Restricted Car Access Areas in Menorca in Summer – 2027

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Última actualización: 02/11/2026

In 2026, cars are prohibited in Macarella, Macarelleta, and Favàritx and their surroundings. In the southern coves of Ciutadella, controllers close the car park when it’s full.

Since 2018 the public authorities of Menorca have been restricting car access to some of the most popular areas of Menorca.

Updated in November 2026 for the 2027 season. Data is from 2026, and 2027 dates and times are not published until spring: check them before you go.

The reason for the restrictions is that during the summer months Menorca is overcrowded and the natural environments cannot withstand so much human pressure.

If you want to avoid being on the beach like a sardine, try to avoid the months of July and August, and try to find out which beaches are less crowded in summer.

Here is the list of restrictions on beaches, lighthouses, and points of interest. The restrictions affect cars and motorcycles:

1. Cala Macarella (car access prohibited): usually from June 1 to September 30 (in 2026, from Monday, June 1). Only accessible by bus from Ciutadella (L69 line), on foot, or by bike.
2. Cala Macarelleta (car access prohibited): same rules as Cala Macarella. According to Autocares Torres, it’s about a 25-minute walk from the bus stop (to Macarella, about 15). Bus access.
3. Cala Tortuga (Tortoise Beach) (car access prohibited, due to the closure of the Favàritx road): in 2026 from May 15. It can be reached via the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) from the Favàritx area. With the road closed, the Favàritx area is only accessible by bus line 43 from Maó, on foot, or by bike.
4. Cala Presili (car access prohibited, due to the closure of the Favàritx road): in 2026 from May 15. It can be reached via the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) from Favàritx (less than 1 km from the Camamil·la turn-off). With the road closed, the Favàritx area is only accessible by bus line 43 from Maó, on foot, or by bike.
5. S’escala – Es Portitxol (car access prohibited, due to the closure of the Favàritx road): in 2026 from May 15. With the road closed, the Favàritx area is only accessible by bus line 43 from Maó, on foot, or by bike.
6. Savinar de Mongofra (car access prohibited, due to the closure of the Favàritx road): in 2026 from May 15. With the road closed, the Favàritx area is only accessible by bus line 43 from Maó, on foot, or by bike.
7. Favàritx Lighthouse (car access prohibited): in 2026, the closure started on Friday, May 15 (in previous years, around June 1). No end date has been published, and in 2025 the bus ran until September 14. Only accessible by bus line 43 from Maó station, on foot, or by bike.
8. Punta Nati Lighthouse (car access regulated at sunset): usually from July 1 to August 31. In 2025, the Consell provided a shuttle bus from Ciutadella with two round trips at sunset. For 2026, there is no service data: check it on Autocares Torres’ booking website.
9. Binibèquer Vell Village (limited pedestrian access): it is a private residential area and can only be visited on foot. Following the residents’ vote in August 2024, visiting hours are from 10:00 to 22:00. Between May and August 2024, it was from 11:00 to 20:00. Confirm hours before going.

Article contents

Summary: Access Regulations for Each Location in 2026

In 2026, there are three different situations:

Cars prohibited: Cala Macarella, Cala Macarelleta, and Favàritx and their surroundings.
Car parks with controlled access that close when full: Turqueta, Son Saura, Algaiarens, Binimel·là, Cala Pilar, Cala Mitjana, and the Sant Joan de Missa crossroads.
Sunset control: Punta Nati and Cavalleria.

Location	Car access rules	Dates and times	Without a car
Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta	Prohibited	From June 1, 2026; usually until September 30	Bus L69 from Ciutadella; on foot from Cala Galdana (approx. 40-45 min); bike
Favàritx Lighthouse, Cala Presili, Cala Tortuga (Tortoise Beach), S’escala, and Mongofra	Road closed	From May 15, 2026, no end date published	Bus line 43 from Maó; on foot or bike
Punta Nati	Regulated at sunset	Usually July and August (bus in 2025; 2026 unconfirmed)	Shuttle bus from Ciutadella
Cala en Turqueta	Car park with barrier and control	Controllers from May to October; ‘full’ sign appeared around 10:00-10:30 in May 2026	Bus L68 from May 4 (stop approx. 15 min walk)
Son Saura (Es Talaier)	Car park with control	Closes later than Cala Macarella and Turqueta, and some days doesn’t close	Bus L66 from May 4 (stop 5-30 min walk depending on stop)
Algaiarens	Car park with control	One controller in May 2026	Bus La Vall – Cala Morell from May 4 (stop 10-15 min walk)
Binimel·là (and path to Pregonda)	Car park with control	Included in the Consell’s control contract	No public transport; to Pregonda, walk along the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) (approx. 2 km)
Cala Pilar	Information point at Alforí car park	Controllers from June 1, 2026	No public transport; approx. 2 km walk from the car park
Cala Mitjana	Car park at the entrance to Cala Galdana with control	Controllers from June 1, 2026 (included in contract since 2025)	Unverified
Sant Joan de Missa	Control at the path crossroads	Two controllers in May 2026	Unverified
Cavalleria Lighthouse	Sunset control (2025)	In 2025, from July 15 to September 15, from 18:30 to 21:30; 2026 unconfirmed	No bus or public transport
Binibèquer Vell	Private area, visit on foot	10:00 to 22:00 according to 2024 vote	Park outside and walk in
Es Grau	No localized car restriction	–	Bus line 23 from Maó: 10 daily trips from June 1

Car Parks with Access Control: They Close When Full

In the southern coves of Ciutadella and other beaches, cars are not prohibited, but controllers close the car park when it’s full.

In May 2026, the ‘full’ sign appeared around 10:00-10:30 in Cala Macarella and Turqueta (in that order). In summer 2025, they filled up before 08:00. Son Saura closes later and some days doesn’t close.

Who manages it: the Consell, with the company Andanza Emplea SL since 2025.
What the contract covers: Turqueta, Son Saura, Cala Macarella, Algaiarens, and Binimel·là. Cala Pilar has an information point in the Alforí car park, and Sant Joan de Missa at the path crossroads. Since 2025, it includes the Cala Mitjana car park, at the entrance to Cala Galdana (source).
Season and hours: in 2025, the service ran from May 1 to October 15, from 08:00 to 18:00. In Cala Macarella, until 21:00 from June to September. In June 2026, hours of 08:00 to 21:00 were reported. 2027 schedules are not yet published.
2026 Reinforcement: from June 1, controllers are added at Cala Pilar, Cala Mitjana, and the Sant Joan de Missa crossroads.
If you are turned away: do not insist or block the road. On May 9, 2026, two cars blocked the Sant Joan de Missa road for about 40 minutes after being turned away.

Cavalleria Lighthouse (Sunset)

At Cavalleria, the Consell has not reinstated the shuttle bus that operated in summer 2023 and rules out recovering it (source). In 2025, Es Mercadal Town Council controlled access from July 15 to September 15, from 18:30 to 21:30.

The control was between the beach car park and the lighthouse car park, to prevent cars from parking on the verges. For 2026, there is no data on whether it will be repeated.

Buses to Beaches and Lighthouses (2026 Season)

Destination	Line and operator	Departure	Frequency in 2026	Walk from stop
Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta	L69, Autocares Torres	Ciutadella	From June 1, 18 daily departures every 40 min (08:25 to 20:20). From June 15, every 20 min (return until 21:20). More services in July and August.	Cala Macarella 15 min; Cala Macarelleta 25 min
Cala en Turqueta	L68, Autocares Torres	Ciutadella	4 daily trips from May 4	15 min
Son Saura	L66, Autocares Torres	Ciutadella	3 daily trips from May 4	Es Banyul 5 min; Bellavista 10 min; Es Talaier 30 min
Algaiarens	La Vall – Cala Morell, Autocares Torres	Ciutadella	3 daily trips from May 4	Des Tancat 10 min; Des Bot 15 min
Favàritx	Line 43 (operator: Autos Fornells)	Maó Station	From May 15, Monday to Saturday: departures at 09:35, 11:45, 13:30, and 14:30, with returns at 10:00, 12:10, 13:55, and 14:55. From June 1, 12 daily trips (09:45 to 19:45) and Sunday service.	Cala Presili: approx. 700 m (15 min) according to a 2023 fact sheet
Es Grau	Line 23	Maó	From June 1, 10 daily trips, one every two hours from 09:00	–
Punta Nati	Autocares Torres	Avenida Josep Mascaró Pasarius, Ciutadella	In 2025, from July 1 to August 31, with two round trips at sunset. 2025 departures: 20:00 and 20:30 (July 1-16), 19:45 and 20:15 (July 17-31), 19:30 and 20:00 (August 1-15), 19:15 and 19:45 (August 16-31). 2026 unconfirmed.	–

Sant Joan (June 23 to 25): in 2026, it was announced that only the Cala Macarella line would operate. The Son Saura, Turqueta, and Algaiarens lines were suspended.
Booking: bus.e-torres.net allows booking by date and number of seats (up to 20); children aged 4 and over occupy a seat. Services with reservations depend on availability, so it’s advisable to book in advance in July and August.
Cancellation: usually, you can cancel without penalty up to 1 hour before departure.
Prices: Torres’ website only shows them when booking. As a reference, in 2023-2024, the bus to Cala Macarella cost about €8.40 to €8.50 round trip (half price with the Consell transport card).
Favàritx: in 2023, the line 43 ticket on TIB cost €3.50 per journey.

How to Get There Without a Car

Cala Macarella from Cala Galdana: about 5 km round trip, 40 to 45 minutes each way.
Pregonda from Binimel·là: Binimel·là car park is about 400 m from the beach. From there to Pregonda is about 2 km on foot along the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) (about 30-35 minutes). There is no public transport to Binimel·là.
Cala Pilar: no public transport. From the free Camí del Pilar car park, it’s about a 2 km walk (about 45 minutes downhill). The return is uphill, and there are no services or shade.
Cavalleria: no public transport. The beach car park is about 400 m away via a dirt path and a wooden staircase.
Cala Presili and Cala Tortuga (Tortoise Beach): on foot along the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) from Favàritx, which is reached by bus line 43.
Taxi: the company Menorca Taximar has been providing service since 2012 to Fustam, Escorxada, Cala Macarelleta, Cala Macarella, and Trebaluger; their website does not show prices or season.
Bicycle: bicycle access is permitted in all the above cases.

Vehicle Limit for Menorca Planned for June 2027

Apart from access to specific coves, the Consell and the Parliament are processing a limit on vehicle entry to the island starting in June 2027. This measure is pending final approval, and there are no confirmed caps, fees, or application periods yet.

On September 2, 2026, the Consell plenary approved the reform of the Biosphere Reserve Law. The limit would apply “from June 2027.”
On September 22, 2026, the Parliament approved the consideration of the reform, which still needs to complete its processing. The Consell plenary would set the cap and application periods before the end of 2026.
Exempt: vehicles of people registered in Menorca, one vehicle per dwelling for non-resident owners, work-related travel, and people with reduced mobility.
In February 2026, the Consell ruled out applying the limitation that summer.

This measure does not change the restrictions for the coves described above: if applied, it would be in addition to them.