5 easy-to-reach beaches near Ciutadella, Menorca

I just got back from a 5 day trip with my sister to Menorca, one of Spain’s Balaeric Islands. Our main reason for visiting was to ensure Becka got a tan before her graduation, so when I found flights for just £9.98 per person each way, we were sold.

Before we visited Menorca, I had no idea what to expect of it. The Balearic Islands have always conjured up an image of drunken Brits Abroad in my mind, but I was surprised to find that the small island of Menorca is very different to its big brother Mallorca and the party capital of Ibiza.

The island has diverse landscapes which are mostly untouched by urban development and its beauty is what attracts so many people to visit every year. With its soft white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters, it’s hard to believe this little slice of Mediterranean paradise is just a two hour flight from London.

As always, our holiday to Menorca was to be a budget trip, so we scrimped on everything we could (even taking some of our own food with us!) After spending our first night in the capital, Mahon, we took the bus to the historic city of Ciutadella, on the west side of the island, where we spent our remaining four nights in an AirBnB. We decided against renting a car during our stay, opting instead to use the network of public buses across the island.

I was a little worried that we wouldn’t be able to visit the places we wished to go to, due to having to rely on public transport, but we found that the routes we took ran regularly and were on time. We often took the first bus there and the last bus back to maximise our tanning time on the beaches!

Here is my pick of five easy-to-reach beaches near Ciutadella, Menorca, and how to visit them without renting a car.

Cala en Blanes

The first beach we visited in Menorca was Cala en Blanes (also written Cala’n Blanes). This is a small beach located very close to the city so is perfect if you’re looking to do a spot of sunbathing without venturing out too far. Here you can rent sunbeds or take your own towel and tan on the sand. There’s a small bar serving food and drinks and there are toilets and showers too. There are a lot of hotels and resorts nearby; this beach was very busy when we visited.

How to get there:

• Bus #61 (Ciutadella – Cala’n Blanes) from Plaça dels Pins, Ciutadella – Click for bus times
• We walked to Cala en Blanes from Ciutadella and it took around 30 minutes.
• Tickets cost 1.65€ each way

Cala Macarella

This beach was much less busy than others we visited in Menorca, perhaps because it is not as easily accessible. TO reach it, you must walk across the old horse track for 35-45 minutes from Cala Galdana. It is a medium grade walk; you won’t need hiking boots but the ground is slightly uneven and goes up- and downhill. In the midday heat we chose to walk there in our bikinis! The views on this walk more than make up for the effort to reach the beach which in itself is beautiful. Cala Macarella is equipped with sunbeds and there is a restaurant with toilets and showers, as well as a company offering boat and kayak hire.

How to get there:

• Bus #52 (Ciutadella – Ferreries – Cala Galdana) from Plaça de la Pau, Ciutadella – Click for bus times
• From Cala Galdana, walk alongside the river and cross the bridge where you will reach the start of the Camì de Cavalls track to Cala Macarella.
• Tickets cost 2.90€ each way to Cala Galdana

Bonus! Located just ten minutes walk from Cala Macarella, Cala Macarelletta is another stunning beach which is slightly smaller than Macarella. Follow the signs from Cala Macarella to reach it.

Cala Galdana

A large urban beach located on the edge of the town, Cala Galdana has everything you need for a day in the sun. The area itself has many resorts and hotels, but with this comes a number of shops and restaurants; there’s lots to see and do. The beach has sun-beds and excursions onto the water in kayaks and pedalos – and it’s only a 5 minute walk from the bus stop. Whilst this beach isn’t as secluded as others mentioned in this post, the water is still just as beautiful and with so many amenities at your fingertips, this is the perfect place for families.

How to get there:

• Bus #52 (Ciutadella – Ferreries – Cala Galdana) from Plaça de la Pau, Ciutadella – Click for bus times
• The bus stop is a 5 minute walk from the beach.
• Tickets cost 2.90€ each way

Cala Mitjana

Smaller than its neighbours Cala Galdana and Cala Macarellla, this is another beautiful beach which doesn’t have any amenities aside from sun, sand and sea. There’s shaded areas amongst the pine forest which grows rights up to the cliffs either side of the sand, and walking tracks amongst them for you to explore if you tire of sunbathing. The beach is located a 25 minute walk from the car park but was very busy when we visited.

How to get there:

• Bus #52 (Ciutadella – Ferreries – Cala Galdana) from Plaça de la Pau, Ciutadella – Click for bus times
• Get off the bus before reaching Cala Galdana town at Cala Mitjana, and walk through the car park and along the walking track through the forest for 25 minutes.
• Tickets cost 2.90€ each way to Cala Galdana

Cala en Turqueta

Probably my favourite of the beaches we visited in Menorca, Cala en Turqueta has the clearest water I’ve ever seen. You can explore the nearby coves in the rocks which makes the beach feel a lot bigger than it is. There are showers and toilets located at the bus stop which is 35 min walk from the beach. Bring your own food and water with you; there is nothing on the beach apart from a few vendors selling fruit.

How to get there:

• Bus #68 (Ciutadella – Cala en Turqueta) from Plaça dels Pins, Ciutadella – Click for bus times
• After getting off the bus, follow the path for 35 mins until you reach the beach.
• Tickets cost 4.90€ each way

Only five beaches?

In addition to the above four, there are many more beaches near Ciutadella that are easily accessible on public transport. Unfortunately we only had five days in Menorca so we weren’t able to go to all of them. Others easily accesible beaches near Ciutadella include Cala Blanca, Cala en Bosch, Cala Macarelletta and Cala Morell.

Where to stay in Ciutadella

We chose to stay in an apartment we found on AirBnB. This was great as we were able to rent an entire home for a reasonable price. It was centrally located so we were only a short walk to the port, restaurants, bars and bus stop. Click here for £25 off your first booking with AirBnB.

I’m also a huge fan of booking.com, where you can often find great deals. Click the button below to search for deals!

Booking.com

Have you visited any of these beaches near Ciutadella in Menorca? Which was your favourite?

Thanks for reading and happy travels!

Please note: We visited Menorca in peak season (7-12 July 2017) which meant that the island was busy with tourists and locals, particularly over the weekend. 

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