Where to stay in Menorca and where not to! Full guide

Where to stay in Menorca? In this guide, we will look in detail at each area/town and which you may like based on your taste.

I can already tell you that there are two “types” of areas to stay in Menorca:

• Medium size Historical towns, somehow charmy, nice to stroll around in the evening, although sometimes chaotic when it comes to find a parking.
• Small coastal villages/neighborhoods, quiet and usually with a beach in front (even though the best beaches in Menorca are always far from urban centers) but pretty touristic and without typical traits. They look like open-air tourist villages.

Where to stay in Menorca – map
Below is the map to see location of all the areas to stay in Menorca we will talk about. In blue are the historic towns, green are the coastal villages, and red some areas that I personally do not recommend staying in.

Regardless of the area you choose to stay in Menorca, if you want to explore beaches and nature, renting your own vehicle is, unfortunately, essential. Public transport does not reach the sea except in very few cases.

Historic Towns

Ciutadella

Pros: Historical town and probably the most beautiful on the island. Easily walkable so you can leave the car parked in the evening. Mostly free parking.
Cons: Distance from the airport.

Ciutadella de Menorca, or more briefly Ciutadella, is the first area we will look at for staying in Menorca and, if I may say, also one of the ones I would recommend the most.

The historic town is nice to stroll around at sunset and in the evening, without wearing out your legs too much as the center is just over 500 meters in diameter and has a slight slope only near the port. Of course, don’t expect a huge and lavish city like Seville! 😉

If you’re not a museum enthusiast, you can easily visit the town in 1-2 half days (or evenings).

It’s worth staying just outside the historic center so you can park more easily if you have a car with you.

By choosing to stay in Menorca near Ciutadella, you will definitely have all services at hand (shops, bars, restaurants, various supermarkets including Lidl a couple of km away, the island’s slightly cheaper gas stations) and a bit of nightlife without excess.

Indeed, the nightlife is mainly made up of outdoor bars/restaurants, in the center and at the port. At the innermost end of the port (where the water ends and a dirt parking lot begins), there are also some disco bars/cocktail bars where the island’s minimal nightlife should be. However, this depends on the season. In early June, for example, on weekday evenings, these disco bars are open but completely empty.

Around Ciutadella, parking is free almost everywhere (except for the “mini ring road” surrounding the historic center) although in high season it may take some time to find a free spot. And even if you move only by bus, the Ciutadella terminal is just a few steps away.

Activities in Ciutadella

If you stay in Ciutadella and don’t want to rent a vehicle or only want to for a few days, you might consider some activities that depart right from here, such as:

• Free walking tour of Ciutadella’s historic center with explanations in Spanish;
• A budget half-day cruise to the beaches along the southern coast;
• Full-day boat tour with Paella included;
• Got a spare day and want to also see the beautiful town of Alcudia on the nearby island of Mallorca?
• Wine tasting experience.

Ciutadella is recommended to stay in Menorca if:

• you like strolling around in the evening and seeing something a bit more historic and typical, not just tourists;
• most of your planned visits are in the west of the island.

I would only advise against choosing Ciutadella if most of the beaches and attractions you want to visit are on the eastern side of the island, which would force you to drive tons of kilometers every day.

Mahon (Maò)

Pros: Close to the airport, populous center;
Cons: Lots of paid parking, beaches are fare, traffic, slopes.

Mahon (or simply Maò on Catalan signs) is the island’s “capital” city. It is built around one of the world’s largest “natural ports”.

It is located very close to the airport and is also the only town connected to it by a direct bus. For other destinations, a transfer at Mahon bus station is needed.

This town also has plenty of history, but again, unless you want to visit all museums and cathedrals, one day is enough. Mahon is bigger and more populous than Ciutadella and somewhat more dispersive—you’ll feel like you’re walking more to see fewer things.

Mahon offers all the necessary services (and it’s the only place where I saw truly typical restaurants/tapas bars). However, many parking spots are paid, including all those along the port promenade.

Those who don’t like elevation changes or have strollers may not feel entirely comfortable here, since the roads from the historic center to the port are quite steep.

Nightlife is quite moderate also here: bars, restaurants, the fish market, which gathers groups of tourists and locals until late evening, plus a few disco bars which in this case as well are only active on weekends or in high season.

I recommend Mahon for staying in Menorca for those who travel only by bus and want to be fairly close to the airport, those who want to see a bit more “local” life, and those without their own vehicle, as finding parking may take time.

I do not recommend Mahon for groups with children, those who don’t want to waste time finding parking, and those planning to visit many beaches, as the most beautiful ones are all far from here.

You may also be interested in: The best beaches in Menorca + Map

Activities in Mahon

From Mahòn you can also take part in various organized activities such as:

• Similar Free Walking Tour of Mahòn city;
• A short boat trip with glass bottom along the port of Mahon;

 

Coastal Villages

Let’s now take a look at the second category of neighborhoods to stay in Menorca: the coastal villages. Villages which, unfortunately, look all quite similar, with a style that’s a bit too touristy and little or nothing traditional.

These villages are all characterized by the following common features:

• Commercial areas with tourist restaurants, bars, and an omnipresent Irish pub that is usually the only active place in the evening with karaoke nights.
• A generally quiet atmosphere and usually a nearby beach, often small.
• Free parking and no need to struggle to find a spot.

You may also be interested in: Speed cameras in Menorca

Cala en Bosc

Pros: Geographically nice to see and walk around; not far from Ciutadella.
Cons: Among the most popular and expensive areas.

Cala en Bosc is perhaps the best-known village to stay in Menorca to be close to the beach. In fact, you’ll find a pair of small beaches that aren’t bad (but nothing compared to the best beaches in Menorca).

The nice thing about Cala en Bosc is that it develops all around a circular marina carved out from a coastal indentation and a pedestrian bridge. An evening walk here might be worth a visit even if you’re staying elsewhere.

Beyond this and all the moored boats, Cala en Bosc feels like a typical neighborhood built for tourism. Along the perimeter of the port, you’ll find not-so-typical restaurants, bars, entertainment from small stages and chairs with girls singing playback, or like in front of the main beach, the evening entertainment of the large hotel across the street that can be heard hundreds of meters away and… in Italian. 😆

We’re close to Ciutadella (10 km of easy road), so if one evening you want a change of scenery it won’t be hard. Cala en Bosc is also connected to Ciutadella by bus, but pay attention to the schedules.

I’d recommend Cala en Bosc if you find a great deal or for those who absolutely want to stay near a beach, keeping in mind that it will be one of the most crowded areas.

Cala Blanca and Cala en Blanes

Pros: close to Ciutadella, easy parking, good prices.
Cons: limited options.

Cala Blanca and Cala en Blanes are two villages a short distance from Ciutadella (about 3 km) that feature a central street with services such as tourist bars/restaurants and minimarkets, another Irish pub which is usually the only evening attraction, and not much more.
These neighborhoods can be a great solution for staying in Menorca:

• if you want to be close to Ciutadella;
• if you find a good deal (as these two areas offer among the best prices on the west coast) and if you’re only staying at the accommodation to sleep because you’ll be exploring the  island during the day.

Cala Galdana

Pros: all services, large beach in front although busy; Cons: elevation changes (in the southern area), excessive urbanization.

Cala Galdana is a neighborhood on the south coast of the island, with a wide beach with calm waters and a lovely evening atmosphere. I talk more about the beach in detail in the guide to the beaches.

Cala Galdana is a very large area, home to many hotels (some quite excessive like the one in front of the beach you see in the photo above), and the usual commercial activities already mentioned, plus some car rentals and a few walking paths around the port and along the beach during the day or evening.

Staying in Menorca in this area can be an interesting option for those planning to frequently visit beaches or attractions in the central part of the island (whether north or south) since it reduces travel distance. However, prices are not the lowest, also due to the presence of several 4–5 star hotels.

Even in the evening, the place can be a little less boring than other previously mentioned villages for those who don’t want to go to bed too early, thanks to the options to walk around.

Be careful where you stay because the area just south of the beach sits on a high elevation (from which I took the first of the two photos).

Son Bou

Pros: all services, wide beach in front.
Cons: nothing in particular.

Son Bou is another neighborhood on the south coast which, still touristy style. However, Son Bou differs from the previous ones thanks to the beach.
The sandy beach of Son Bou is in fact one of the biggest in Menorca and although it is not among the most scenic, it still offers plenty of space, small dunes with walkways through the vegetation behind it and, if you’re willing to walk, you can continue for 1–2 km along the shoreline until you reach areas with few people around you.

Where not to stay in Menorca

Let’s also look at where I wouldn’t recommend staying in Menorca… in my humble, very personal and debatable opinion!

Fornells

During your research on Menorca you may have heard of Fornells, since it’s mentioned by every blog as the quintessential Menorca village that must be visited for its authenticity, its local and non-touristy soul, the beauty of its port.

Well: if you’re going to Fornells don’t go with too many expectations.

If you hope to find historic neighborhood, apart from two pedestrian alleys that you can walk in 5 minutes, there’s nothing else. If you hope to find truly typical restaurants, run by fishermen or families as you might have come across in other Spanish islands by heading to some anonymous seaside village, forget it. Yes, there are restaurants, halfway between touristy and “wannabe classy,” with anything but popular prices.

And the “supermarkets” of Fornells, which are really just tourist mini-markets, have double the prices of any supermarket around Ciutadella or Mahon (for example, Magnum ice creams at the same price as beach kiosks).

The seafront is nice, but if you’ve already strolled through the port of Ciutadella it won’t give you any extra thrills.

I suggest stopping by if you’re in the area and want to make a one-hour stop to satisfy your curiosity, but I don’t see any advantages in staying in Fornells.

Binibequer

Binibequer is a village in the southeast of the island, near the airport and Mahon, where you’ll also find the famous village of “Binibequer Vell”.

Binibequer Vell is a small neighborhood of white houses and narrow alleys that strongly resembles the style of the Cycladic islands in Greece, so much so that for a moment it’ll feel like you’re actually there.

I definitely recommend spending a couple of hours visiting it because it’s very beautiful to see (and I challenge you to take a photo or video without bumping into other tourists doing the same! 😆 ).

But don’t fall too much in love with what you see, as this is not an ancient authentic neighborhood, but a residential village built just a few decades ago by some entrepreneurs solely for tourist purposes. All the little houses you see are in fact accommodations, whether private or for rent.

Although I recommend visiting this neighborhood, I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

That’s because there are no noteworthy beaches nearby (the one right in front of the white village was even covered in concrete to allow boats to dock), and due to the chic atmosphere of the area prices will be much higher than elsewhere.

Staying in Menorca surrounded by nature

But Menorca doesn’t end here… thankfully! If you’re not interested in being close to services, you have your own transportation and you want to be as far from the chaos as possible, you can also find many other “in the middle of nowhere” accommodation options. In the case of Menorca, these are inland areas (along the coast it’s almost impossible) surrounded by greenery where you can easily enjoy true silence.

Where to stay in Menorca for young people?

Given that the atmosphere in Menorca is often very suitable for couples and retirees, if you’re young and single I’d recommend staying in Ciutadella or possibly Mahon. But if you’re looking for nightlife, you’re on the wrong island!

Where to stay in Menorca with children

If you have children or strollers there are no particular areas to avoid, except those with too many inclines or too much walking to get around. I’d therefore not recommend Mahon, the other areas we’ve seen in this guide are all suitable from this point of view.

Where to stay in Menorca on a budget?

Accommodations are slightly cheaper in Mahon or in isolated parts of the island.
Now that you know everything about where it’s worth staying in Menorca… it’s also time to find a cheap flight using the box below that compares all available options for your dates:

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