Cavalleria Beach, Minorca
“Menorca is an island of contrasts, with a very different personality”, Say the first lines of the article dedicated to the island in the August issue of this header (Condé Nast Traveler Spain). And how much reason lies in those words.
Between the 47 km long that separate Mahón from Ciudadela and the 702 km² that make up its entire land area, the traveler witnesses a great variety of landscapes and proposals of flora and fauna that completely fall in love with everyone who visits it.
It is thanks to this that Menorca has become in recent years the destination par excellence for those who do not conform. Those who are looking for a vacation that can well be from lie down for hours tanning on a beach with crystal clear waters, going through a route on horseback or kayaking along the Menorcan coast, until do a wine and cheese tasting in one of the farmhouses in the area or put on the most comfortable shoe in order to walk more than an hour to reach a cove of volcanic sand.
Menorca is all this and much more. It is a destination that purifies not only the body, but also the soul and that manages, every summer, to make us return like the one who returns home, to enjoy a few well-deserved vacation days where dolce far niente is more than guaranteed.
This time it's time to head to the north coast, to the less frequented part and that we exploit less in our Instagram feed, but no less attractive for that. Rather the complete opposite.
If, in the south, it is the fine sand beaches such as Turqueta, Macarelleta or Son Saura with their crystal clear waters that welcome us among a more harmonious landscape full of locals and tourists in the months of high demand; it is in the north when we find abrupt cliffs, sand of a reddish color as if it were from another planet, slate rock formations and a virgin environment in which if we are lucky we may have the beach almost to ourselves. Doesn't sound bad, does it?
So if at any time in the next few weeks you visit for the first –or umpteenth time– the calmest and most beautiful to rage of the Balearic Islands, don't hesitate to give the north coast a try.
To give you a starting point, we have prepared this selection of coves and beaches that are a visual delight. From east to west, let yourself be captivated by the most different, wild and unspoiled part of Menorca. It's your best kept secret. Word!
CALA TORTUGA AND CALA PRESILI
The first stop on this trip is found in the northeast of the island. Cala Tortuga and Cala Presili are known as the best virgin beaches located within the Natural Park of s'Albufera des Grau, the most important on the island with its more than 5,000 hectares and a biosphere reserve. In addition it is one of the favorite destinations for lovers of naturism.
To get to them one must go to the Favàritx lighthouse, one of the first lighthouses to be built on the island with the intention of stopping the shipwrecks that occurred in the northern part. Once at the lighthouse, it's time to take the Camí de Cavalls route towards the coves.
Cap de Favaritx lighthouse, on the north coast of Menorca.
The first one we find is Cala Presili, located about 15 minutes away on foot and also known as Capifort. If the sun is not too strong and we feel like it, it is worth walking a little more (another 15 minutes) until Cala Tortuga, whose name comes from the presence of these animals in the lagoon that is next to the beach.
Once here, we recommend admiring the panoramic view before going down the stairs and, once on the sand, one should take a long time to enjoy the views of the sea with the Favàritx lighthouse in the background on the left.
Getting to the coves by car was very simple with a short walk from the lighthouse, where you parked, but in recent years the island has placed tourist restrictions on the area and They can only be accessed by bus from Mahón or by leaving the car in the designated car parks. for this several kilometers from the lighthouse. So we can already prepare the shoes and the bottle of water for a good walk if we choose this last option. It is best to find out when you arrive on the island in case there are any last minute changes. Of course, privacy is guaranteed!
Cala Tortuga, Menorca
ARENAL D'EN CASTELL
Yes, in the south Cala Galdana is the beach par excellence for families and groups who are looking for easy access to the area, as well as services of all kinds and a wide range of water activities, in the northern part, ** Arenal d'en Castell is its first cousin. **
But what surprises the traveler is that, despite the urbanization of the area, can boast of having calm crystal clear waters on days when the weather is good. Its shell shape protects from strong northerly winds and its more than 600 meters in length make it the perfect attraction for those who are not looking for large crowds on the sand. There is enough space here for everyone!
Reaching the beach is very easy, we just have to go to the Coves Noves urbanization and, once we pass it, all we have to do is turn left and park nearby. You have no loss!
** CAVALLERIA BEACH AND CALA ROJA **
The next stop on the way is located about 15 minutes by car from Fornells, which makes it the perfect excuse to go to the beach during the day and then visit this fishing village that has so many rich to delight the traveler.
Arenal d'en Castell is shaped like a shell.
The Cavalleria beach is one of the longest in the north and shares reddish sand with its other sister beaches located in the same area, such as Pregonda, Binime-L'à or Cala Pilar. To get to it, we just have to take the road to Fornells and the Cavalleria lighthouse, but turning left before reaching it.
The distance between when we leave the car until we reach the coast is about 400 meters, so it is a easily accessible beach. Before descending the stairs that take us to the beach, it is the perfect moment to, in addition to taking the required photograph for our Instagram feed, admire the panoramic view of the landscape from above with the contrast of the sand in yellow and reddish tones with its transparent waters.
Before deciding to spend a day in the sun on this virgin and wild beach in the north of Menorca, check the wind in a Windy-style application, because on tramontane days the high waves can prevent swimming normally. On the contrary, the days that the wind blows in our favor, the waters of the beach will rock like a raft! In the surroundings there are Cala Roja and Cala Mica, both good options if you want to take a walk or make a small route between coves.
It would be unforgivable to be in the Fornells area and not go to the traditional fishing village to taste its flagship dish: lobster stew. Where to give yourself a good tribute? In Sa Llagosta (Calle Gabriel Gelabert, 12) and Es Cranc (Calle de ses Escoles) they await us with open arms.
Playa de Cavalleria is also a meeting place for surfers.
There's nothing like taking a walk around the bay of Fornells to get off your meal and, as soon as the sun begins to go down, set sail for Cavalleria lighthouse to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets on the island. Pure hedonism!
**CALA PREGONDA**
Cala Pregonda is an advertisement, and never better said. We must recognize that this beach is almost always located in the ranking of the best beaches in the north of Menorca for her starring appearance in the famous Estrella Damm ad in 2010.
Known as the red cove of Menorca, it is breathtakingly beautiful by the reddish sand (as if it were the planet Mars itself) that contrasts with its transparent waters on days when there are hardly any waves and the sea is calm. When this happens, it is perfect for anchoring any small boat and snorkeling among the rocks.
To get to it, it will be necessary to walk about 30 minutes from the car park located a few steps from Binime-Là (beach also recommended if there is a lot of influx in Pregonda), the first part of this Camí de Cavalls route. As in most coves in the north, Pregonda does not have any services, so we must go stocked with water and food.
In Cala Roja you can enjoy one of the best sunsets in Menorca.
At the end of the beach you can see its famous white house, the star element with which the perfect snapshot is achieved at sunset. Take the required walk to it and dream for a few moments that we are the owners of it and guardians of Cala Pregonda, where do we have to sign?
If there is strength and desire, from Pregonda we are separated by about 3.5 km (about an hour and a half) until we reach Cala en Calderer, a totally virgin cove and ideal for lovers of nudism, caused by its complicated access, which makes the traveler find himself in most of the times with a lonely beach.
PILAR COVE
Another of the pretty girls from the north of the island. The long stretch of access to Cala Pilar (between 45 minutes and an hour on foot) is well worth it to get to know one of the wildest enclaves on the island.
To find it, just take the main road that connects Mahón with Ciudadela and take the detour at kilometer 34. Once there, park in the signposted car park and continue the rest of the section on foot. It is its privileged position in this virgin natural area that makes it unique and with good conservation, so one should start enjoying the route from the beginning, as if it were a small excursion.
Cala Pregonda, in Minorca.
In recent years, from the island of Menorca they have warned that, as is the case in coves with reddish sand such as Pregonda or Cavalleria, many tourists use its sand to cover themselves with mud for its benefits for the skin, but we must bear in mind that this practice can be detrimental to the landscape and the environment due to the earth movements that are caused when removing the sand from the rocks. So better avoid it!
One more time, before visiting Cala Pilar we must check the wind because, if the day is bad, the big swell can destroy the best of plans.
Cala Pilar, Menorca.
**ALGAIARENS, THE BEACHES OF THE VALL **
The perfect enclave if a lot of wind blows in the south and the weather is not good, or you do not feel like taking the car to cover too many kilometres. Its privileged location, just 20 minutes away from Ciudadela, makes it the perfect destination for a quiet day at the beach and for families who are not looking for complications.
You just have to follow the signs to the beaches of La Vall, park in the designated area and walk just a few minutes to find the first of the beaches in the bay of Algaiarens. This welcomes us with a wide expanse of sand and, if we want to walk a little further, either through the rocks or through the interior surrounded by the fauna of the area, we will reach the next cove, a little smaller, but less frequented. 100% recommendable!
One of the corners of the bay of Algaiarens.
CALA MORELL AND ITS NECROPOLIS
The last stop on this trip through the north of Menorca is Cala Morell. If we are looking for reddish sand in a virgin environment surrounded by full vegetation, we can already cross it off the list, but this cove located in the urbanization that bears the same name has a special attraction due to the place where it sits. Here we will find all the services that we may need.
surrounded by cliffs, a stone platform facilitates bathing in the area. And the best? Its necropolis, the most famous in all of Menorca. Free admission to its caves carved into the rock is a highly suggestive cultural visit for those who want to alternate bathing with a bit of history. This dates back to the pretalayotic period.
Once the cultural visit is over, why not go to Punta Nati for one of those breathtaking sunsets and that cure us of all our ills? And for dinner, nothing like returning to Ciudadela to treat yourself to some of the most outstanding gastronomic spots in the city: Smoix, Pins46-Café Balear or Es Tast de Na Silvia. Because Menorca is also eating it bite by bite!
Cala Morell, Minorca.