In Menorca, an old surveillance path allows you to go around the entire island. Centuries ago, British soldiers who guarded the coast on horseback in times of English domination of the island passed through it. Today, its 185 kilometers have been recovered and marked for public use, converted into a route that links forests, ravines, beaches and cliffs. This is the Camí de Cavalls (horse path), a different way to get to know the Balearic island.
This is also the destination that Risto Mejide chose for a vacation with his girlfriend Natalia Almarcha and their children in July 2024. The presenter then shared some images of the stay on Instagram (now deleted), accompanied by these words: “All year waiting for these moments. My favorite people in my favorite place.” The getaway included boat trips and excursions along the same path that surrounds the island.
Nicolas G. Mertens
The fact that Menorca is a refuge is not just saying. In 1993, UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve and thus recognized the conservation of a territory whose landscape has been built by working the land. A distinction that reminds us that we are in a place of natural wealth beyond the beaches and coves and that invites us to pay attention to the wetlands, the fields and the Menorcan interior.
What to see in Menorca
The Camí de Cavalls is a good thread around which to organize the trip, although without stress because it is not necessary to complete the entire route to get to know it. Its 20 stages allow you to choose only one part (or parts) of the route. To the north appear places such as Es Grau, the Favàritx lighthouse or the cliffs of Cala Morell. To the south, the route approaches the waters of Son Saura and Cala en Turqueta, the forests of Macarella and the dunes of Son Bou. The attractive thing about getting to know the island like this is experiencing how the landscape changes while we are still on the same island.
Menorca Tour
To combine nature walks with an urban visit, the city of Ciutadella brings together a good part of its history around the Plaza des Born and the medieval streets of the old town. It was the capital of Menorca and preserves palaces, churches and defensive buildings that tell of that past. From the viewpoint located behind the Town Hall you can see the port, nestled in a cove at the foot of the city.
At the other end, Maó (or Mahón) extends next to a large natural harbor. The walk can link the central squares, the church of Santa María and the surroundings of Carmen before going down to the port. The city also preserves the traces of British rule in the 18th century, when it became the administrative capital of the island.
Jorge Franganillo
From the capital you can continue to the s'Albufera des Grau Natural Park, where a coastal lagoon, wetlands and other habitats provide shelter to aquatic and migratory birds. It is a visit that expands the image of Menorca beyond its beaches and allows you to dedicate part of the getaway to observing the lesser-known landscape of the island.
To get closer to an even more remote past, there is Talayotic Menorca, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2023. Its settlements and funerary constructions tell us about an architecture built with large blocks of stone, between the Bronze and Iron Ages. It is an archaeological visit that allows another time scale to be incorporated into the trip: that of the communities that inhabited these landscapes during prehistory.
Menorca Tourism
On the outskirts of Maó is Trepucó, which is one of the largest ancient towns on the island that still preserves a large taula, the T-shaped megalithic construction characteristic of Menorcan prehistory.
Where to eat delicious and cheap in Menorca
Menorcan cuisine has among its specialties lobster stew, baked cuttlefish and fish rice, as well as cheese with Mahón designation of origin. References to take into account when exploring the island also through what is served on the table.
Jaume II, in the heart of Ciutadella, stands out for its menu in which you can choose between a menu of the day, hot sandwiches such as sobrasada with camembert or cuttlefish in sauce and tapas, such as meatballs with beef tongue tomato.
Menorca Tourism
Another option is the Felibeto bar-restaurant, in the Sant Lluís industrial estate, which describes its food as traditional home cooking. They serve breakfast, sandwiches, tapas, hamburgers, mixed dishes… As well as a full daily menu.
After the roads, the walks around the port and the after-dinner meals, there is the least appealing part of the getaway: leaving. Risto said goodbye to those vacations with another phrase on Instagram: “What this island gives you, no one takes away from you.” And surely there were still sections of the Camí de Cavalls left to return to.
Cover photo | Gtres and Pxhere
In Xataka | Revolut is down: the service fails in several countries and users cannot access their accounts
In Espinof | The skid of 'The Black Ball' that sneaked into one of their posters. I'm surprised the Javis didn't catch it in time to correct it.
