Menorca's Camí de Cavalls: Walking the Coastal Path

The Camí de Cavalls is a 185 km path that circles the whole of Menorca, and you can walk it in 20 stages of roughly 5 to 14 km each. Guided operators offer the full loop in ten days, or you can pick the best two or three stages as day walks. If you only have time for a few, start with the south-west coves between Cala en Turqueta and Cala Galdana, and walk in spring or autumn rather than July and August.

The path follows the old coastal route once used to move horses and defend the island, and it has been signed and maintained as the GR 223 long-distance trail. It is a different proposition from the busier hiking on Mallorca (see our guide to Mallorca away from the resorts): lower, gentler and almost always within sight of the sea.

How the route is divided

The official route is split into 20 stages, numbered clockwise from Maó (Mahón) on the east coast, up round the north, down the west coast through Ciutadella and back along the south. Distances and times below come from the Wikipedia stage table, which is itself based on the official division; other operators use different stage boundaries, so treat the figures as a guide and check the Consell de Menorca's own materials before booking anything.

The north: stages 1 to 9

The north is wilder, with darker rock, more exposed headlands and fewer places to buy a drink. Stage 6 is the one rated difficult, and it is the stretch to leave out if you are walking with children or in warm weather.

The west and south: stages 10 to 20

Sources disagree on a few details here. The Discover Menorca listing gives stage 10 as only 5 km, while its own stage page describes a second 5 km section along roads, which fits the longer figure above. Some operators call the stage 17 start Binibèquer rather than Binisafúller; they are neighbouring places.

The stages worth your time

Cala en Turqueta to Cala Galdana (stage 13)

At 6.4 km this is the short, scenic one: pine woods, clear water and some of the best-known coves on the island. It is also the busiest part of the path in summer. Go early, swim, and be off the beaches before the day-trip boats arrive. If you enjoy hidden coves, our piece on finding secret beaches covers the general approach.

Sant Tomàs to Son Bou and on to Cala en Porter (stages 15 and 16)

Flat, easy and open, with a long beach at Son Bou. These two stages combine well into a single 14 km day, and they are a sensible choice for someone who wants a decent walk without much climbing.

Es Grau to Favàritx (stage 2)

A good taste of the north-east: the Albufera des Grau natural park behind you, then a stripped-back, lunar landscape around the Favàritx lighthouse. There is almost no shade, so this is a morning walk.

What to skip

• Stage 18 in the south-east. One guide describes it as running almost entirely along streets and paved roads, and a paved, mainly urban stretch also links Maó and Es Castell. It is fine for logistics, but not a highlight.
• Road sections near Fornells. A walking operator calls the 2.6 km stretch along the Me-7 and Me-15 roads, between La Concepció and Ses Salines de Fornells, the most dangerous part of the route. Local campaigners have been pressing for it to be rerouted. Use a taxi or bus to bypass it if you can.
• The whole thing in July or August. It is hot, shade is patchy and the island is crowded.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the usual advice. Walking guides generally put the sensible window between April and October, while suggesting you avoid July and August. One operator notes that September and October are cooler than high summer but the days are still long and the sea is warm enough to swim in. These are commercial sources rather than an official heat policy, so check the forecast.

Many cafés and beach bars shut outside the summer season, with some not reopening until May. If you are walking in April, do not assume you will find a drink at the end of a stage.

Water, shade and kit

• Water: carry more than you think you need. One walker reported running short on the north coast, where a bar a short way off the route was closed.
• Shade: patchy. Pine woods around some of the southern coves help, but much of the path is open.
• Sun: Spain's tourist board suggests walking east to west to keep the sun behind you and cut glare.
• Footwear: the path is rocky in places, so wear proper shoes rather than sandals. Bring a towel and swimming kit.

I could not find any current fire-restriction or seasonal-closure notice for the path. Before a summer walk, check the Consell de Menorca's Camí de Cavalls pages and local fire-risk alerts. Check too for diversions: the council has been changing the route near Binidonaire because of landslides.

Getting to Menorca and getting around

Direct flights from the UK take roughly two and a half hours. Sources list easyJet, Jet2, TUI, Ryanair and British Airways between them, but routes vary and winter services are thin: one guide says only London Gatwick has direct flights between November and March. Check airline sites for your dates.

Menorca's airport is about 4.5 km south-west of Maó, and the Line 10 bus runs there every 30 minutes or so. There is no direct airport bus to Ciutadella, so for the west of the island you will need a taxi (around 45 minutes) or a connection via Maó. A bus links Maó and Ciutadella and appears to run hourly, but I could not confirm the current timetable, so check before you rely on it. If you want to move your base between stages, a hire car makes things far simpler; see our guide to renting a car in Spain.

A suggested plan

Compared with the other islands

If you are choosing between islands, Menorca is the quietest and flattest of the Balearics, and its walking is about coast and coves rather than summits. For something with proper altitude and more demanding routes, look at our Picos de Europa hiking routes, or if you are weighing up the Canaries, Tenerife or Gran Canaria.

The Camí de Cavalls rewards walking it in pieces. Pick the south-western stages, go outside peak summer, take plenty of water and you will get most of the best of it with little planning.