Of all the Balearic Islands, Menorca is the one that resists. While Mallorca and Ibiza have spent decades accommodating mass tourism, Menorca has quietly held its ground. In 1993, UNESCO designated it a Biosphere Reserve. Large-scale development is restricted. The coastline — all 216 kilometres of it — remains largely intact.
The result is an island that feels genuinely different from its neighbours. The beaches are wilder. The coves are harder to reach. The water is cleaner. And because most of the best spots are accessible only by boat, a private yacht charter in Menorca opens up a version of the island that the vast majority of visitors never see.
Why Menorca Is Best Explored by Yacht
Menorca has two distinct coastlines, shaped by the two winds that define the island’s character. The south coast faces Africa and is sheltered, warm, and calm — a succession of white sand coves in turquoise water, most of them reachable only on foot through dense Mediterranean scrub, or by sea. The north coast faces France and takes the full force of the Tramuntana — dramatic, rocky, and wild in a way that the south never is.
A yacht gives you access to both. You can spend the morning anchored in a glassy southern cove, swim off the boat, have lunch on deck, and then round the eastern cape in the afternoon to experience the completely different character of the north. No other form of transport comes close to offering that flexibility.
The coves of Menorca — known locally as calas — are the island’s defining feature. There are over 70 of them. Some have beach bars and sun loungers. Most have nothing — just the sand, the water, and the cliffs. The ones with nothing are, almost without exception, the ones worth visiting.
The Best Anchorages in Menorca
Cala Macarella and Macarelleta
The most photographed coves on the island, and among the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. Cala Macarella is a large, horseshoe-shaped bay with white sand, pine trees growing to the cliff edge, and water that shifts from pale green in the shallows to deep turquoise further out. Macarelleta — a smaller cove just around the headland — is even more sheltered and, outside peak season, often quiet enough to feel entirely private.
Both coves are accessible by a long walk through the forest, which limits the crowds from land. By boat, you anchor directly in the bay and swim ashore. It is, by any measure, the better way to arrive.
Best for: Swimming, snorkelling, anchoring in exceptional scenery.
Depth: 3–8 metres. Sand bottom, good holding.
Note: Can get busy in July and August. Arrive early or visit in shoulder season.
Cala Turqueta
The name is not marketing — the water here genuinely is turquoise, in a shade that seems to belong to a different latitude. Cala Turqueta is on the south coast, west of Ciutadella, and its remoteness — the road from the nearest village is long and rough — keeps it quieter than Macarella despite its beauty.
The anchorage is wide and well-sheltered, and the beach stretches for several hundred metres. Snorkelling along the rocky outcrops on either side of the bay turns up octopus, sea bass, and the occasional eagle ray.
Best for: Snorkelling, quiet anchorage, exceptional water colour.
Depth: 4–10 metres.
Cala en Turqueta to Cala Galdana — The South Coast Route
The stretch of coastline between Cala Turqueta and Cala Galdana contains some of the finest sailing scenery in the Balearics. A sequence of small coves — Cala des Talaier, Cala Mitjana, Cala Mitjaneta — lines the coast, each one slightly different in character, most of them accessible only by sea.
This route makes an ideal full-day itinerary: depart in the morning, work slowly along the coast with stops for swimming, and anchor for the night in the natural harbour of Cala Galdana before returning the following day.
Fornells — The North Coast
Fornells is a long, narrow inlet on the north coast of Menorca, sheltered from the Tramuntana wind by the surrounding hills. It is one of the few natural harbours on the north coast, and it has been a fishing village for centuries. The lagoon is calm and shallow, the anchorage is excellent, and the village has some of the best seafood restaurants on the island — Menorca’s lobster stew, caldereta de llagosta, originated here.
Fornells also serves as the base for exploring the dramatic north coast. The cliffs east of the inlet, around Punta Nati, are among the most impressive coastal scenery in the Balearics — stark limestone platforms dropping directly into deep, dark water.
Best for: Overnight anchorage, dining ashore, north coast exploration.
Depth: 2–5 metres in the lagoon.
Mahón Harbour
The capital of Menorca sits at the end of one of the longest natural harbours in the world — a deep, narrow inlet that cuts seven kilometres into the island. Mahón harbour has been a strategic naval base since antiquity, and the scale of it, arriving by sea, is genuinely impressive.
The city itself is worth exploring — the old town has good restaurants, a covered market, and a waterfront that has barely changed in a hundred years. Anchoring in the harbour and taking the dinghy ashore for dinner is one of those small sailing pleasures that never gets old.
When to Charter in Menorca
May and June
The ideal time. The weather is warm and settled, the coves are quiet, and the island feels unhurried. Water temperatures reach 20–22°C by late May. The south coast is calm and accessible, and you can anchor in Macarella or Turqueta with almost no other boats around.
July and August
Peak season. The weather is excellent and the days are long, but the most famous coves attract significant boat traffic. The advantage of a private charter is the flexibility to find the quieter alternatives — and there are always quieter alternatives in Menorca. Local knowledge makes a real difference in high season.
September and October
Our strong recommendation. The summer crowds leave quickly after mid-August in Menorca — the island has a shorter peak season than Mallorca or Ibiza. By September, Macarella and Macarelleta are quiet again, the water is still warm (23–25°C), and the Tramuntana has not yet started to blow consistently. It is, in our view, the best month to be on the water in Menorca.
Menorca as Part of a Balearic Island Circuit
For those with more time, Menorca makes a natural endpoint for a multi-day charter that begins in Mallorca. The passage from Palma to Mahón covers approximately 130 nautical miles — a two-day crossing with an overnight stop on the way, or a long day’s sail for those who prefer to keep moving.
A typical week-long itinerary might depart Palma, spend a day exploring the eastern coast of Mallorca, make the crossing to Menorca overnight or in a long day, and then spend three or four days working along the south coast before returning. It is one of the great sailing routes in the western Mediterranean.
Practical Information
How do we get to Menorca for a charter? Most charters to Menorca begin in Mallorca, either sailing directly or as part of a multi-day itinerary. We can arrange collection from Mahón or Ciutadella if you prefer to fly directly to the island.
Is the north coast safe to sail? In settled conditions, yes. The north coast of Menorca is dramatic but navigable. In Tramuntana conditions — strong northerly winds — we stay south. Safety always comes first, and we monitor conditions carefully before any passage.
What is the best cove in Menorca? Cala Macarella is the most famous for good reason. But Cala Turqueta, Cala Mitjana, and the anchorages around Fornells offer experiences that are equally special and considerably less crowded.
Can we combine Menorca with Ibiza and Mallorca? Yes. A two-week charter covering all four Balearic Islands — Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera — is one of the finest sailing holidays available in the Mediterranean. Get in touch and we will design the itinerary around your schedule.
Book a Menorca Charter with BlauYachts
BlauYachts offers private yacht charters to Menorca as part of our Balearic Islands programme. Whether you want a dedicated Menorca itinerary or a multi-island voyage that includes the island as a highlight, we will design the right experience for you.
Menorca rewards those who take the time to explore it properly. Get in touch and we will help you do exactly that.