Ciutadella

A two hour flight later, we landed in Menorca early afternoon. We, knowingly, booked our hotel in Ciutadella which is on the opposite end of the island. We debated between opting for an hour long bus ride or a local taxi. Tiredness overcame us and we decided to take a taxi.

The hotel we had booked overlooked the sea and was within walking distance of all of Ciutadella’s main attractions. Much of the remaining day was spent exploring the streets of Ciutadella, walking along the harbor and visiting the night market after dinner. We retired shortly after, as we had an early start the next day.

Day 2- Far de Favaritx, Cami de Cavalls, Es Grau and Mahon

After breakfast, we made our way to the nearest bus stop- Via Perimetral- to catch the L1 to Mahon and then change buses at Mahon’s central bus station (for the L43)  to take us to the iconic lighthouse Far de Favaritx, along the north east coastline. Menorca is home to seven lighthouses, but Far de Favaritx is the prettiest of them all (according to me!). Moreover, it falls along the Cami de Cavalls hiking path that meanders along the length of the coast.

We followed the Cami de Cavalls trail to Arenal de Morella, where we stopped for a swim and a quick picnic before proceeding to Es Grau. The hike was formed of undulating paths of steep uphill climbs and traversing through partly shaded dusty roads- it was a short hike of about 3 hours but felt like an eternity owing to the scorching heat. Nonetheless, we made it to S’Albufera des Grau.

Parc Natural de S’Albufera des Grau is a lagoon and part of the UNESCO biosphere reserve that is home to a number of ecosystems and endemic species. The village of Es Grau comprises of whitewashed houses and a few cafes and shops fronting a shallow beach.

After unwinding at a little café at the shallow beach, and enjoying a couple of beverages and the views, we decided it was time to head back to our last stop of the day- the capital city of Mahon. We hopped on the L23 from Es Grau to Mahon.

While walking around Mahon with the sun setting over the horizon, we felt the town had a very similar vibe to Ciutadella- in fact I was quite pleased that we picked Ciutadella as our base as it was more picturesque. Mahon has a few attractions like the Museum of Menorca which I recommend visiting to learn about Menorca’s history. The Museum is open until 8pm in the summers on certain days and is free to enter on Sundays.

By the time we had arrived in Mahon, the tourists had dispersed and the locals had thronged the centre to enjoy their sacred evening routine of beer and banter over tapas. We followed suit and sat ourselves in an unpretentious tapas bar overlooking the main square. After dinner, it was time to call it a day as we headed back to Ciutadella.

Day 3- Calas Galdana, Mitjana, Macarella, En Turqueta

Yet another early start to the day (the bane of using public transport!) but Day 3 entailed visiting the South coast of Menorca famed for its turquoise blue coves and also the most touristic parts of Menorca. We took the L52 from Ciutadella to Cala Galdana and walked down to Cala Mitjana (around a 20 min walk) along the aforementioned Cami de Cavalls.

Grey skies threatened our plans but that did not crush our spirits as we stretched ourselves on the sandy blankets at Cala Mitjana before doubling back to Cala Galdana for a quick beach picnic. Luckily, the skies had started to clear and we rejoined the Cami  de Cavalls to head towards our third and definitely not last cala, Cala Macarella.

After an arduous uphill climb and then a steep and long downhill path to the Cala, we were met with scores of tourists and locals waiting with bated breath for the lifeguard to signal when it was safe to dip in to the waters. Apparently, there was a bloom of notorious jellyfish that had conquered the waters that afternoon.  

A long wait, a couple of ice cream sundaes and several annoyed sighs later, we gave up on Cala Macarella and proceeded towards our final Cala of the day- Cala en Turqueta. Macarella had set us up for disappointment but En Turqueta turned out to be my favourite of all the Calas we had visited today. Luckily, there was no jellyfish conquest here and we managed to include an enjoyable snorkel in the late afternoon.

We clocked in until a few minutes before the second last bus of the day was to depart back to Ciutadella- we made our way to the bus stop just in time for the L68, only to be turned down as we hadn’t pre-booed seats! Following apologetic looks from the driver and a few other passengers, we realised we were stuck in the middle of nowhere with a chringuito (little beach side resto-bar) and its owner for company. After several calls to taxi companies and drivers, one agreed to come by and end our misery- a little misadventure on our otherwise adventurous day only added to the fun experience that I can now fondly remember!

Day 4- Binibeca Vell and Es Calo Blanc

Yet another day of exploration and today we headed to the much talked about town of Binibeca Vell by bus L93 via Mahon towards Binibequer. The coastal town is famous for its whitewashed architecture and labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets. We snaked our way through the streets clicking away as every corner promised an instagram-worthy photo.

The town was designed to mimic what a typical Mediterranean fishing village would look like. We entered the town from the bus station and car park into the commercial area adorned with shops and restaurants, backed by the whitewashed residences. After wandering the streets, we ate at one of the restaurants in the main square of Binibeca Vell.

We walked our lunch off a half hour long path to a secret cove I discovered during my research called Es Calo Blanc. The cove was approached by uneven steps into an almost private, tiny beach that could squeeze a handful of people. We sunbathed here for the rest of the afternoon before heading back to Ciutadella, from Binibeca Vell, a little before sunset.

Day 5- Fornells and the North by Catamaran

For our fifth day, we headed up north by bus (L1/51/36/72 to Es Mercadal and change for L41/45) to the less explored parts of Menorca. Forming the more developed part of the north, Fornells is a great base to start your explorations of the north coast. We walked around the marina before being drawn to a seafood lunch at one of many highly acclaimed restaurants in the village.

The boardwalk is a culmination of restaurants with outdoor seating, shops selling local handmade products and a number of water sport activity based shops. We had booked an afternoon of catamaran sailing in a small group. As we boarded the catamaran, we were off on a rough, choppy journey with our skipper briefing us on the going-ons of Menorca and its northern half.

We anchored at one of the undeveloped calas to snorkel around the catamaran while some of the group lazed on the net or socialized with the rest of the group over snacks provided as part of the experience. After about three hours at sea, we raced back to the marina in time for sunset and called it a day, heading back to our nest.

Day 6- R&R + Bodegas Binifadet

Day 6 proved to be a relaxing day as we consciously decided we needed a break from our venturing out. We were set on exploring the hotel facilities instead.

For the afternoon, we had booked a table at Bodegas Binifadet for  lunch as we hadn’t managed to get a booking on their wine tasting tour. Bus no. L1 took us from Ciutadella to Mahon and then we boarded bus no. L91 (any bus from L91-94 goes towards Sant Lluis) for Av de sa Pau in Sant Lluis which is a short walk to the vineyards.

We managed to explore most of the vineyards despite not being on the wine tour and did a little wine tasting of our own as they had half glasses of wine on the menu for close to nothing. This was coupled with a number of scrumptious dishes prepared by the restaurant staff.

With our stomachs filled and in dire need of a siesta, we hopped on a bus to Ciutadella, where we spent the rest of the day exploring the town and enjoying a nice sundowner.

If you’re not big on wine and would rather go exploring, I recommend taking L62 to go up to Cala Morell in the North or even better, rent a car to spend the day exploring most of the North.

Day 7- Cala en Porter and Cova d’en Xoroi

The penultimate day we went to one of the most popular beach resorts in Menorca- Cala en Porter. The trusty L1 dropped us off at Alaior before we took the L33, in the direction of Cala en Porter ( You can also go via Mahon to Cala en Porter by bus L31). Cala en Porter is popular among tourists and can get crowded pretty quickly- so finding space to park your car may be an issue, I advise getting here as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

We got to the beach after climbing down what felt like an eternity of steps- it’s very steep! Once you get to the bottom, there are number of parasols you can rent or you can set yourselves up on the sand, if you do find space. We rented a parasol and lounger for the day.

We started with a snorkel in the sea exploring the abundant marine life, followed by a quick bite and then an hour long kayak to the nearby caves. The waters proved to be quite choppy and not my most elegant moment on holiday as I got quite dizzy with the boat rocking side to side- might choose more calmer waters next time for kayaking- that’s my take-away!

After our day at the beach, we braved the eternity of steps to head to our last stop of the trip, the much hyped, Cova d’en Xoroi– a cave now converted into a club and bar. We had pre booked entry a day before. You also get one drink with the entry fee. Once inside, we stepped down to the bar and main event area where we ordered our drinks and stood in line for a photo op of the background of sea and sky- which is gorgeous, however, can be found anywhere in Menorca.

Cova d’en Xoroi is a perfect spot for a sundowner and also hosts music performances in the evenings. I felt it was a great way to end our trip with a picturesque beach and popular  venue within walking distance.

Day 8- The Return

After our final breakfast and exchanging pleasantries at the hotel, we headed to the airport by taxi to catch our return flight back to London.

Even though we were tired at the end of each day, from being outside in the scorching heat, the trip was well paced and relaxing. There were moments of quietude and calm that were integral to making this trip a relaxing one but also times of misadventure (like being stuck in the middle of nowhere because we didn’t pre book seats on the return bus or the choppy waters making me dizzy at sea) that added to the unpredictability the trip needed.