6-Day Camí de Cavalls Fastpacker Route Itinerary

A big opening day 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 passes Macar de Binillautí and enters the S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park — the core of Menorca's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Es Grau village (500 m detour) has bar-restaurants and toilets. Beyond the lagoon mouth, the path threads north past a string of coves with the Illa d'en Colom offshore and the British-built Torre de Rambla on the headland. Fine-sand beaches at Platja d'en Tortuga give first views of Cap de Favàritx lighthouse before a steep climb reaches the CF-1 road. Favàritx has no facilities — just a seasonal bus stop.

Continuing west, the trail drops to Pou d'en Caldes (popular with surfers) then moves inland through fields to reach the Mongofre Nou estate and Ses Salines d'Addaia — disused salt pans that are now one of Menorca's best birdwatching sites. After climbing away from the flats, roads lead through Coves Noves to Arenal d'en Castell, a resort with a sweeping horseshoe beach, restaurants, bars and shops. A well-earned resupply after a long first stage that packs in biosphere reserve, wild coastline and historic salt pans.

The wildest section of the north coast. From Arenal d'en Castell a rocky cliff path through rosemary and heath leads to Son Parc, near the 10-metre dunes of Arenal de Son Saura. The path skirts the Son Saura del Nord wetland before entering a long pinewood with the remains of a 5th–6th century palaeochristian basilica hidden within — crypt, baptistery and font still visible. A road section leads into Ses Salines de Fornells on the Fornells bay.

Beyond Cala Tirant (full facilities), the trail narrows past Macar Petit and Macar Gran, where 400-million-year-old Lower Devonian rock — the island's oldest — is exposed. The route crosses the Cap de Cavalleria isthmus past the excavated Roman city of Sanisera (123 BC–6th century AD) and drops to Platja de Cavalleria, a wide red-clay sand beach with a seasonal bar. It pushes on past civil war cliff fortifications to Binimel·là, then climbs to Cala Pregonda — golden sand backed by pale volcanic rock formations.

From here the terrain gets tough. The trail passes Cala Barril and tackles the cliffs of Binidelfà — at 125 m the highest point on the entire Camí de Cavalls — with open views along the north coast. A steep drop to Cala en Calderer (red sand between tall cliffs) precedes a final demanding climb and long descent to Els Alocs, a quiet pebble beach. No facilities — carry everything you need for this remote stretch.

From Els Alocs the path follows the coast west past Cala Pilar (visible below, reached via wooden steps) to a rare shaded pinewood with picnic tables. At Pla de Mar a stone structure beside the path conceals the entrance to a former copper mine. The trail climbs through holm oak forest around Muntanya Mala before descending to the twin beaches of Algaiarens — Platja des Tancats and Platja des Bot — backed by a 2 km dune system.

The woodland gives way to windswept scrub with dwarf fan palms. At Ses Fontanelles a tiny chapel sits beside a small cove. The route passes the Aljub de Corniola, a traditional stone cistern, then drops to Codolar de Biniatram with vivid red and ochre rocks. At Cala Morell the Necròpolis — fourteen rock-cut burial caves spanning 1500–300 BC — is the island's most significant prehistoric necropolis, overlooked by the distinctive Roca de l'Elefant.

Beyond Cala Morell the landscape strips bare: dry stone walls, stone barracas, no trees. At Punta Nati a memorial cross marks the 1910 wreck of the Général Chanzy (one survivor from 157 aboard). The trail reaches Pont d'en Gil, a natural limestone arch carved by centuries of wave erosion and one of Menorca's most photographed features. Tarmac follows past small resorts and the Sa Farola lighthouse into Ciutadella — Menorca's former capital with a historic old town, cathedral, working port and full facilities.

After the rugged north coast, the south feels different — 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. Near Son Saura the Talayotic settlement of Son Catlar — the only Balearic site with its cyclopean wall virtually intact — sits 400 m off-route. Son Saura's two beaches are backed by pine forest and the Prat de Bellavista wetland.

The path continues to Cala des Talaier (sandy cove, picnic area) then through thickening woodland to Cala en Turqueta — white sand, turquoise water. A steep climb leads to Cala Macarelleta (300 m detour) and Cala Macarella, with prehistoric cave tombs in the cliffs above a white-sand beach and a single restaurant.

Between Macarella and Galdana, the ruins of Es Bèrecs mark 18th-century British barracks. The path descends with panoramic views to Cala Galdana, a crescent beach at the mouth of the Barranc d'Algendar. Full resort facilities and bus connections make this a comfortable stop after a beach-rich day.

A day of deep ravines and unspoilt beaches. The route climbs out of Cala Galdana and drops through pine forest to Cala Mitjana, a fine-sand beach within the Binigaus–Cala Mitjana EU protected area. The trail heads inland through mixed woodland, crossing lime kiln remnants before descending steeply into the Barranc de Trebalúger via a wooden footbridge. A 1.5 km coastal detour reaches the remote Cala Trebalúger, inaccessible from the main trail.

The path climbs again, crosses the Barranc d'Albranca, then drops into the Barranc de Binigaus before emerging at Platja de Binigaus — a wide, unspoilt white-sand beach. The low coastline leads to Sant Tomàs, a resort with hotels, restaurants and bus services.

Beyond Sant Tomàs the trail climbs past Racó des Cavalls and crosses fields to Na Rodona hill, where a 19th-century tower and Civil War machine-gun post mark the headland. The route skirts the 80-hectare Prat de Son Bou wetland on limestone stepping stones before reaching Son Bou and its 5th-century palaeochristian basilica.

A steep climb from Son Bou leads over Cap de ses Penyes and down into the wild Barranc de Llucalari with its secluded pebble cove. The Talayotic settlement of Torre d'en Galmés — the island's largest — lies 1 km off-route. The path drops into the sheltered Barranc de Cala en Porter, cultivated with fruit trees since Moorish times, before reaching Cala en Porter with full resort facilities.

The final day heads south and east back to Maó. From Cala en Porter the path crosses the Barranc de Son Domingo toward Calescoves — a 300 m detour reaches this double inlet with over 100 prehistoric rock-cut caves, the largest necropolis in Menorca, plus remains of a Roman settlement.

The terrain alternates between farmland and wild olive patches, dropping into the Barranc de Cala des Canutells (one of the few spots with a native elm grove) before continuing past Finca Santa Catalina at Binidalí, a working organic estate. After crossing two ravines the path reaches Binissafúller's whitewashed fishing harbour, then Binibèquer Vell — a maze of narrow lanes and blue-doored cottages designed in 1972 to evoke a traditional village.

The route continues through Biniancolla to Punta Prima, where the Torre de Son Ganxo (1787) overlooks the beach and the uninhabited Illa de l'Aire with its lighthouse and endemic black lizards. Heading north past abandoned saltpans, the path reaches the Torre d'Alcalfar and drops to Cala d'Alcalfar, a sheltered white-sand inlet.

A broad track leads through the Barranc de Rafalet before crossing open pasture to Cala Sant Esteve, site of Fort Marlborough (British, 1720–1726) and the ruined Castell de Sant Felip. The final stretch follows roads through Es Castell — laid out by the British in 1771 — and along Maó's harbour back to the start. The full 184 km circuit complete.