Where to Sleep in Menorca – The Best Areas – 2025
Última actualización: 15/11/2024
If you are going to spend a few days on vacation in Menorca you might wonder where to stay to make the most of the island. One of the most frequent questions I receive is which area of Menorca to choose to sleep. In this article, you have my personal recommendations about each area of Menorca, with some tips and relevant information to decide where you want to spend your vacation.
Article contents
Maó: practical and easy with public transportation
Maó is the capital of Menorca, the second most populated city (28,592 people) and also the best connected. It has an International Airport and one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Maó is located at one end of the island and allows you to access many beaches in the north of the Parque Natural de la Albufera d’es Grau. Since Menorca is a small island, from Maó you can reach any point on the island within 1 hour by car. The gastronomy of Maó is very good, with many quality options both in the port and in the city center. Maó is a good city to stay in to have all the comforts of a city, and good access to natural surroundings, beaches, and landscapes offered by the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223). My favorite plan from Maó: Kayak excursion from es Grau to illa d’en Colom.
Summary: Maó is a good place to stay if you want to be well connected near the airport/port, with plenty of public transport, in a very popular area with all kinds of shops and with access to the northern beaches and the Albufera des Grau.
Ciutadella: the most beautiful area of Menorca
Ciutadella is the most populated city in Menorca (29,233 people) and also my favorite. Ciutadella is very beautiful and has a spectacular old town full of small alleys where walking is a real pleasure. Its cathedral is impressive and is located right next to Ses Voltes, one of the streets with the most shops, and very close to the famous fish market. Additionally, the port of Ciutadella is very beautiful and has a lot of variety of very good restaurants and the best nightlife on the island. Although it is difficult to find accommodations in the center of Ciutadella (except for the famous Boutique Hotels), Ciutadella is surrounded by tourist urbanizations, which are a very good option to stay, as they are very close to Ciutadella and the prices are usually more affordable. The urban areas within Ciutadella are:
- Cala en Blanes
- Sa Caleta
- Son Xoriguer
- Santandria
- Cala Morell
- Cala en Bosch
- They are Carrió
- Serpentona
My favorite plan from Ciutadella: Walk through Sa Farola + Dinner in Ciutadella.
Summary: Ciutadella is the best place to stay if you want to go to the virgin beaches of the south, get to know the architecture and charm of the old town of Ciutadella and enjoy an exquisite gastronomy.
Son Bou: for Beach Lovers
The urbanization of Son Bou is one of the most famous in all of Menorca. This urbanization in the municipality of Alaior is right next to the beach of Son Bou, the longest in Menorca with 2,500 meters of distance (and where even in summer it is possible to find a solitary nook). Son Bou is within the Área Natural de Especial Interés Me-12, and also within the Xarxa Natura 2000. This means that it is a protected environment. Thanks to this special protection, there are no large buildings or hotels on the first line of the sea of Son Bou. For all these reasons, the area of Son bou has only a few hotels at the beginning of the beach, and the rest is completely virgin. If you are looking for a place to disconnect with daily access to the beach, Son Bou is your best option. Son Bou contains the urban areas of:
- Son bou
- Torre-Solí Nou
- Sant Jaume
My favorite plan from Son Bou: Walk through the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223) to Talis or Santo Tomás.
Summary: Son Bou is the best area to stay if you are looking for kilometers of beach in a less urbanized environment.
You don’t have many leisure options or large hotels.
St. Thomas: for Beach Lovers
The urbanization of Santo Tomás is another of the famous ones in Menorca. This urbanization of the municipality of Es Migjorn is next to the end of the beach of Son Bou. This urbanization is located along the beach of Sant Tomàs, which is 530 meters long. This urbanization is not within any protected area of Menorca, so there are many hotels and apartments right on the beach. The main “advantage” of Santo Tomás is that it is right in the middle of the island of Menorca. This means that if you want to explore the whole island, it can be a good starting point, being equally close (or far) from almost all points of Menorca. Another advantage of staying in Santo Tomás (especially if you don’t have a car) is the walking access to the magnificent beaches of Santo Tomás, Binigaus, Talis, Escorxada or Fustam. Santo Tomás contains the urban areas of:
- Sant Tomàs
- Sant Adeodat
My favorite plan from Santo Tomás: Excursion to Cala Escorxada passing through Binigaus (and on the way back have a drink at a beach bar in Santo Tomás).
Summary: Santo Tomás is a very good option to stay if you love the beach and do not have a car, or if you have a car and are going to try to visit the whole island during your vacation.
It is also a very good option if you are looking for a very sedentary relaxing vacation on the beachfront (with your family and as a couple).
Cala Galdana: Comfort for Families
The urbanization of Cala Galdana is a very popular family destination in Menorca. Cala Galdana is in the municipality of Ferreries. The beach of Cala Galdana is about 500 meters long and has a very peculiar and easily recognizable shell shape. The beach of Galdana is at the end of the Algendar Gorge, the most important gorge in Menorca. The Algendar stream runs through the entire gorge and flows into the beach of Galdana. It is one of the few that carries water all year round. In the Urbanization of Cala Galdana there are restaurants, hotels and some tourist shops. There is also a wide range of nautical activities. Since the prohibition of car access to the beach of Macarella in 2018 (the most famous in Menorca), many people walk from Cala Galdana to Macarella. For this reason, the Galdana area is usually very crowded in summer. My favorite plan from Cala Galdana: Route of the viewpoints to Cala Macarelleta.
Summary: Cala Galdana is a good option to stay if you like being very close to the beach, with a bit of everything and at a reasonable distance from almost any point on the island. Very popular for families due to the convenience and access to the beach and the shallow water.
Fornells: Nautical Sports and Gastronomy
The area of Fornells is in the North of Menorca, along the natural bay of Fornells. Fornells was a fishing village that over time has evolved to accommodate a large number of tourists. In Fornells you can see the Tower of Fornells, a defensive watchtower built around 1801 to protect the entrance to the port of Fornells. Currently, Fornells is a village very frequented by tourists from all over the world, with a variety of restaurants and shops, temporary markets, and many nautical activities (kayaks, sailboats, motorboats, jet skis, etc.). Fornells is somewhat far from the southern beaches and also from the cities of Maó and Ciutadella, so if you are going to Menorca for a few days, it may not be the best option. Although there are no beaches in Fornells, it is possible to access some nearby and less crowded beaches by taking a short kayak trip. My favorite plan from Fornells: Kayak excursion through the bay stopping at Cabra Salada.
Summary: Fornells is a very good place to stay if you are interested in nautical activities or if you are going to stay more than 5 days in Menorca.
For stays of less days perhaps it is better to look for more populated areas such as Maó or Ciutadella.
Arenal den Castell and Son Parc: Families & Golf
Arenal d’en Castell is a very touristy area of the municipality of Es Mercadal, in the north of Menorca. Arenal d’en Castell is another very popular destination for families due to its convenience: there is a wide range of hotels, everything is close to the beach, and the bathing area is ideal for children because of its shallow depth. Additionally, it is very close to the only golf course in Menorca: Golf Son Parc. Although the land area is not within any protected area of Menorca (hence there are hotels on the front line), the marine area is within the Xarxa Natura 2000. The beach of Arenal d’en Castell is shell-shaped, like that of Cala Galdana, and is about 620 meters long. It is the longest beach in the north of Menorca. Arenal d’en Castell contains the Urban areas of:
- Arenal d’en Castell
- Punta Grossa
- Coves Noves
My favorite plan from Arenal den Castell: Visit to the Favàritx Lighthouse and Hike along Section 2 of the Camí de Cavalls (GR 223).
Summary: Arenal d’en Castell is a good area to stay for families looking for convenience and services without moving much during their vacation. It is also a very good place if you like Golf. If you like water sports, you are quite close to Fornells, where you have all possible options.
My Personal Recommendations
Now you have a bit of information about the most popular areas of Menorca. If you feel like knowing some of my personal recommendations:
- The Best Boutique Hotels in Ciutadella (For Couples)
- The Best Rural Hotels in Menorca (For Families and Couples)
- What Type of Lodging to Choose (After choosing the Zone!)
