There are islands that impress you.
Then there are islands that quietly work their way into your heart and refuse to leave.
Menorca falls firmly into the second category.
I’ve travelled extensively throughout my life, stayed in thousands of hotels and visited more beaches than I could ever hope to remember. Yet somehow this small Balearic island keeps drawing me back multiple times per year.
Perhaps it’s the slower pace. Perhaps it’s the astonishing colour of the water. Or perhaps it’s the fact that Menorca hasn’t forgotten how to be itself.
Whatever the reason, every visit ends the same way.
I find myself looking at flights home while already planning the next trip back.
If you have a week to spend on the island, here’s exactly how I’d do it.
Day One: Arrive, Exhale and Find Your Spot
For me, that spot is Cala Galdana.
The horseshoe-shaped bay remains one of the most beautiful on the island and is home to one of my favourite hotels anywhere in the Mediterranean, the Meliá Cala Galdana.
If your budget allows, upgrade to The Level.
The private infinity pool overlooking the bay is reason enough. Add dedicated concierge service, premium drinks and access to The Level Lounge and suddenly you’ve got one of those rare hotel upgrades that genuinely feels worthwhile.
I’ve lost count of the number of mornings I’ve spent sitting in The Level Lounge with a coffee, watching the sunlight creep across the bay below.
It’s not a bad way to start a holiday.
Spend your first evening doing very little.
Walk along the beach.
Order a glass of local wine.
Watch the bay turn gold as the sun begins to disappear behind the cliffs.
Menorca rewards those who slow down.
Day Two: Walk to Cala Mitjana
One of my favourite things about Menorca is that some of its greatest treasures require a little effort.
Cala Mitjana is one of them.
A short woodland walk leads you towards a beach that looks almost absurdly beautiful.
Turquoise water.
White sand.
Pine trees leaning towards the sea.
It’s the sort of place that makes you wonder why you ever spend time staring at emails.
Arrive early if you can.
By lunchtime, you’ll understand why everyone else had the same idea.
Day Three: The Pilgrimage to Cala Macarella
Every Menorca guide mentions Cala Macarella.
For once, the hype is justified.
The walk itself is part of the experience.
The coastal path winds through pine forests before revealing glimpses of that famous turquoise water below.
Then suddenly you’re standing above one of the most photographed beaches in Spain.
The temptation is to stop there.
Don’t.
Continue onwards to Cala Macarelleta.
Smaller.
Quieter.
Possibly even more beautiful.
I’ve spent entire afternoons here doing absolutely nothing.
In today’s world, that feels increasingly luxurious.
Day Four: Dive Beneath the Surface
Most visitors spend their time looking at Menorca.
Few take the opportunity to explore beneath it.
That is a mistake.
The waters around the island offer some of the finest diving in the Mediterranean.
Whenever I’m staying in Cala Galdana, I dive with Blue Islands Diving.
Professional, friendly and wonderfully knowledgeable, they’ve introduced me to parts of Menorca most visitors never see.
Caves.
Rock formations.
Shoals of fish shimmering in the sunlight.
Underwater landscapes that feel completely disconnected from the busy world above.
As a diving instructor myself, I’m perhaps slightly biased.
But seeing Menorca from beneath the surface provides a completely different appreciation of the island.
Day Five: Get Lost in Ciutadella
This isn’t advice.
It’s an instruction.
Get lost.
Seriously.
Ciutadella is one of those places best explored without a plan.
The old capital of Menorca rewards wandering.
A narrow alley becomes a hidden courtyard.
A side street reveals a centuries-old church.
A wrong turn somehow leads to a beautiful harbour filled with restaurants.
I’ve wandered these streets countless times and still discover something new during every visit.
The best moments rarely happen when you’re looking for them.
Eventually you’ll find yourself drawn towards the harbour.
Stay there.
Order dinner.
Watch the boats drift gently in the evening light.
Life feels wonderfully uncomplicated in Ciutadella.
Day Six: Wine, Gin and Long Lunches
One of Menorca’s greatest strengths is that it never feels the need to shout.
The food scene is much the same.
Take time to explore local wines.
Try Menorcan cheese.
Visit Mahón and discover the island’s famous gin heritage.
Then do what Menorcans do best.
Slow down.
Order another drink.
Stay for dessert.
Then perhaps another coffee.
Nobody is in a rush here.
Day Seven: Music, Saxophones and One Last Sunset
For your final evening, head to Cala Galdana’s neighbouring bay and spend the evening at the Artiem Audax.
Their sunset DJ sessions have become something of a tradition during my visits.
As the music drifts across the bay and a live saxophonist plays against the backdrop of the Mediterranean, the atmosphere becomes genuinely special.
It’s one of those moments where everyone seems to pause simultaneously.
Conversations slow.
Phones disappear.
People simply enjoy where they are.
And isn’t that what travel should be about?
Why Menorca Keeps Winning
I’ve stayed in luxury resorts across the world.
I’ve visited famous islands.
I’ve seen more dramatic landscapes.
Yet Menorca remains one of my favourite destinations.
Not because it’s the biggest.
Not because it’s the most glamorous.
But because it feels real.
You can spend the morning diving beneath the Mediterranean, the afternoon wandering ancient streets and the evening watching a saxophonist perform as the sun sinks below the horizon.
Some destinations impress you once.
Menorca quietly persuades you to return.
Again.
And again.
And again.
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