Menorca in 2 Days: everything you need to know

There are three islands that are close to everyone's heart in Spain: Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca. The latter, considered by many to be the little sister of the Balearic archipelago, is full of idyllic beaches and a fascinating history.

Two days is just enough time to get to know the two sides of the island of Menorca: its history and culture, as well as its beaches and relaxation. It all depends on your priorities and what you want to do on this unique and multifaceted island.

The current capital of the island is Mahón. This is a small town with just 30,000 registered inhabitants, but in summer the population doubles, making it a very lively place. The airport is also very close by, so it's best to start your tour here.

On the first day of your trip, you can discover the charms of Mahón. But there are other activities to do in Menorca, such as relaxing in the afternoon on the beaches of Son Bou and nearby, and ending the day with a visit to the archaeological site of Torre d'en Galmés, where you can learn about Mediterranean prehistory. Are you in?

Mahon, from the airport to the port

The best way to get to Menorca is by plane, especially if you are travelling from mainland Spain or another country. Menorca Airport is just 4 kilometres from the town centre, so it's very easy to get to the city from there. If you take bus line 10, you'll be in the city in about ten minutes. There are also transfers from the airport that can take you to your hotel.

If you are coming by plane, my advice is to hire a car. For two days it will not be expensive and it will allow you to explore every corner of the island at your leisure, without the pressure of bus schedules that often do not reach more remote areas. You can hire a car on the day you arrive, once you are in Mahón.

However, if you do not want to or cannot hire a car, the situation is more limited, but there are still alternatives. In Mahón and the following day in Ciutadella, you can take buses, but the frequency is not the best. If you are travelling longer distances or going to more remote coves and places, the best option is a taxi or Uber. Finally, don't rule out booking an organised excursion, with a set departure and arrival time, although in that case you will have to organise your schedule around that.

Drive to the Isabel II fortress

For your first urban tour, I recommend heading to the Mola peninsula, the coast opposite the city's port. You can't miss it, and at the end of it, you can access a huge fortification: the Isabel II Fortress, a 19th-century military construction opposite the Castle of San Felipe. This military fort was built for its strategic position and was never attacked, so it is spectacularly well preserved.

My advice is that, if you have a car, you should take half an hour to drive around the entire peninsula and visit the Isabel II Fortress. If not, you also have two options:

• Hire an Uber or a taxi, which can take you along those 8 kilometres of coastline in a few minutes.
• Book a water taxi, which will take you along the coast more quickly. On the way back, you can use the same options to get to the centre of Mahón.

This building is perfect for walking around, as you can take a quick tour in the open air, ideal for taking photos. Very close to the fortress is the easternmost point of Spain, which is a great place to visit. And you can also visit the Cova de s'Aigua, which is truly wonderful.

Explore the port of Mahón

Once you've finished at La Mola, I recommend you head to the city's port, which is very close to the city centre, where you can continue the rest of the tour. It's charming: it's an extremely long natural harbour, where you can see all kinds of boats, large and small.

Take advantage of the morning to walk around the edge of the harbour and take photos at the series of viewpoints, as well as finding out about possible boat trips, if you have time. Here are some of the options available to you:

• Boat trip around the coves of northern Menorca, from RM202
• Kayak tour of the Marine Reserve, from RM253
• Boat trip around the coves of southern Menorca with lunch, from RM313
• Catamaran excursion in Menorca, from RM203
• Sailing trip in Menorca, from RM763

One of the most characteristic viewpoints in the port is Plaza de la Miranda, but along the way you will find others that are also very impressive, such as Pont Des Castell or Punta Cala Figuera.

Walk and have lunch in the city centre

You'll probably start to get hungry, as it will be around midday and you'll need to find somewhere to eat. The best thing to do is to head to the city centre. This is located on the hill behind the port of Mahón and, as well as having a wonderful charm thanks to its architecture and streets, it is also a perfect place to sit down and eat.

You can park in one of the streets if you go on a quiet day, but if not, I recommend leaving your car in the free car park on Carrera de Sant Sebastiá. If you do not have a car, it is best to take a bus or walk, as it is not very far. From there, do not hesitate to take a stroll. Plaza de la Constitución is the most central square and home to the town hall, a 17th-century building that was renovated centuries later. You can also admire the churches located around the square.

When it's time to eat, you can choose from some of the best restaurants in Menorca. Very close to the square is Es Musclet, a tapas bar with excellent reviews. But a block and a half away, you can try the best seafood and enjoy the best lunch at El Romero. Half a block further down, towards the sea, you can eat a fantastic vegetarian menu at Clorofil. And a tip: be sure to try Mahón cheese, one of the most typical products, so much so that you can book a cheese workshop in Mahón.

Learn about history at the Torre d'en Galmés archaeological sites

Is lunch ready? Then let's move on to the next stop on this tour of eastern Menorca. These are archaeological sites that reveal part of what was the Talayotic culture that is believed to have inhabited Mallorca and Menorca between 1200 BC and the Romanisation of the island. But why is this site worth visiting?

It is not common to find prehistoric works and civilisations that left very little built and nothing written. Prehistory in Menorca has been extensively studied and a great effort has been made to bring all these findings to light, and the Torre d'en Galmés is one of those sites. Once you arrive, you can park your car with ease, general admission only costs around €3, and the site is divided into two parts:

• An interpretation centre, where the history and Talayotic findings are explained. If you visit the interpretation centre, you will gain a better understanding of how the site was laid out and what buildings there were. This visit takes less than an hour.
• The other part is the Torre d'en Galmés settlement itself.

You can get there by car in about 20 minutes via the Me-1, crossing over to the Son Bou road and ending up on the Sant Llorenç road. If you are not travelling by car, the main alternative is to take a taxi or use a car-sharing app. You can also find out if there are any organised guided tours and book in advance, but bear in mind the time and place of departure.

Relax on the beaches of Son Bou

Once you've filled your stomach and taken a stroll through Mediterranean prehistory, it's time to relax. So why not head to one of the best and most important beaches in Menorca? Son Bou is a paradise. It's only a ten-minute drive from the village of Torre d'en Galmés, and you can park there without any problems. Also, if you hire a taxi from there, the fare will be quite reasonable.

This beach is incredible for tourists because it is 2.5 kilometres long, making it the longest on the island. It also has the characteristics of many of Menorca's beaches and coves: very clear waters and soft, warm sand. In addition, the sea is very calm at this beach, so you can swim in relative tranquillity. It is also an area with many services. You can practise all kinds of water sports, such as introductory diving, and also have a snack at the various beach bars.

My recommendation is that if you arrive at the beach at around 3 pm, you can relax until nightfall and leave all your worries behind.
Contemplate the sea, swim, enjoy the waves, the sand and everything Son Bou has to offer. If you want to have dinner, a beach bar is a great option. If you like to party, you may even find some clubs and hotels nearby. If not, Mahón awaits you again to rest, and in this case, you can take a bus that will drop you off directly. To do so, take the TMSA bus lines, which cost around €2.60.

There is much to see and do in Menorca. On the first day, you were able to explore the east coast of Menorca. Now it's time for the other half of the island, where you will find a beautiful city: Ciutadella. But that's not all: you can also discover the most unspoilt beaches in Menorca, such as Cala en Turqueta, and end the day at a bucolic viewpoint in Fornells.

Straight to Ciutadella

At the other end of Menorca is a phenomenal town called Ciutadella. If you're staying in Mahón, I recommend getting up very early, having a good breakfast and taking the car so you have time to see everything Ciutadella has to offer. In just 40 minutes, you can reach the historic centre, which is the starting point of this tour. If you're not going by car, it's best to take a TMSA bus, which costs around €5.40.

It is best to leave your car on Carrera del Príncep and walk from there. When you leave the old town, you only have to walk down one and a half streets to reach Alfonso XIII Square, popularly known as Plaza de las Palmeras. This square is surrounded by bars and restaurants, so if you haven't had breakfast yet, this is your best chance to sit down and do so.

In fact, one of the options you have, depending on the time you are there, is Molí des Comte Asador, a traditional Spanish restaurant that mainly serves roast meat and monkfish. The peculiar thing about this place is that it is located inside an old wheat mill that was preserved and adapted to form this structure.

Visit the cathedral, the town hall and the Plaza de la Explanada

As you walk around, you will realise why Ciutadella is such a beautiful city. Its architecture, with its pastel colours and low-rise buildings, is iconic because it combines different styles from different centuries, which have come together to give it its unique beauty. If you continue in a straight line, you will see other landmarks such as the Cathedral of Santa María de Ciutadella, a Gothic-style building also in pastel colours. Opposite it is a small square that is an ideal spot for taking the best photos.

If you continue walking for about five more minutes, you will come across the Plaça des Born, which has an imposing obelisk in its centre and is usually occupied by street vendors selling handicrafts. Opposite it is the imposing town hall building, known as Palau Squella, dating from the 18th century and with palm trees in front that are picture-postcard perfect.

Finally, just half a block away, you will reach Plaza de la Explanada, the largest square in Ciutadella, which is full of terraces, bars and places to sit. This is the perfect place to take a few minutes' break.

Traveller Tip

If you are a fan of historical monuments, then you can spend more time on the tour and explore the entire historic centre until you reach the Nou Mercat.

Stroll and have lunch at the port

Just as in Mahón, the port is one of the most important places in Ciutadella. This port dates back to the Middle Ages, but it was the expansion of the city in the 20th century that gave it greater commercial importance. That is why, although it looks like a very old port, its restoration has made it look increasingly new.

If you are in the Plaza des Born, you can walk a little towards the sea and from the top, enjoy a panoramic view of the entire port. This is the perfect place to take all the photos you want of the city's coastline, because it looks phenomenal. Then, you just have to go down some very picturesque stairs and you will be at the port, from where many boat trips depart from Ciutadella that you could take, if you have time.

It is great if you cross the port between both coasts and from end to end. It all depends on how much time you have and whether you are already very tired from walking. But what is important is that you eat. At the port, you mainly have seafood options. Many of them are specifically Menorcan specialities. For example, at the Cafè Balear restaurant, you'll find a wide variety of seafood, which you'll also find at the Aquarium Port Ciutadella, which specialises in lobsters. If you prefer something more international, there are also pizza and buffet options.

Relax in the turquoise coves

Once you've had lunch, just walk back to the car park, pick up your car and spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach. Now, my advice is to go to the coves: beautiful beaches that can be found in Spain and seem hidden because they are nestled between small cliffs and are difficult to access, which has preserved them in their natural state.

However, if you are not travelling by car, then you have two main options for getting there:

• Hire an excursion at the port of Ciutadella to take you there, or take a taxi or Uber.
• There are also buses from companies such as Autocares Torres that offer these tourist routes, but you will need to check the timetables in advance.

In the west of the island, a 20-minute drive from the centre of Ciutadella, you will find some of the best coves in Menorca, such as Cala des Talaier and Cala en Turqueta, which I highly recommend. It is the most famous unspoilt beach on the island. Its name comes from its turquoise waters and its unique physical characteristics. It is like a kind of cliff, surrounded by semicircular mountains that make it very inaccessible. Therefore, you must leave your car in a car park 10 minutes from the beach.

You will not find much infrastructure at this cove. There are public toilets, a lifeguard in case of emergency and little else. It's just about being there, enjoying the sea and disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of city life. This is your moment to relax and you can stay here without any problems until the end of the afternoon.

Say goodbye to your trip in Fornells

Not so fast: there's one more stop on your itinerary. The best sunsets are on the north coast of Menorca. So, depending on what time the sun sets, it would be great to head north. To do so:

• You have the option of taking the car again.
• You can take the bus. To do this, you'll have to return to Ciutadella first and then take another bus to Fornells.
• I recommend taking a taxi or Uber if you can't drive. In about 30 minutes, you'll arrive in Fornells, a small coastal town with beautiful architecture nestled between hills, which is also the starting point for various boat trips.

If it is still daylight, it is best to go straight there for a walk and something to eat. In Fornells, you can enjoy a phenomenal lobster stew. In fact, you can eat it right by the sea, in restaurants such as Sa Llagosta, while you watch the sky turn orange.

Fornells is very small and quick to explore, but to see the majesty of the sunset, my advice is to head north. There you will find the Torre de Fornells, an old military defence tower, and just before the cliff, some viewpoints where you can end your trip in peace, watching one of the best sunsets on the island. On the way back, you only have to drive about 20 minutes to Mahón or take a bus. And if you're still looking for more things to do, I recommend ending your trip with a stargazing tour.