4-Day Camí de Cavalls Trail Runner Route Itinerary

A massive opening stage covering the entire northeast coast. The trail starts at Maó Harbour with a 5 km road section to Sa Mesquida, where an 18th-century watchtower guards the beach. A boardwalk crosses the wetland before the path climbs steeply through windswept scrub dotted with endemic socarrell, opening up wide coastal views. The route enters the S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park — the heart of Menorca's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Es Grau village (500 m detour) has bar-restaurants.

Beyond the lagoon mouth the path threads past coves with the Illa d'en Colom offshore, reaching Platja d'en Tortuga with views of Cap de Favàritx lighthouse. A steep climb reaches the CF-1 road at Favàritx (no facilities, seasonal bus only). Continuing west, the trail drops to Pou d'en Caldes (popular with surfers) then moves inland to the Mongofre Nou estate and Ses Salines d'Addaia — disused salt pans now rich with birdlife.

Roads through Coves Noves lead to Arenal d'en Castell, a resort with a horseshoe beach and full facilities — good for refuelling at the halfway point. A rocky cliff path through rosemary and heath reaches Son Parc, then the path enters a long pinewood hiding a 5th–6th century palaeochristian basilica with its crypt and baptismal font still intact. La Concepció saltpans follow before a road section leads into Ses Salines de Fornells, a quiet spot on the shore of the Fornells bay with a couple of restaurants. A demanding start — but you've covered two hiking days in one.

The longest and toughest day — the entire wild north coast in a single push. From Cala Tirant (full facilities) the trail narrows past Macar Petit and Macar Gran, where 400-million-year-old Devonian rock is exposed. The route crosses the Cap de Cavalleria isthmus past the excavated Roman city of Sanisera, then drops to Platja de Cavalleria (red-clay sand, seasonal bar). It pushes on past civil war cliff fortifications to Binimel·là, climbs to Cala Pregonda (golden sand, volcanic rock formations), then tackles Binidelfà — at 125 m the highest point on the trail — before dropping to Cala en Calderer and a punishing climb to Els Alocs. No facilities on this stretch.

From Els Alocs the path passes Cala Pilar and enters holm oak forest around Muntanya Mala, descending to the twin beaches of Algaiarens backed by a 2 km dune system. The terrain shifts to open scrub with dwarf fan palms. At Cala Morell the Necròpolis — fourteen rock-cut burial caves spanning 1500–300 BC — is overshadowed by the Roca de l'Elefant.

Beyond Cala Morell the landscape goes bare: dry stone walls, stone barracas, no trees. At Punta Nati a memorial cross marks the 1910 Général Chanzy shipwreck. The trail reaches Pont d'en Gil, a natural limestone arch, before tarmac leads past the Sa Farola lighthouse into Ciutadella — historic old town, cathedral, working port and every facility you need after a day like this.

The south coast brings a change of character — flatter, sunnier, lined with celebrated beaches. From Ciutadella's Plaça des Born the route heads south past the Torre des Castellar to Cala Santandria and Cala Blanca (Blue Flag beach, Bronze Age naveta behind the sand). Flat, rocky coastal path through the Son Olivaret estate gives views to Mallorca on clear days. At Cap d'Artrutx the 1858 lighthouse now houses a restaurant; Cala en Bosch has full facilities.

The trail turns east along low limestone cliffs, passing Spanish Civil War bunkers. The Talayotic settlement of Son Catlar — the only Balearic site with its cyclopean wall intact — sits 400 m off-route. Son Saura's beaches are backed by pine forest. The path continues through thickening woodland to Cala en Turqueta (white sand, turquoise water), climbs steeply to Cala Macarelleta and Cala Macarella (prehistoric cave tombs in the cliffs), then descends to Cala Galdana — crescent beach, full resort facilities.

From Cala Galdana the route drops through pine forest to Cala Mitjana (EU protected area), then heads inland through mixed woodland, crossing the Barranc de Trebalúger on a footbridge. The path climbs through several more ravines before emerging at Platja de Binigaus, a wide unspoilt beach of white sand. The low coastline leads to Sant Tomàs, a resort with hotels, restaurants and bus services. A long but runnable day with reliable footing and plenty of beach stops for cooling off.

The final push back to Maó. The trail climbs from Sant Tomàs past Racó des Cavalls, crosses fields to Na Rodona hill (19th-century tower, Civil War machine-gun post), then skirts the 80-hectare Prat de Son Bou wetland on stepping stones. At Son Bou a 5th-century palaeochristian basilica sits at the eastern end of the beach. A steep climb over Cap de ses Penyes drops into the wild Barranc de Llucalari. The Talayotic settlement of Torre d'en Galmés — the island's largest — lies 1 km off-route. The path descends through the sheltered Barranc de Cala en Porter (fruit trees since Moorish times) to Cala en Porter — restaurants, bars, seasonal buses.

From Cala en Porter the path crosses the Barranc de Son Domingo toward Calescoves — 300 m detour to a double inlet with over 100 prehistoric rock-cut caves, the largest necropolis in Menorca. The terrain alternates between farmland and wild olive, passing through the Barranc de Cala des Canutells (native elm grove) and past Finca Santa Catalina's organic estate at Binidalí.

After Binissafúller's fishing harbour and the whitewashed lanes of Binibèquer Vell, the route reaches Punta Prima (Torre de Son Ganxo, views to Illa de l'Aire and its endemic black lizards). Heading north past the Torre d'Alcalfar, through the Barranc de Rafalet and across open pasture to Cala Sant Esteve (Fort Marlborough, ruined Castell de Sant Felip), the final kilometres follow roads through Es Castell and along Maó's harbour. Circuit complete — 184 km done.