Menorca is a highly appreciated tourist destination, and its greatest attraction is the extraordinary natural heritage that it takes care of to the maximum. A difficult balance to achieve in the overcrowded Mediterranean and, even more so, under the first lashes of climate change: according to a report by the environmental NGO WWF, the Roman Mare Nostrum is warming 20 percent faster than the average for the rest of the planet.
For now, the second largest island (700 km2 and 42 kilometers from east to west) of the Balearic Islands is managing its resources very well, and emerging unscathed from success: in 2022 it received 1.6 million travelers (13.28% more than in 2021), who enjoyed the biodiversity and variety of landscapes, hiking trails, coves and beaches. A natural paradise to discover slowly and thoroughly in spring.
In 1993, Unesco declared the island a biosphere reserve, in view of its unique characteristics among the Mediterranean ecosystems, its "well-preserved rural landscape, its sustainable tourism industry, and traditional practices that ensure the preservation of natural ecosystems." . Here the beaches and coves receive much of the attention of travelers, due to the beauty of the surroundings and its crystalline waters, a very striking combination.
The sand of some of the beaches in the north of Menorca, for example, has reddish tones due to the slate and clay rock formations typical of the northern part of the island, where the north wind blows strongly and carves, in slow motion, landscapes of martian profiles. There is plenty to choose from: Pregonda cove is not accessible by car –like most here–, but it is worth walking along a path of clay and stones for the 20 minutes that separate it from Binimel·là beach; A few kilometers to the east of this, there is a wonderful place to bathe and snorkel: Cavalleria beach, formed by two virgin coves.
If we continue along the coast to the east, we find Playa d'en Tortuga with a particularly rich flora and fauna. Made of fine sand and gravel, surrounded by mounds and dune vegetation, it lacks services and has a wild charm. You have to leave the car about two kilometers from the sand and reach it by bicycle or on foot along a section of the Camí de Cavalls (horse path), the path that runs along the entire island close to the coast.
Nearby is the small Presili cove, and a little further south, just 6 kilometers from Maó, the island's capital, sa Masquida awaits us, a stretch of coastline that houses a cove and a sandy area separated by Punta de sa Tower. This rocky bottom beach is very popular with divers, especially because of the nearby islets teeming with aquatic life.
Menorca is a privileged enclave for diving, thanks to its transparent waters, generally calm and warm in summer. In 2019, Unesco granted the sea that surrounds the island the same status as the mainland, so Menorca has the largest marine biosphere reserve in the Mediterranean; with more than 500,000 hectares of surface, it extends up to 12 miles offshore.
The numerous reefs, wrecks and caves make up an underwater microcosm with tours for everyone, from beginner children to very experienced divers, and there are many companies that organize diving courses and excursions. The extraordinary clarity of the waters facilitates the observation of the abundant marine fauna; It is incredible to move among octopuses, algae, fish of a thousand and one species and, of course, the Posidonia oceanica meadows, an endemic plant of the Mediterranean, and very sensitive to pollution.
Special mention should be made of the marine reserve in the north of Menorca (declared in 1999), which goes from Cap Gros to Punta des Morter. There are 5,199 hectares with various habitats and with almost a total restriction on fishing (few Menorcans are as involved in conservation as those who are dedicated to fishing in the sea). 24 years of protection allow it to be one of the last wild corners of the Mediterranean.
The beaches in the southern area are different from the northern ones. For those who can afford it, the ideal is to explore them by boat – like all those along the island's coast, which has more than 200 kilometers of sandbanks; The offer of boats for rent (with or without a skipper) is extensive, and the yachts of the rich and famous can be seen. We must not forget that the rules that delimit the anchoring areas are rigorous.
These southern beaches, surrounded by pine trees, cliffs, dunes and ravines, offer their finest white sand and translucent turquoise waters that bare the seabed. They do not suffer the scourge of the northern tramontana, and they look more like warm natural pools than the place where the sea dies. The isolated beach of Macarelleta is one of those that meet the description, as is the Turqueta cove, named after the frequent incursions of Turkish pirates in the days of the Spanish empire. Also noteworthy is the pristine cove in Porter, enclosed between cliffs; They are Bou, with its two and a half kilometers of golden sand and its offer of water sports; and Cala Galdana, wide and with a family atmosphere.
Once inside, more and more travelers are looking at the stars in the Menorcan sky. The island is certified as a tourist destination and starlight reserve, which accredits places that have excellent conditions for admiring the night sky. It is granted by the Starlight Foundation, committed to the protection of the starry sky, the dissemination of astronomy and the growth of sustainable astrotourism. This organization chooses the accommodations that seem optimal "thanks to the quality of its dark sky and its commitment to astrotourism."
Many of these establishments can be reached by bicycle or on foot. Menorca knows itself very well by pedaling, thanks to its small size and its gentle ramps. Six main cycling routes (there are 15 others) run through it from east to west. It is not an island for climbers to show off: its highest elevation is Mount Toro, only 358 meters high; from its top you can see the outline of the entire island, and, on days with clearer air, Mallorca. The view offers a lot for the modest effort of climbing.
The quintessential Menorcan route is the aforementioned Camí de Cavalls, 185 kilometers along the entire coast. According to some historians, its origin would date back to the first third of the 14th century, when King Jaime II of Aragon would have opened it to monitor the approach of possible enemies. Others delay its use for this purpose until the end of the 17th century. Of course, it can also be traveled on foot.
Menorca is highly recommended to explore on foot or on horseback, undoubtedly the most emblematic animal on the island, present in many popular festivals. There are dozens of paths to get lost in to discover, without haste, the most remote corners littered with archaeological sites from prehistory: no less than 1,586 remains of the Talayotic culture. It is believed that they began to be built around 1,300 BC, and their creation ceased, more or less, when the Roman legions conquered the island (123 BC).
The talayots are not the only Menorcan megalithic monuments. There are also hundreds of taulas (large stones embedded vertically in the ground, and which support another flat one horizontally, as if they formed a capital T); and navetas, shaped like an inverted ship.
The old stone constructions constitute a unique feature of Menorca, but its greatest peculiarity is that of bringing together, in a small space, almost all the insular ecosystems of our inland sea. About a thousand species of plants (60 endemic) grow on its soil; there are habitats as specific as dune systems, caves, ravines, wetlands formed by puddles, islets, marshes and lagoons. And a fauna rich in insects, reptiles (lizards, some of them endemic, Mediterranean tortoises, and not very intimidating snakes) and small mammals, such as rabbits, weasels, ferrets, martens, hedgehogs, and bats.
But the big show is up in the air. Many ornithology fans travel to Menorca to watch birds, the most abundant and varied group of animals in the area. Some 220 species, autochthonous or passing through, have been documented, since the island is located in the middle of the migratory routes. Many birds breed in the s'Albufera des Grau natural park, which with its 5,000 hectares is one of the enclaves responsible for making the island a biosphere reserve.
This overwhelming wealth of birds, with birds of prey (booted eagles, red kites, kestrels and peregrine falcons, hawks and Egyptian vultures); local species (cormorants, kinglets, nightjars, turtle doves, blackbirds, shearwaters, partridges and quails); and summer visitors such as bee-eaters and swifts, egrets and curlews, swallows and mallards (to name just a few), has led to the development of powerful ornithological tourism, with routes, observation points and highly-trained guides. Don't forget the binoculars.
