Beach Hopping In Menorca

Some of the most beautiful beaches in Menorca are in the south of the island. That was one of the reasons we stayed in Ciutadella. I’m sure that there are more secluded beaches hidden all over the island. But the beaches near Ciutadella are clustered close together, which allows you to visit multiple beaches easily.

What’s even better, is that we visited multiple beaches without a car! That’s right! You can go to one beach, and from there travel to the next beach on foot.

How do you ask? Take the Cami de Cavalls.

Camí de Cavalls

Camí de Cavalls (which literally translates into the path of the horses) is an ancient path that encircles the island of Menorca. At 185 km, the path covers the entire coastline of the island and is divided into 20 stages. The start and end of each stage are accessible by the main road, which means that one can cover only a few stages.

Some of the most beautiful beaches in Menorca – Cala Turqueta, Cala Macarelleta, Cala Macarella, and Cala Galdana – form part of Stage 13 of Camí de Cavalls. This stage is 6.4 km long in total and takes roughly 2.5 hours to complete. Of course, you could choose to only do a part of it.

Midway from Cala Turqueta to Cala Macarelleta

A word of advice – if plan to beach hop in Menorca, wear a pair of good shoes. Camí de Cavalls is a hike and not a paved path. Also, carry lots of water, food, and sunscreen.

There are NO bars or restaurants on any beach other than Cala Macarella.

Ciutadella to Cala Turqueta

Getting to Cala Turqueta from Ciutadella is a 20-minute taxi ride. You could even catch a shuttle bus, but make sure that you book in advance as seats are limited and go fast. Both the bus or the taxi drop you off at the car parking for Cala Turqueta. From here, the beach is a 10-15 walk.

Turqueta Beach, Menorca

Once you’re at Cala Turqueta, soak it in! Almost all beaches in Menorca are nestled among higher ground on all sides. So, if you’re in the mood to get a few good photos of the beaches, I’d recommend hiking up to the sides. The vantage points are a great way to soak in the beauty from a secluded spot.

Cala Turqueta to Cala Macarelleta

I mapped my walk from Cala Turqueta to Cala Macarelleta

Cala Turqueta lies between Stage 12 and Stage 13 of Camí de Cavalls. Stage 13 of Camí de Cavalls starts on the left (if you’re facing the sea) of Cala Turqueta. There’s a sign with a map of the path guiding you to the next beach – Cala Macarella.

The map of Stage 12 and Stage 13 at Cala Turqueta, Menorca

The path quickly climbs into the woods and then into the open wilderness of Menorca, which is mostly green but barren. There is also very little shade on the path, so carry a hat or cap.

The walk to Cala Macarella is just over 2.5 km and takes about 45-60 mins. But a slight detour from the path takes you to Cala Macarelleta. The smallest of the beaches on this stage, and probably the prettiest.

The quaint and beautiful Cala Macarelleta, Menorca

Cala Macarelleta is a tiny beach, nestled between hills on either side and in the front. The hills give it the illusion of a private beach, which cannot be viewed from anywhere else.

Cala Macarelleta to Cala Macarella

There are two ways to get to Cala Macarella from Cala Macarelleta.

1. Head back to Camí de Cavalls and follow the original path to Cala Macarella, or
2. Climbs up the hill on the left of Cala Macarelleta, and walk along the path. This path offers incredible views of both beaches, Cala Macarelleta and Cala Macarella. It runs along the side of the hill all along offering incredible vantage points. I’d highly recommend taking this path.

Either way, both paths should take less than 10 minutes to get to Cala Macarella. Cala Macarella is probably the biggest of the three beaches and the only beach that has a restaurant and bar.

Cafeteria Bar Susy – The only restaurant and bar on Cala Macarella

Cala Macarella to Cala Galdana

The gorgeous Macarella Beach in Menorca

Although we ended our journey at Cala Macarella, Stage 13 of Camí de Cavalls finishes at Cala Galdana, another equally beautiful beach.

Cala Galdana is close to the much larger settlement of Serpentine, where you’d find bars, restaurants, and even hotels. It’s also easy to find a shuttle bus or taxi back to Ciutadella from Cala Galdana.

To the beach (nude)

We thoroughly loved walking along Camí de Cavalls. I think it gave us a different perspective of the island. The hike is probably not for everyone, especially those with cars. But if you don’t have a car, want to explore different beaches in Menorca, and are a bit adventurous, this is highly recommended!

It’s definitely the best way to discover the most beautiful beaches in Menorca.

Most Beautiful Beaches in Menorca

Docked between Cala Macarella and Macarelleta

We decided to walk back up to the car parking lot of Cala Macarella. At the parking lot, we relied on the kindness of strangers to call us a taxi back to Ciutadella.

I definitely would not recommend doing this hike in the evening, or without a mobile phone. I only realised this once we reached the parking lot, where we still didn’t have a good enough mobile signal for 4G. And we didn’t have any balance to make a call. Also, there is no mobile signal on the beaches or along the Camí de Cavalls.

Like I mentioned in my post about Menorca, the outer edges of the island are extremely secluded and they can be impossible to commute to without a car. To make things more difficult, cell phone coverage is patchy outside of the main settlement areas. So, always be prepared!