Menorca has the best-preserved coastline in the Spanish Mediterranean.
That is not an opinion; it is a fact you can confirm as soon as you set foot on the Camí de Cavalls.
This trail circles the entire island along its coastline for 185 kilometres and is officially recognised as GR-223, which means it is well signposted and divided into perfectly planned stages.
But you do not need to complete the whole route to understand what it is all about.
The western section starting from Cala Blanca is one of the best entry points to the trail, especially if you are looking for coastal hiking without major climbs, with stops for a swim along the way and landscapes that never stop surprising you.
This guide explains how to organise it, what you will find along the route and what you should not leave at home.
What is the western section and why start in Cala Blanca?
The Camí de Cavalls covers 185 kilometres divided into 20 stages, with distances of approximately 5 to 13 kilometres. You can complete the entire route over several days or do just some stages independently.
The western section mainly corresponds to stages 11 and 12, which cover the western coast and the beginning of Menorca’s southern coast.
Stage 11 starts in Ciutadella and, from Cala Blanca onwards, follows a flat and straightforward path along a coastline of cliffs until it reaches Cap d’Artrutx. Cala Blanca is the point where the trail leaves the urban areas behind and enters fully into natural terrain, so if you want to skip the initial stretches of tarmac and residential areas, this is where you should start.
Starting from Cala Blanca also makes sense from a practical point of view: there is a beach and parking right at the beginning of the route, which makes organising the day very simple. You leave the car, start walking, and the trail takes care of the rest.
Stage 11: from Cala Blanca to Cap d’Artrutx
From Cala Blanca, the trail follows the coastline along a flat path that takes you to around 1 km from the Artrutx lighthouse. It is 3.7 km in total, with an easy difficulty level and an estimated walking time of an hour and a half.
The terrain is flat almost the entire way, with the typical limestone rock of the Menorcan coast, which does not pose any problem even if you have no hiking experience. For much of the route, on clear days, you can see Mallorca in the distance.
It does not always appear, but when the air is clear and the horizon is open, the silhouette of the island in the distance gives the landscape something that is hard to put into words.
At the end of the section, the Artrutx lighthouse awaits you. Built in 1858, it has a bar where you can stop to recover your energy. It is one of the best places to watch the sunset with Mallorca in the background. If you can time your departure to reach the lighthouse late in the afternoon, do it without thinking twice.
Stage 12: from Cap d’Artrutx to Cala en Turqueta
During this stage, the Camí de Cavalls leaves the western coast of the island and enters Menorca’s southern coast from Cap d’Artrutx.
After 13 kilometres following a coastline of cliffs, pine forests, coves and sandy beaches, the stage ends at Cala en Turqueta. It is an easy route and has an estimated walking time of 4 hours at a good pace without stops.
The first 2 km of the stage are on tarmac, crossing the Son Xoriguer residential area. After passing Son Xoriguer beach, the route is almost entirely over rocky terrain, with several small coves along the coast until you reach the beaches of Son Saura.
If you want to skip the initial tarmac section, you can park directly in Son Xoriguer and start walking from the beach.
From Son Saura onwards, the landscape changes: the path enters an area of Aleppo pines, wild olive trees and the occasional holm oak. Halfway between Son Saura and the end of the section is the Talaia d’Artrutx, a circular 17th-century watchtower 62 metres above sea level, from which possible invaders arriving by sea were monitored.
The points of interest you should not miss
Along these two sections, there are several stops worth taking your time over.
The beaches of interest along stage 12 are Son Xoriguer, Cala Parejals, Cova des Pardals, Son Vell, Son Saura, Es Talaier and Cala en Turqueta.
Son Saura is the largest and busiest in summer, while Cala Es Talaier, just before the wooded section, is smaller and usually much quieter.
Between Son Xoriguer and Son Saura, the trail runs alongside low rocky cliffs.
That reduced height and the transparency of the water allow you to see the seabed from the path itself, in one of the most distinctive stretches of the entire stage. Along that same route, you will also find some of the bunkers built during the Spanish Civil War.
Cala en Turqueta is the final reward of the route: a well-preserved beach that has become one of the most sought-after destinations for those visiting Menorca.
How to get there, where to park and transport
Cap d’Artrutx is 12 km south of Ciutadella, following the southern ring road of the city and continuing along the road to Cala Blanca until the end.
Cala Turqueta is 14 km from Ciutadella, taking the Sant Joan de Missa road towards the beaches of the south coast.
You can reach either end by car and park for free, although in summer parking in Son Saura is almost impossible if you do not arrive before 8:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.
During the summer season, there is a bus service, line 65, with stops at the main points along the route.
If you do the section in one direction only, the most logical option is to leave the car in Cala Blanca or Son Xoriguer and return from Cala Turqueta by bus or with a second vehicle.
You can also do the route there and back, which doubles the distance but allows you to pass through the same places in a completely different light.
What changes when the accommodation is good
Doing the Camí de Cavalls at a relaxed pace is not the same as doing it in a rush. And the difference between one and the other often depends on where you sleep.
If you have good, comfortable accommodation near Menorca’s west coast, you can leave early, do the route calmly, swim at Cala en Turqueta and return without depending on a hotel schedule.
At Mauter Villas, we manage quality villas and accommodation in Menorca designed exactly for this kind of trip: groups, families or couples who want to stay somewhere comfortable and have the island right on their doorstep.
Contact us, tell us your dates and how many people are travelling, and we will help you find the option that fits your trip.
We look forward to welcoming you!