The Best Beaches in Menorca — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

Essential Things To Know About Menorca Beaches

There are some really important things to know and understand in advance before you finalise which Menorca beaches and calas you’d like to visit – or choose accommodation nearby.

This includes the ability to get naked at some of them (bit of a surprise if you don’t know that in advance), whether there’s food and drink facilities, what to bring with you, and whether parking is likely to be filled up before 10am in high season.

All beaches have a noticeboard showing hiking trails in / out, so take a look at this before setting off.

The North vs. South Divide

Menorca packs a lot of geological diversity relative to its size, and this is most clearly visible in the stark contrast between the beaches on the north and south coast. The south, known as White Menorca is all soft white sand and limestone / dolomite with pine forest fringes, whilst the rugged northern coast is all shades of copper and rust-red.

This may explain why the most popular Menorca beaches are situated in the south, but several of the hidden gems are on the north.

However, simplistically viewing the island’s geography as a north / south divide doesn’t actually tally with what your practical travel experience will be on Menorca. For example, if you’re based in or around Ciutadella, it makes sense to focus on the western half of the island (north and south) with the option of a day trip or two further afield; if you’re in Binibeca or Mahon, then it’s the eastern side which will be most prevalent.

You won’t be able to visit them all

The island is small, but boasts 137 miles (220 kms) of coastline; you won’t be able to visit all of the best beaches in Menorca during a one or two-week visit.

This isn’t something to despair about in the slightest, but does mean it’s especially important to select a handful which you want to base your beach days and itinerary around. Simiarily, don’t try and visit or spend meaningful time at more than two of the ‘remote’ beaches in a single day.

It also means it’s important to pick the right type of beaches and calas from this list for your travel style and length of stay i.e. not selecting all the very remote ones if you’re a family looking for ease of accessibility and facilities, or giving too many days to the ‘tourist zone’ beaches if you’re a couple who want to rent a car and like to get sweaty off-the-beaten-track.

Having your own transport – a rental car or scooter – will however open up your options on the number and…