I am so excited to finallllly be sharing my Menorca travel tips and recommendations with you! Menorca holds such a special place in my heart—my family have had a home there for many years after falling head over heels for it on a family holiday. Oli and I even got married in Menorca, such is our love for the island! In 2019 Oli and I said “I do” on our favourite Balearic isle, and you can read all about our experience getting married in Menorca here.
Each year I get a handful of messages from friends and followers asking for my top Menorca travel tips and I find myself typing out the same recommendations time and time again. I realised, albeit after wayyy too long, that it would be easier for me to simply pop my Menorca travel tips into one handy blog post which anyone can reference!
Below you’ll find:
General advice for travelling to Menorca ✔️
Recommendations for where to stay in Menorca ✔️
A list of my favourite towns in Menorca ✔️
My favourite beaches in Menorca ✔️
Menorca must-dos and must-visits ✔️
What to pack for Menorca ✔️
And general info on the vibe of the island!
I hope that this post is helpful to you if you’re planning a trip to Menorca!
An Insider’s Guide to Menorca
Time from London to Menorca: 2hrs 25 minutes
Airlines: EasyJet flies regularly during the summer months, and fairly regularly off season too. British Airways also flies regularly during the summer.
Menorca: an Overview
There’s a saying in Menorca which gives a good sense of the pace of the island: “mañana mañana” which translates to “tomorrow tomorrow”, meaning: “it can wait”. This relaxed approach is emblematic of an island which is embraces a slow, peaceful cadence. Long leisurely lunches are the norm, running a little late is expected and connecting with the quiet nuanced beauty of Mother Nature is customary for islanders and visitors alike.
Menorca is the smallest of the Balearic Islands, neighbouring the historically better-known isles of Ibiza and Mallorca. Though Menorca is the smallest Balearic island, it plays host to more beaches and coves than both of its larger counterparts put together. It’s a laid-back and peaceful island; elegant, authentic and attuned to the seasons. In the spring and autumn Menorca welcomes a steady stream of visitors; high summer is capital-B-usy, and winter is generally very quiet. If you’re thinking of visiting Menorca, my favourite months are May/June and September/October. However the island is abundant with nature all year round. Think: bougainvillea, hibiscus, olive trees, citrus trees, and greenery everywhere you look.
Two cities flank either side of Menorca, with Mahón (Maó in Catalan) to the East, and Cituadella to the West. Between the farthest points of the island you can expect to drive for up to around 1 hour maximum. It’s small! And I recommend hiring a car. Though public transport is good, you’ll have a LOT more freedom if you hire a car, and you’ll be able to reach places public transport can’t get to. Including some of the best beaches on the island.
Throughout Menorca, the traditional stone used for many of the older buildings has a honey hue, and others are painted in soft—now sun-bleached—colours.
The coastline, which hugs the island in a marble of blue hues—from the brightest of turquoises, to ink and aquamarine—is startlingly clear and full of fish and marine life.
My favourite cities and towns in Menorca
Mahón
Ciutadella
Es Mercadel
Fererries (old town)
Fornells
Es Castell
Alaior
Where to stay in Menorca
Air BnBs—there are plenty of gorgeous ones to choose from.
My favourite beaches in Menorca
Macarella
Macarelleta (watch my video for a guide on how to hike there)
Cala Galdana
Binisafuller (the cutest bougainvillea-covered house can be seen here)
Son Saura
In general, you can’t go wrong with the beaches in Menorca! There are SO many to visit, it’s worth exploring the island to find your own favourite spots.
Menorca must-dos + must-visits + restaurant recommendations
Have dinner at Nonna Bazaar—a newly-opened Mediterranean farm-to-table restaurant on the outskirts of Ciutadella.
Visit Ca N’Oliver Museum in Mahon for a comprehensive history of Menorca, as well as a nose around the beautiful palace building.
Take a wine tour of Binifadet and stay for wine and dinner.
Visit the new Hauser + Wirth gallery on Illa del Rei—a small island just off of Mahon, stay for lunch in the sister restaurant of Binifadet—Cantina.
Eat in Mercat del peix—Mahon’s traditional fish market, full of tapas and eye-popping culinary delights.
Visit the night markets. Throughout the summer there’s a travelling night market which pitches up at a different town each night of the week. Click here for market dates and times.
Have brunch at Jardí de ses Bruixes in Mahon—the most stunning of settings, and delicious food!
Buy a pair (or few!) of Avarcas – the traditional menorcan shoe.
Potter around, shopping in the small independent shops, Cituadella, Mahón and Es Mercadal are particularly good.
Watch sunrise in Es Castell.
Watch sunset in Son Bou.
Buy an ensäimada from Cas Sucrer in Es Mercadal.
Eat tapas at Ulisses Bar in Ciutadella.
What to pack for Menorca
If you’re visiting in the summer months, you can reliably pack the same kind of beach-y goodness you would do for any Mediterranean getaway. Think: light layers, sun dresses, sandals etc. Generally speaking, Menorca–though elegant–is not dressy, I’d leave your heels at home and bring some pretty sandals instead.
If you’re visiting Menorca in the Spring or Autumn, I highly recommend bringing a pair of jeans, trainers and layers. The evenings can be quite chilly, and any time the island breeze picks up it can get cold. In Winter, it’s standard coats and boots weather, albeit with more sunshine than we’re used to in the UK!
I’m so happy to share my home-away-from-home with you!
Menorca truly is a jewel of an island.
Many of our wedding guests ended up booking holidays back to the island! They fell hard for Menorca, just as I hope you will do too if you end up visiting!
Love, Monica x
Other articles you may find helpful:
Along Dusty Roads Menorca travel guide ~ VERY thorough and true to my experience of the island