Weather by month, where to stay, things to do and what it actually costs, everything you need to plan a trip to Menorca, the Balearics' quieter island, from Cala Galdana and Son Bou to Fornells, Ciutadella and Mahon.
Menorca is the quieter sibling to Majorca and Ibiza, and that's exactly the point of it. The whole island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, building height and development are tightly controlled, and there's no big clubbing strip anywhere on the island. What you get instead is a huge choice of genuinely unspoilt coves, long family friendly beaches on the south coast, a scattering of low rise resort towns, and two proper old towns in Mahon and Ciutadella. It's a smaller island than Majorca too, so nowhere is really far from anywhere else.
Menorca isn't the island to pick if you want big nightlife and a lively strip on your doorstep. Pick it for beaches, food and a slower pace instead, and you'll come back raving about it.
Seven nights is the standard package length and suits most first visits well, giving time to settle into one resort and still get out to explore the rest of the island by hire car. Long weekends of three or four nights work nicely into Mahon or Ciutadella for a short break built around food and history rather than beach time. Ten to fourteen nights suits anyone wanting to split their stay between a couple of areas, for example a week on the south coast followed by a few nights in Ciutadella.
Families are particularly well catered for, with calm, shallow, gently shelving beaches at Son Bou, Punta Prima and Arenal d'en Castell all regularly picked out as good options for younger children. Couples tend to head for Fornells, the northwest coast or the quieter end of Cala Galdana, and walkers and cyclists come specifically for the Cami de Cavalls, the coastal path that circles the whole island. It's a less obvious pick for a big group after nightlife, since the island's after dark scene is small and low key outside of Cova d'en Xoroi at Cala'n Porter.
Menorca Airport (MAH), near Mahon, is well served from the UK through the summer season, with easyJet, Jet2, TUI and British Airways all operating direct routes from a range of UK airports. Flight time is typically around 2.25 to 2.75 hours depending on where you fly from.
Transfer times vary depending on which coast you're heading to. Mahon town and nearby Es Castell are the closest to the airport at around 10 to 15 minutes. The south coast resorts of Son Bou and Punta Prima sit a good deal closer to the airport than the island's western end. Cala Galdana and the Ciutadella area, including Cala'n Bosch and Son Xoriguer, are the furthest out, at around 45 to 60 minutes. The north coast resorts of Fornells and Arenal d'en Castell sit somewhere in between, closer to an hour than to fifteen minutes.
Menorca is small enough that even the longest transfer isn't a big deal, but if a short transfer really matters to you, Mahon, Es Castell or Punta Prima will get you to your sun lounger fastest.
Menorca has hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters, similar to the rest of the Balearics, though it's noticeably breezier than Majorca thanks to the Tramontana, a strong north wind that can pick up at any time of year and is most noticeable on north facing beaches. These figures are long-term climate averages for the island, so treat them as a guide rather than a forecast for your specific dates.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Sea temp | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14°C | 7°C | 14°C | Coolest month, most all-inclusive hotels closed for winter |
| February | 14°C | 7°C | 14°C | Still cool and quiet, many hotels remain closed |
| March | 15°C | 8°C | 14°C | Spring arriving, too cool to swim comfortably |
| April | 17°C | 10°C | 15°C | Warming up, hotels starting to reopen for the season |
| May | 21°C | 13°C | 18°C | Reliable sunshine, sea starts to feel swimmable, good value month |
| June | 25°C | 16°C | 21°C | Warm and mostly dry, peak season getting underway |
| July | 28°C | 20°C | 24°C | Hot and dry, one of the busiest and priciest months |
| August | 28°C | 20°C | 26°C | Hottest month, sea at its warmest, extremely busy |
| September | 26°C | 18°C | 25°C | Still warm, sea lovely for swimming, crowds start easing |
| October | 22°C | 15°C | 22°C | Mild but wetter, good value shoulder season |
| November | 18°C | 11°C | 19°C | Cooling quickly, most all-inclusive hotels closing for winter |
| December | 15°C | 9°C | 16°C | Cool and quiet, most hotels closed until spring |
Figures are long-term climate averages for the island, sourced via weather2travel.com.
May to September is when the vast majority of hotels here operate. June to August is the hottest and busiest stretch, with temperatures regularly in the high twenties and the highest prices of the year, especially around the school summer holidays. May, June and September are the best value windows, with warm, swimmable sea, comfortable daytime heat and noticeably lower prices and crowds than peak summer. Winter is largely out of season for a beach holiday, since most all-inclusive hotels close between roughly November and April, though Mahon and Ciutadella both work well as short city breaks at quieter times of year.
Menorca is small enough to get around easily, but each part of the coast still has its own character.
A horseshoe shaped bay on the south coast backed by pine covered cliffs, with a wide sandy beach and a good spread of hotels right by the sand. One of the most naturally attractive resort settings on the island, and a solid all round pick for families and couples alike.
Son Bou has the island's longest beach at around four kilometres, with shallow, calm water that's ideal for younger children, plus a small waterpark. Punta Prima, close to the airport on the south east tip, has a similarly clear, shallow beach and a relaxed, family orientated feel.
Set on top of dramatic cliffs on the south coast, with a sandy beach down below and the island's best known nightspot, Cova d'en Xoroi, carved into the cliff face itself. The closest thing Menorca has to a livelier resort, though still low key by Majorca or Ibiza standards.
A pretty former fishing village on the north coast, built around a wide natural harbour and known island wide for its seafood, especially the local caldereta de langosta lobster stew. Quiet, upmarket and popular with watersports fans thanks to the sheltered bay. Suits couples more than a typical package family week.
Menorca's former capital and its liveliest town, with a grand harbour lined with restaurants and bars, a Gothic cathedral, and a warren of narrow streets that stay busy well into the evening. Nearby Cala'n Bosch and Son Xoriguer give easy access to some of the island's best beaches too.
The island's capital, built around one of the deepest natural harbours in the world, with a proper old town, good shopping and restaurants, and easy access to nearby beaches at Es Castell and Punta Prima. A practical, well connected base if you'd rather not hire a car.
First time to Menorca and want the classic mix? Cala Galdana gives you the best all round setting. After somewhere quieter and more grown up? Look at Fornells instead.
TMSA buses connect Mahon and Ciutadella with the main resort towns, though services run less frequently than on Majorca, so it's worth checking timetables carefully if you're relying on them. Taxis are metered and available island wide. Menorca is a genuinely easy island to self drive, with a single main road, the Me1, running the length of the island between Mahon and Ciutadella, and car hire is the best way to reach the quieter coves, inland villages and the start points for the Cami de Cavalls coastal path.
Menorca drives on the right, and roads here are generally quieter and less built up than on Majorca, even in peak season.
A shortlist of the bookable tours and activities around Menorca worth having on the radar.
Four real, bookable picks across budgets, all available through TUI, Jet2holidays or easyJet holidays.
A relaxed, apartment style hotel in Cala'n Bosch, around ten minutes' walk from the beaches of Son Xoriguer and Cala'n Bosch, with a split level pool, children's swimming lessons, a kids' club and playground, tennis and padel courts, and a buffet restaurant and snack bar. Rooms come with kitchenettes and balconies. Bookable through easyJet holidays.
A 4★ all inclusive hotel in Arenal d'en Castell on the north coast, around 300m from the beach with a shuttle bus laid on, three outdoor pools including a children's pool and an adults only pool, three bars, a buffet restaurant with show cooking, and a splash pool and playroom for younger kids. Bookable through TUI and Jet2holidays.
A 4★ adults only hotel in Es Castell, close to Mahon and the pretty Cales Fonts harbour, with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, three bars, a buffet restaurant serving international and Spanish cuisine, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Bookable through Jet2holidays, TUI and easyJet holidays.
A 5★ hotel with direct access to Cala Galdana beach, two outdoor pools including one adults only, four restaurants, a spa, gym and kids' club, plus interconnecting family rooms and an optional Level upgrade for travellers after a more grown up stay. Bookable through Jet2holidays and TUI.
Hotel availability, board basis and pricing change regularly, always confirm the live details with Jake before booking.
A few of the highlights worth building a day around, beyond just the beach.
A Bronze Age burial chamber near Ciutadella and one of the best preserved megalithic monuments in Europe, part of the island's Talayotic sites now recognised by UNESCO. Well worth the short detour if you're driving between Ciutadella and the south coast.
A series of caves cut into the cliffs above Cala'n Porter, with terraces looking straight out to sea. It works as a scenic spot for a sunset drink in the afternoon, then switches into the island's best known club as the evening goes on.
The island's former capital has a Gothic cathedral, a grand horseshoe shaped harbour lined with restaurants, and a Friday and Saturday market in the main square. One of the nicest towns in the Balearics for an evening stroll and dinner.
A 185km coastal path that circles the entire island, originally a bridle path used to patrol the coastline. It's split into twenty numbered stages, so you don't need to walk or cycle the whole thing to see some of the best untouched coastline Menorca has to offer.
Menorca uses the Euro, so prices below are shown in pounds with the Euro equivalent alongside, based on a rate of roughly £1 to €1.16. These are crowd-sourced averages for the island, and prices in the smaller, more upmarket spots such as Fornells can run a little higher than this.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | £16.40 (about €19.00) |
| Draft beer, half litre, bar or restaurant | £2.35 (about €2.70) |
| Cappuccino | £2.00 (about €2.30) |
| Soft drink, 330ml | £2.00 (about €2.30) |
| Bottled water | £1.55 (about €1.80) |
| Taxi, starting fare | £2.95 (about €3.40) |
Source: crowd-sourced averages via Hikersbay for Menorca, checked at time of writing. Euro to pound conversion is approximate and will move around.
Most all-inclusive resorts cover food and local drinks on-site, so your spending money is mostly for excursions, taxis and the odd meal out in Mahon, Ciutadella or Fornells.
The essentials, at a glance.
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Plug type | Type C and F, two round pins, same as most of mainland Europe. UK plugs need an adapter, not a voltage converter |
| Language | Spanish and Catalan (Menorquí), with English widely spoken in resort areas |
| Flight time from the UK | About 2.25 to 2.75 hours direct |
| Time difference | 1 hour ahead of the UK year round |
| Driving | Right hand side, opposite to the UK |
Photos: Biel Morro, Marcio Azevedo, Chirill Ceban, Supradoc, JR Harris, Alberto Almajano, Polina Koroleva, Jose Monteagudo, Nilson Junior, Nico Smit, Treasure Scott, Roberto Nickson and Michael Da Conceicao via Unsplash.
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