10 Things You Need to Know if You Are Traveling to Menorca in Summer

Última actualización: 20/08/2024

1. In Summer the Beaches Are Full

Do you want to go to one of the postcard beaches of Menorca and find it deserted like in the Estrella Damm ad?
Well, I am sorry to tell you that in summer it is difficult.
During the months of July and August Menorca receives hundreds of thousands of tourists, and almost all of them like the beaches…
This means that you are not going to find deserted beaches unless you get up at 7 o’clock or leave the beach after dark. You might get lucky one day and the beach is not very busy, but in general you will have to share space.
This does not mean that there are no nice uncrowded places, but you will have to look for them and you will almost always have to walk.
If you want to go to uncrowded beaches, look for the most isolated ones, those that require more effort or those that only have access by sea.

• The Most Empty Beaches in Menorca in Summer

2. In July and August Menorca is overcrowded

The reality is that in July and August Menorca is at the limit of its capacity and some data show that the island is over-exploited.

• The most popular beaches are crowded: this means that the feeling for tourists is one of discomfort on many beaches.
• The aquifers of the island are not in good condition.This means that the Chloride and Nitrate data are above the maximum recommended for health.
• Tourist accommodations and hotels are above 100% of their capacity: This means that there is probably an illegal supply of tourist accommodations.
• The roads are full and there are traffic jams: this means that there are queues and parking difficulties in some parts of Menorca.

3. To see the best beaches you have to walk.

The 10 best beaches of Menorca are virgin beaches where you have to walk a long time to get there.

Half-hour hikes or bike rides are the price to pay for spectacular scenery.

Think that if these beaches were urbanized and with public parking they would be much worse preserved and even more crowded.
The best thing to do is to be prepared to enjoy the trails, bring water and food… and a dose of good humor! and a dose of good humor!
If what you want is to park on the beach you also have beaches, but much more normal and not so much“postcard“.

4. Choose the Beaches according to the Wind

Menorca is an island very very marked by the wind.
The wind even conditions the landscape and the human presence on the island.
Menorca is divided into two zones.

• The north coast, exposed to many months of Tramuntana, is an area with hardly any vegetation, very rocky and practically uninhabited by man.
• The south coast has more buildings and more human presence.

If one day the wind blows north, it is best to go to the southern beaches to avoid waves and dirt.
If the south wind blows, it is better to go to the northern beaches.
You can check online or on a mobile app what the wind is doing each day.

5. Menorca Has +1500 Monuments

Almost everyone who travels to Menorca knows its beaches but not so many have heard of its cultural heritage.
Menorca has so much that the island is sometimes referred to as an Open Air Museum.

Did you know that it has more than 1500 archaeological sites inventoried?

In Menorca you can visit funerary navetas, war constructions, ancient stone quarries and many prehistoric remains.
La Naveta des Tudons is the oldest preserved building in Europe!
If you travel to Menorca keep in mind that you can combine sun and beach with culture.
In fact, Menorca is about to become a World Heritage Site with its Talaiotic candidacy.

6. No Bungalows Like Thailand

I am often asked about good beachfront hotels that are not real masses of concrete.
In Menorca there are no small beachfront huts like in some Asian countries.
Precisely one of the beautiful things of Menorca is that many beaches and areas of the coast have been preserved untouched and undeveloped.
If what you are looking for is to get up in the morning in your hotel and walk down to the beach, do not expect to be in a small hotel or to be able to see one of the posta beaches that always appear in the advertisements.
Although there are no bungalows, you do have beach bars and boutique hotels that are worthwhile.

• The Best Chiringuitos of Menorca
• The Best Boutique Hotels in Ciutadella
• The Best Rural Hotels in Menorca

7. It is a Paradise for Hikers

Maybe you didn’t know that Menorca has a 185km long trail that goes around the whole island.
The famous Camí de Cavalls is a Gran Recorrido trail (the GR223).
Thanks to this path, very well indicated and signposted, it is possible to go all around Menorca through its 20 stages (also by bike).(also by bike).
As if that were not enough, the trail passes mostly through uninhabited and difficult to access areas, which means that the landscapes, flora and fauna are preserved.

• If you want to make excursions combined with beach time, the best thing to do is to make stages of the south coast.
• If you are looking for pure hiking with few people and few beaches, the north coast.

8. Menorca is a Biosphere Reserve

Menorca celebrated its 20th anniversary as a biosphere reserve in 2013. This means that it is one of the little more than 500 territories in the world with this qualification.
Menorca is a special place! In order to make this qualification compatible and to combine growth with sustainable tourism, Menorca is making efforts to protect its coasts.
Do you like the coast to be green and not made of concrete? If so, help the inhabitants of the island to preserve this treasure intact.

Do not litter on roads, beaches or forests, and respect the signs wherever you go.
If there is an area of the beach where you cannot enter, it is for ecological reasons, never to disturb tourists.

9. Menorca Es Reserva Marina: Go freediving!

In addition to the Biosphere reserve Menorca has a Great Marine Reserve on the coast.
This means that you can snorkel in places where you will find a lot more marine fauna than usual.
If you travel to Menorca take some good diving goggles and go to the best places to snorkel or book a freediving course with Freedive Menorca, you will love it.

10. Mud Baths are Bad

If you are planning to take a mud bath, I recommend that you read its consequences first.

How to Find Clean Beaches?

When you arrive at a beach or any other place, try to leave it as clean or cleaner than you found it.
Always carry plastic garbage bags.

• In almost none of the virgin beaches there is a garbage collection service, and it is very sad to make a 1 hour excursion in the sun to find a dirty beach, with plastics and garbage.

Bonus: 9 Tips For Your Trip to Menorca

If you are preparing your trip to Menorca I recommend you to read these 9 tips to prepare your trip.
If you share this with people you know who travel to Menorca they will be better informed and will be able to enjoy more and better the island, and they will thank you for it. Happy Holidays!