Menorca has some of the most beautiful coves in the Mediterranean — and the best part is you can still enjoy them calmly if you know when and how to go. This is our pick, with judgement and first-hand.

In short

  • South: white sand, turquoise water and pines. The most photographed.
  • North (tramuntana): reddish sand, wild scenery and fewer people.
  • Key: go early (before 10am) or in June and September. In summer, many car accesses are restricted: use the seasonal bus or walk the Camí de Cavalls.

The southern calas (turquoise)

The south-west, around Ciutadella and Ferreries, holds the postcards:

  • Cala Macarella and little Macarelleta: the quintessential turquoise horseshoe.
  • Cala en Turqueta: tucked-away, family-friendly and an almost unreal blue.
  • Cala Mitjana: wide, crystal-clear and framed by cliffs.

The wild north

The tramuntana coast is another Menorca: red earth, wind and silence.

  • Cala Pregonda: reddish sand and an almost lunar feel, with no facilities. Pure calm.

How to enjoy them (and look after them)

Bring water, shade and comfortable shoes; many coves have no beach bar. Respect the surroundings —Menorca is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve— and take your litter with you. The luxury here is silence: rising early pays off.

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