How to avoid the most crowded Menorca

PalmMenorca transforms during the tourist season. It goes from hosting an average of 90,000 residents in winter to 160,000 daily throughout the summer, reaching a floating population of 200,000 in August. The roads are feeling the effects, and on the main road, where only about 12,000 cars travel daily in winter, peaks at 24,500 vehicles during the peak season.

Measures to contain the growing overcrowding, evident after the pandemic, are taking time to be implemented. So until they arrive, all that remains is to have strategies in place to avoid the most congested Menorca.

Menorcans don't go to Macarella.

Ciutadella residents, for example, don't usually go to Macarella in the summer. The beaches that become picture-postcard images outside of Menorca are the ones least frequented by the island's residents during these mid-August weeks, as they are smart to find spaces that allow them to enjoy nature and the sea without falling victim to the overcrowding that saturates the most touristy spots. But you don't have to be a Menorcan or live on the island to avoid the crowds that fill the same roads, beaches, lighthouses, and restaurants every day. There's a Menorca that few of the 240,000 people who now live there really know. You just need to know the secrets.

As always, waking up early and being the first one there usually pays off. So, you'll have to go for a snack at Imperio in Ciutadella's Plaza del Born after 9 a.m. because you'll have to wait in line to find a table and try their exquisite llonguets. Nor should you leave for the beach later than that, if you really intend to access one of the busiest ones. The pristine beaches south of Ciutadella usually have parking lots full by 9 a.m., and only at Son Saura, which has more surface area, will you find enough space to lay out your towel and sunbathe in peace.

Son Saura is where you'll find the most local bathers. In contrast, in Macarella, which is only accessible by bus, you'll see tourists more attracted by the Instagram appeal. If you do decide to go, walk along the coastal path to neighboring Macarelleta, one of the most crowded on the island, but where you'll truly swim in turquoise waters.

Cala Rialla, on the right bank of Son Xoriguer, is the most convenient urbanized beach in the south and most visited by locals. It's just ten minutes from Ciutadella, you can park right next to it, and it offers some of the clearest waters you'll find in all of Menorca.

In the north, the coves of the Valley (Algaiarens and es Bot) are the go-to spots for Ciutadella residents. The latter is particularly recommended, as it's reached after a rewarding ten-minute walk through the forest. However, if you're looking to reach more exclusive beaches, we recommend taking the path to Pilar, the legendary cove that inspired the song. If you come From the I'll tell you, you'll walk half an hour into the forest and find the red earth so characteristic of other places on the northern coast such as Cavalleria (es Mercadal).

Next to Caballería is Tirant, a nearby virgin beach, not very crowded and with a recently renovated clifftop challenge. But above all, you can make the path to Binimel là. There, the parking area is so large that it is accessible at any time. However, once there, it's better to walk to the emblematic Pregonda beach or, if you want to avoid the crowds, look for a spot in the small coves that open up on the right side of Binimel là, right at the start of the path. They are not well-known enough, and you can guarantee a day at the beach that is as relaxing as it is solitary.

Elsewhere on the island, it's recommended to visit the pristine coves south of Migjorn Gran, from Atalis to Binigaus or Trebalúger, as well as the lunar landscape surrounding the Favàritx lighthouse. Or look for hidden corners among the rocks on the coast of Sant Lluís, whether in Torret, Son Ganxo or Cap d'en Font. Surely with more space than at Caló Blanc, a tiny but very popular cove with blue waters where dozens of bathers fill the area's shallow waters at any given time.

In any case, keep in mind the trends of recent years, which show an increase in users on the urbanized beaches of Son Bou and Cala Galdana, with the corresponding problems finding parking, as well as in the pristine coves of Pregondó and Binimel là, where they can be counted in August.

Intimate sunsets or by shuttle bus

The places to see the best sunsets are also crowded in August. But, if you go, it's better to take the shuttle buses that leave from Ciutadella and Mercadal to the Punta Nati and Cavalleria lighthouses. This way you'll avoid driving around in circles looking for parking and, above all, you can return without waiting to move your car.

There are other options that are just as impressive, or even more so, and less crowded. One is to go to Puente de Gil, via the Camino de Caballos next to Cala en Blanes, and the other is to go down to the farthest landing on the coast at Cala Morell and watch the sun set behind the elephant that forms the shape of the winding rock face opposite.

Lithica and the stars from Son Catlar

One of the biggest tourist attractions in recent years is King's Island in the port of Mahón, especially since Hauser & Wirth established one of the branches of its international gallery. But the 76,000 visitors counted last year are far below the nearly 80,000 who come each year to discover the gardens and spaces restored in the former quarries of the Hostal, managed by the Líthica Foundation in Ciutadella. Growing French tourism and their interest in the imposing natural sandstone walls explain why Líthica is currently the most visited cultural site in Menorca. It is even more visited than the Naveta de los Tudons and the Torre de Galmés, the two most visited sites in the Menorca Talayotica World Heritage Site.

Those who want to explore further without being overwhelmed can always sign up for the archaeological and astronomical tourism activities organized by the Nurarq association. These are nighttime gatherings, guided by instructors. starlight, which take place in Son Catlar or in the Talayotic settlement of Talatí de Dalt to see the full moon, the meteor shower, and learn about the constellations and the relationship the island's ancient inhabitants had with the cosmos. A very different, yet universal, way to enjoy Menorca.