Road trip in Menorca: rent a car and go explore the island!

Traveling around the Balearic Islands in the low season is great, but it does come with a few compromises! As a general rule, we’re big fans of public transportation and exploring on foot. However, in November, all the buses serving the island’s main tourist attractions stop running until the start of the high season. Because of that, we rented a car to explore Menorca over two days. In this guide, we’ll share two itinerary ideas along with all our tips to help you make the most of your road trip.

Day 1: A road trip along northern Menorca

Since we had the car for two days, we decided to spend one day exploring the north coast and the other discovering the south. At the end of this article, you’ll also find a map of Menorca LINK with every place mentioned along the way.

Es Grau and s’Albufera des Grau Natural Park

The first stop on our road trip turned out to be our first great surprise! We didn’t know much about Es Grau, apart from the fact that this small village sits right in the heart of Menorca’s only natural park, within the island’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

That alone was enough to convince us to visit! After picking up our rental car on the outskirts of Ciutadella, we drove straight here. This area is actually one of the most important wetlands in the Balearic Islands. During winter, more than 90 bird species stop here while migrating. Now, we’re definitely not birdwatching experts, but even if you can’t tell one duck from another (just like us!), there’s a very good chance you’ll still fall in love with this beautiful place. We certainly did!

Hiking in the Natural Park

We spent around 2 to 3 hours exploring the park. We left the car in Es Grau and headed out on foot.

You may already know that the GR 223, also known as the Camí de Cavall, circles the entire island and passes straight through s’Albufera des Grau Natural Park. If you enjoy hiking, Stage 2 covers roughly 10 km between Fort Mahón and Favàritx. Of course, you don’t have to walk the whole section. We chose to follow Trail No. 3. First, we walked along the coast to Tamarells beach and the Torre de Sa Torreta watchtower. This beautiful out-and-back hike is about 6 km long and takes you through wonderfully wild, unspoiled scenery.

The GR isn’t the only hiking trail in the park, though. You can choose from three marked routes:

• Trail 1, Mirador de Cala Llimpa (2 km, easy): This walk first takes you to a birdwatching lookout before ending at the Cala Llimpa viewpoint, overlooking the S’Albufera lagoon. You can start either from the Interpretation Centre parking lot or from the smaller parking area located about 400 m away.
• Trail 2, Illot des Soldat – Cala des Soldat or Santa Madrona (3 km, easy): This route also features several viewpoints overlooking the lagoon, making it another excellent option for birdwatching. It starts from the same parking area as Trail 1.
• Trail 3, sa Gola (1.5 km, easy): That’s the one we did! After returning to Es Grau from our walk along the GR 223, we headed toward the nearby freshwater reserve. Wooden boardwalks lead visitors through this peaceful marshland, making for a lovely stroll. We can’t say whether we actually spotted all 90 bird species… but there were certainly plenty of birds around :).

Tip: Stop by the Rodríguez Interpretation Centre before setting off to get the latest information about the natural park. If you’d like to discover more of the GR 223, we’ve also hiked two other sections: one on the south coast near Cala Galdana, and another on the north coast around Cala Morell.

Favàritx lighthouse

Our next stop was Favàritx lighthouse, which is also located within s’Albufera Natural Park. As mentioned above, it’s possible to reach it on foot from Es Grau by following the GR 223, but the one-way hike takes about three hours.

Since we had a car, hiking there and back wasn’t really an option, so we drove instead. The road is paved all the way to the lighthouse and is well signposted. The only moment we hesitated was when the road passed through a gate with a large “Private Property” sign. We have to admit, we weren’t sure whether we should keep driving! But it is, in fact, the official access road. So don’t worry, you’re absolutely allowed to drive all the way to Favàritx lighthouse ;).

The lighthouse itself isn’t open to visitors, and access inside the grounds is prohibited. However, you can easily walk around it and explore the surrounding rocky coastline.

Arenal d’en Castell

We didn’t actually visit this stop during our road trip; we came here on another day by bus. To be honest, Arenal d’en Castell itself isn’t particularly charming. It’s a typical seaside resort, much like many others on the island. What completely won us over, however, was its beautiful beach and, even more so, the rugged coastline surrounding it.

From Arenal d’en Castell, we set off on a 6 km circular walk to the tiny fishing village of Na Macaret, a lovely little harbor where time seems to have stood still. On the way back, we followed the coastline, and once again it felt like we were walking through a remake that could have been called Fifty Shades of Blue.

Cap de Cavalleria

This wasn’t exactly how we’d planned our day, but it gradually turned into a lighthouse tour of northern Menorca! 🙂 After visiting Favàritx lighthouse, we pointed the car (or rather, the GPS) toward Cap de Cavalleria lighthouse.

To be completely honest, this was probably our least favorite lighthouse on the island. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still a beautiful place. But if you’re short on time, this is one stop we’d probably skip. That said, even if the lighthouse itself didn’t completely wow us, the drive getting there was absolutely gorgeous.

Cavalleria beach

On our way to the lighthouse, we noticed a huge parking area beside the road with a sign pointing toward a beach. The parking lot was enormous… yet there were only three cars parked there. Naturally, we got curious!

And we’re so glad we stopped. After just a few minutes’ walk, we reached a viewpoint overlooking the stunning Platja de Cavalleria. Down on the sand, there was a small group practicing yoga, and apart from them, not a single person. If you ask us, this beach is a fantastic place to enjoy the sunshine without the crowds.

Cala del Pilar

By the time we reached this part of the island, the day was already well underway, so we decided to skip Cala del Pilar, one of the most beautiful beaches on Menorca’s north coast. The reason was simple: reaching it requires about a 2 km walk through beautiful natural surroundings. Its remote location isn’t the only thing that makes Cala del Pilar special. What really sets it apart is its striking landscape, where golden sand and turquoise water meet dramatic red cliffs.

Good to know: this unspoiled beach borders a marine reserve and is an excellent place for snorkeling. Just keep in mind that there isn’t any natural shade on the beach.

Cala Algaiarens and Cala Morell

Although these two places weren’t part of this particular road trip, we explored the area on another day during a hike between Algaiarens and Cala Morell. We simply couldn’t write this guide without mentioning them ;)!

If you’re driving around Menorca, we highly recommend stopping at Algaiarens beach and taking the short climb up to the viewpoint! Find all the details in our article.

Cala Morell is another lovely seaside village, tucked right into the cliffs. Its unique setting makes it incredibly photogenic, and to top it all off, there’s a small bar overlooking the harbor with a picture-perfect view of both the bay and the village. We’re just saying ;)…

Sunset at Punta Nati lighthouse

To wrap up our first day exploring northern Menorca, we headed to a place that’s difficult to reach without a car: Punta Nati lighthouse.

Getting there means driving back toward Ciutadella before following a long road through what feels like endless open countryside. And when we say there’s nothing out there, we really mean nothing. Just fields, rocks, and a few patches of grass stretching as far as the eye can see. At the end of the road, there’s a parking lot, followed by a pleasant 10-minute walk to reach the lighthouse. Keep that in mind if you’re planning to come for sunset, we almost missed it ourselves and had to pick up the pace to make it in time ;)!

Arriving here in the late afternoon is absolutely magical. The warm golden light transforms the landscape, and you can watch the sunset from the remains of the old defensive structures standing behind the lighthouse.

The lighthouse itself isn’t open to visitors, as it’s reserved for staff, but you’re free to walk around the surrounding rocky headland. Once the sun had disappeared below the horizon, we stayed a little longer to watch the lighthouse come to life before driving back to Ciutadella.

Day 2: A road trip along southern Menorca

Since we were staying in Ciutadella, we headed back to Mahón the following morning. Crossing the island via the Me-1, the main road running from one side of Menorca to the other, takes only about 40 minutes.

Exploring Port Mahon (Mao)

You’ll quickly notice that Menorca’s capital goes by several different names: Mahon, Port Mahón, Mahón, Mao, and Maó. Whatever you call it, it’s a lovely town that’s well worth visiting. We especially enjoyed its pedestrian-friendly historic center, its rich history, and its beautiful marina lined with restaurants.

Note: You could easily spend an entire day exploring the island’s capital. Since we’d already visited Mahón on a previous occasion, we decided to focus mainly on the fortress during this road trip. If you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to check out our complete guide to the best things to do in Mahón.

That morning, we drove straight across the bay to La Mola Fortress (Fortalesa d’Isabel II). Built between 1850 and 1875, the fortress was originally designed to defend Mahón before later being converted into a military prison. Our initial plan was to visit it, but at €8.25 per person, we felt the entrance fee was a little expensive. In the end, we turned around and simply stopped at a few viewpoints along the road to enjoy and photograph Mahón from across the bay.

The white village of Binibèquer Vell

We first discovered Binibèquer Vell (Binibeca) on Instagram. Those whitewashed streets looked so beautiful that we knew we had to see them. As it turned out… we almost didn’t! We arrived at what we thought was the right place, parked the car, and started walking.

We reached the only restaurant that was open and kept going. Before long, we found ourselves wandering through a neighborhood filled with holiday villas. Wait… where was the village?

Undeterred, we continued all the way to the beach. It was lovely and completely deserted, but still no sign of the famous white village. So we pulled out Google Maps and noticed that just behind the restaurant, there seemed to be a cluster of small buildings. Could that be it?

We retraced our steps, grabbed a coffee to recharge, and started weaving our way between the narrow alleys. And yes, weaving really is the right word! It turns out it’s surprisingly easy to miss Binibèquer; we certainly managed it! You’ll find its exact location on our map of Menorca. LINK

Once we finally found it, it was pure magic; we had the entire place to ourselves. Although it’s often referred to as a village, it’s really a maze of around 50 white holiday homes, connected by narrow alleyways and charming little squares dotted with olive trees.

Binibèquer Vell is incredibly picturesque, wonderfully peaceful, and almost impossibly photogenic. The many “Please Keep Quiet” signs scattered throughout the streets did make us suspect that things must be very different during the busy summer months.

Cala en Porter

Originally, we came to Cala en Porter to visit the famous Cova d’en Xoroi cliffside bar. (We talk more about it in our guide to the best sunset spots in Menorca.)

Small fail: we found the bar, but it was closed… From the road, there wasn’t much to see apart from the fact that it clings dramatically to the cliffs. Judging by its location, though, we have no doubt it’s an incredible place to enjoy a sunset.

Still, we weren’t going to let that stop us. So we decided to explore Cala en Porter itself, and it turned out to be a lovely surprise. We really liked this village perched above the sea, with its dramatic cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean and its beautiful sandy beach.

That said, it’s difficult for us to say what it’s like during the height of summer. It was obvious there were plenty of restaurants, holiday apartments, and shops, but in early November, around 80% of them were closed, making the whole area feel incredibly peaceful. Is it just as quiet in summer? We highly doubt it!

Walk along Sant Tomas beach

Sant Tomas is probably one of those places we would never have visited if we hadn’t rented a car. To be honest, we had a date with the sunset at around 5 p.m. When we left Cala en Porter, we still had about an hour to spare. So we simply opened Maps.me to see what was nearby, and that’s how we ended up here, completely by chance.

As it turned out, it was a pleasant surprise. The village itself is a fairly typical seaside resort, with large hotels that aren’t particularly attractive and a handful of restaurants along the beachfront. But the coastline is absolutely lovely for a walk.

After parking the car, we headed west along the shore. If we’d had more time, we probably would have continued all the way to the beautiful Cala Escorxada. But what can we say? We had a sunset to catch. Instead of going on a long hike, we simply followed the coastline before settling down on the beach for a quick power nap. At the beginning of November, we had the entire beach to ourselves, and that felt absolutely wonderful.

Tip: Menorca is full of fantastic places to watch the sunset. Be sure to check out our guide to the island’s most beautiful sunset spots.

Alternative: Cala Galdana for the beach and sunset

If you’re exploring Menorca by car and have to choose where to stop, we highly recommend making time for Cala Galdana. The viewpoints here are simply breathtaking. Don’t miss Cala Mitjana and the spectacular viewpoint overlooking the beach. For sunset, Mirador La Punta, perched on the cliffs at the end of the beach, offers an absolutely stunning view.

Menorca road trip map

On our interactive map of Menorca, you’ll find every place of interest mentioned in this guide, along with all our favorite restaurants, viewpoints, hidden gems, and practical tips gathered during our six weeks on the island. Be sure to click on the different markers! We’ve added plenty of comments and useful information to help you plan your trip.

Road trip FAQ

Do you need a car in Menorca?

Renting a car is by far the most popular option on the island, and it’s easy to understand why. That said, Menorca’s public transportation system actually makes it quite easy to get around, especially if you enjoy hiking. Traveling by bus allows you to complete point-to-point hikes without having to return to where you started. The catch? It all depends on the season. In October, plenty of bus routes were still running. By November, however, the story was completely different. Once the tourist season ends, many routes are suspended until spring. That’s exactly why we decided to rent a car to travel around Menorca. So no, you don’t need a car to visit the island, but it requires a bit more planning outside the peak season.

How long does it take to drive around Menorca?

Menorca is a relatively small island. The distance between Ciutadella and Mahón, at opposite ends of the island, is only about 46 km, which takes around 40 minutes via the Me-1, the island’s main road. If you’re planning to drive around the entire coastline of Menorca without stopping, expect the journey to take roughly 4 to 5 hours.

Can you visit Menorca in two days by car?

As we’ve shown throughout this itinerary, 2 days are enough to see many of Menorca’s highlights by car. You’ll get a great overview of the island. If you’d like to explore certain areas in greater depth, though, we’d recommend returning by bus or on foot to fully enjoy the hiking trails and beaches.

Can you explore Menorca in a van?

Ever since we bought our van, we often find ourselves thinking back to destinations we’ve visited and wondering whether they’d make great vanlife destinations. Menorca is definitely one of them! If you’re looking to rent a van, we recommend checking Yescapa, a peer-to-peer rental platform that offers fully insured camper vans from local owners. Prices start at around €50 per day, making it a surprisingly affordable way to explore the island.

What about a motorbike road trip?

If we had to do it all over again, we might actually rent a motorbike. The roads on Menorca are in excellent condition, and renting a scooter is generally cheaper than renting a car, with prices starting at around €20 per day. That said, we’d only recommend it if you’ve already ridden a scooter before. Also, make sure you have the correct driver’s license and double-check that your travel insurance covers you in case of an accident.

Car rental in Menorca: practical guide

How much does it cost to rent a car?

As is often the case, rental prices vary quite a bit! Most of the major rental companies have offices in Menorca’s main tourist towns, and daily rates generally range from €25 to €45, depending on the type of vehicle. You can also rent a car directly at the airport for the duration of your stay. Fuel is generally cheaper than what you may be used to paying at home, and since Menorca is a relatively small island, you’ll most likely only need to fill up once before returning your rental car.

Tip: There’s really no need to rent a 4WD in Menorca. The roads are in excellent condition. They’re sometimes narrow and bordered by traditional stone walls, but a regular compact car is more than enough.

Where should you rent a car in Menorca?

In our case, we didn’t need a car for our entire stay. Since we were based in Ciutadella, we started looking there. The town has plenty of rental agencies, and from what we saw, prices are fairly similar across the different companies. Most also offer modern, well-maintained vehicles.

In the end, we booked our car through a comparison website. The cheapest option happened to be a rental agency located outside Ciutadella’s town center (which has since closed). We booked a Peugeot 208 or equivalent for 36 hours, paying just €27 for the two days. So why was it so inexpensive? For one thing, we had to walk about 40 minutes from our accommodation to pick up the car—and another 40 minutes back after returning it. Secondly, this price did not include full insurance. That meant leaving a €600 security deposit, which was blocked on our credit card to cover any potential damage. If you prefer complete peace of mind, you can usually upgrade your coverage by paying around €10 per day for collision damage protection or €15 per day for full comprehensive insurance.

Our verdict on renting a car

We were absolutely delighted with our experience. When we arrived at the rental office, we were told they no longer had the category of car we had booked. Instead, they upgraded us to a beautiful Audi Sport :). Having a car allowed us to see so much more in just two days, and above all, it gave us complete freedom to explore the island at our own pace.

And that’s everything you need to know to plan an unforgettable road trip around Menorca! As always, if you have any questions, travel tips to share, or simply want to say hello, we’d love to hear from you in the comments. We’ll wrap up our Menorca series with our dedicated article covering the cost of traveling in Menorca, including our full budget breakdown.

¡Hasta Luego ;)!

P.S. We’ve also put together a complete travel guide to Menorca to help you plan every aspect of your trip.

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