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The s'Albufera des Grau lagoonCape FavàritxThe Algendar gorgeSon Bou beach and wetland
  • Nature and hiking
  • 4 days

Wild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds

Menorca has been a Biosphere Reserve since 1993 and here you see why. Four days through its best-preserved areas, at the time of day when you see most birds: the s'Albufera des Grau lagoon and the slate cape of Favàritx, the north of Cavalleria and Pregonda, the Algendar gorge with its cliffs full of birds of prey and, to finish, the Son Bou wetlands and the Camí de Cavalls. Short walks, viewpoints and time to look.

See what you’ll get

Overview

Length
4 days
Spend in Menorca
€€ · €45–90 per person per dayTickets, activities and meals at the places we suggest, without accommodation or transport. It is separate from the price of the itinerary.
Getting around
By car · On foot
Effort
ModerateWalks of 1 to 3 hours on flat or gently sloping paths
Pace
Relaxed
Best time
Spring (March to June) and autumn (September to November), with the migrations and mild temperatures. Summer works too, walking early; from mid-May to September you go up to Favàritx on the L43 bus.

What you’ll get

  • Online itinerary

    Every day on your phone, stop by stop: times, how to get there and where to eat. Tick off what you’ve seen.

  • Interactive map

    Every place numbered in the order you visit it, with its card and how to get there.

  • Downloadable PDF

    The whole trip to carry offline: each day’s plan, place cards, transport and a rainy-day plan.

  • excursiaDiscover, enjoy, come back
    A 4-day itinerary around Menorca

    Wild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds

    The lagoon, the northern capes, the Algendar gorge and the Son Bou wetlands, with binoculars and at a slow pace.

    4 daysModerate

  • Your trip at a glance

    The lagoon, the northern capes, the Algendar gorge and the Son Bou wetlands, with binoculars and at a slow pace.

    The days

    1. Day1The s'Albufera des Grau lagoon and Cape FavàritxS’Albufera des Grau Nature Park · Es Grau · Favàritx lighthouse · Maó: town centre and harbour
    2. Day2
    3. Day3
    4. Day4

    excursiaWild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds · 2

  • Your trip on the map

    Each number is a place, in the order you visit it: you’ll find the same number on the day’s page and on its card.

    CiutadellaFerreriesEs MercadalAlaiorMaó1. S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park12. Es Grau23. Favàritx lighthouse34. Maó: town centre and harbour4
    1. 1S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park
    2. 2Es Grau
    3. 3Favàritx lighthouse
    4. 4Maó: town centre and harbour
    5. Day 2
    6. Day 2
    7. Day 2
    8. Day 3
    9. Day 3
    10. Day 3
    11. Day 3
    12. Day 4
    13. Day 4
    14. Day 4

    excursiaWild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds · 3

  • Day 1

    The s'Albufera des Grau lagoon and Cape Favàritx

    East: s'Albufera des Grau Nature Park · About 50 km and 1 h 15 min by car

    Waterbirds on the lagoon, lunch in Es Grau and the lunar landscape of Cape Favàritx.

    08:30–12:00Morning

    1S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park

    The heart of the Biosphere Reserve first thing, when you see most birds: the lagoon with herons, cormorants and coots, and the Sa Gola trail to the dunes.

    12:15–15:00Midday

    2Es Grau

    Lunch in the fishing village and a swim on the still-water beach.

    15:45–18:30Afternoon

    3Favàritx lighthouse

    The island's most photographed cape of black slate. Walk down the Camí de Cavalls to Presili cove and look out to sea for shearwaters and shags.

    20:00–22:30Evening

    4Maó: town centre and harbour

    Dinner in the harbour of Maó.

    excursiaWild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds · 4

  • Nature and hiking · Maó

    1S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park

    The heart of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve: a lagoon, dunes, woodland and coast with waymarked trails and birdwatching hides.

    Location
    Rodríguez Femenias visitor centre, Maó–Es Grau road, km 3.5
    Best time
    Morning
    Admission
    Time needed

    excursiaWild Menorca: Biosphere Reserve and birds · 5

  • And in the full itinerary

    • 3 more days with their full plan
    • 14 place cards, with opening times and parking
    • How to reach every stop by car, bus or on foot
    • Where to eat and a plan for every rainy day
    • Useful phone numbers and the trip’s common questions

    Opening hours and access change every season: confirm them the day before.

Real pages of this itinerary. What you see in grey arrives in full when you buy.

Itinerary

A preview with 27% of the stops. How to get there, where to eat, the tips and the rest of the trip come when you buy.

Day 1The s'Albufera des Grau lagoon and Cape Favàritx

  1. Morning

    08:30–12:00

    Maó

  2. Midday

    12:15–15:00

    Maó

  3. Afternoon

    15:45–18:30

    Maó

  4. Evening

    20:00–22:30

    Maó

3 more days included when you buy

With the plan for every stop, how to get there, where to eat, the rainy-day plan and a card for each place.

  • Day 2North: Es Mercadal4 stops
  • Day 3South: Ferreries4 stops
  • Day 4South: Alaior4 stops

The places on the map

In green, the places of the preview. The grey ones, with a padlock, unlock when you buy: for now we only show you the area.

CiutadellaFerreriesEs MercadalAlaiorMaó1. S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park12. Es Grau23. Favàritx lighthouse34. Maó: town centre and harbour4

Places you’ll visit

The places of the preview open their card; the rest unlock when you buy.

  • Nature and hiking

    The heart of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve: a lagoon, dunes, woodland and coast with waymarked trails and birdwatching hides.

  • Beaches and coves

    A small fishing village with a very calm, shallow beach, the gateway to the s’Albufera des Grau Nature Park.

  • Charming places

    A black-and-white striped lighthouse on a cape of dark slate, inside the s’Albufera des Grau Nature Park. One of Menorca’s most striking landscapes.

  • History and culture

    Menorca’s capital overlooks one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. Above, the historic centre; below, the Moll de Ponent with restaurants and bars.

  • Charming places

    Place included when you buy

    Day 2 · North: Es Mercadal

  • Beaches and coves

    Place included when you buy

    Day 2 · North: Es Mercadal

  • Charming places

    Place included when you buy

    Day 2 · North: Es Mercadal

  • Nature and hiking

    Place included when you buy

    Day 3 · South: Ferreries

  • Beaches and coves

    Place included when you buy

    Day 3 · South: Ferreries

  • Food and local markets

    Place included when you buy

    Day 3 · South: Ferreries

  • Beaches and coves

    Place included when you buy

    Day 3 · South: Ferreries

  • Beaches and coves

    Place included when you buy

    Day 4 · South: Alaior

  • Nature and hiking

    Place included when you buy

    Day 4 · South: Alaior

  • History and culture

    Place included when you buy

    Day 4 · South: Alaior

What’s included

  • A plan for every day with approximate times, from morning to night
  • Online itinerary to mark each place as visited during your trip
  • Interactive map with every place numbered in the order of the route
  • Downloadable PDF with every detail, to use offline too
  • How to get from one stop to the next: time, distance, parking and bus
  • Several places to eat in each area, in case one is full
  • An indoor alternative for rainy days
  • Summer and winter opening hours and access restrictions
  • A card for each place with the day and time of your visit, car parks and bus lines
  • Which birds to look for in each place and when to see them best

How it works

  1. Choose the itinerary and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account needed.
  2. Once the payment is confirmed you see it on screen and get it by email: the link to your online itinerary, with the map, and the PDF.
  3. During the trip, open it on your phone and mark each place as visited. The PDF works offline.
  • Arrives instantly, on screen and by email, as soon as the payment is confirmed
  • Secure payment with Stripe: we never see your card
  • No account: your link works on any device for a year
  • Look inside a free sample

As digital content delivered instantly, it cannot be withdrawn from once delivered. How refunds work.

Related guides

The s’Albufera des Grau lagoon surrounded by vegetation

Nature and hiking · Maó

S’Albufera des Grau Nature Park

The heart of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve: a lagoon, dunes, woodland and coast with waymarked trails and birdwatching hides.

What to do

Three short, waymarked trails leave from the visitor centre and take in the lagoon, the woodland and the hides. They’re flat and suitable for families.

The centre has an exhibition on the park’s landscapes: a good option if it rains.

Practical information

Municipality
Maó
Location
Rodríguez Femenias visitor centre, Maó–Es Grau road, km 3.5
Best time
Morning
Time needed
1–3 hours, depending on the trail.
Admission
Free.
Opening hours
Visitor centre: from April to October, Tuesday to Thursday 9:00 to 19:00 and Friday to Monday 9:00 to 15:00; shorter hours in winter. The trails are open to all.
Facilities
The Rodríguez Femenías reception centre has information on the park. No bar: the nearest is in Es Grau.
Accessibility
The Sa Gola trail (2.2 km) is largely adapted. A Joëlette chair can be booked three weeks ahead.
What to bring
Binoculars, water and, in summer, mosquito repellent.
By car
From Maó, 8 min along the Es Grau road to km 3.5. Free parking next to the visitor centre.
Parking
Free car park next to the visitor centre
By bus
Line L23 Maó–Es Grau runs along the park road: footpaths lead from Es Grau to the lagoon. Bus timetables: Beach buses

See the details

White houses and boats of Es Grau by the water

Beaches and coves · Maó

Es Grau

A small fishing village with a very calm, shallow beach, the gateway to the s’Albufera des Grau Nature Park.

What it’s like

The beach sits in a sheltered bay, with sand and water that stays shallow for many metres: one of the best for small children.

The village has restaurants with terraces over the water, and paths lead from here to the lagoon and the Camí de Cavalls.

Practical information

Municipality
Maó
Location
9 km from Maó
Best time
Morning and midday
Time needed
2–4 hours.
Admission
Free.
Facilities
Bars and restaurants in the village; lifeguard and kayak hire in season.
Accessibility
An accessible beach with shallow water: very easy with small children.
What to bring
If you paddle out to Illa d'en Colom: swimwear, water and sun cream.
By car
From Maó, 15 min (9 km). Free parking at the entrance to the village.
Parking
Free car park at the entrance to the village
By bus
Line L23 Maó–Es Grau, all year round, more often in summer. Bus timetables: Beach buses

See the details

Favàritx lighthouse with black and white stripes on the dark rocky cape

Charming places · Maó

Favàritx lighthouse

A black-and-white striped lighthouse on a cape of dark slate, inside the s’Albufera des Grau Nature Park. One of Menorca’s most striking landscapes.

A cape of slate

Unlike the rest of the north coast, the rock here is black, heavily eroded slate, which gives the cape an almost lunar look. The lighthouse, from 1922, has become one of the island’s most recognisable images.

Close by are the coves of Presili and Tortuga, which you reach on foot along the Camí de Cavalls.

Before you go

It’s a protected area: there are no bars and no shade. In summer, plan your visit around the shuttle bus times and bring water.

Practical information

Municipality
Maó
Location
Cap de Favàritx, north of Maó, inside the s’Albufera des Grau Nature Park
Best time
Morning or late afternoon
Time needed
45 minutes at the lighthouse; 1 h 30 min if you walk down to the Presili and Tortuga coves.
Admission
Free. In summer you only pay the L43 bus (€3.60).
Seasonal access
From mid-May to 30 September you can’t drive up: bus L43 from Maó bus station (first departure around 9:45 and last return around 19:45; €3.60 ticket). From October to mid-May you can drive there.
Facilities
None: no bar, no toilets, no shade.
Accessibility
Flat ground by the lighthouse. The path to the coves is earth and loose stone: not for pushchairs.
What to bring
Water, a cap and sun cream.
By car
From Maó, 25 min (16 km) along the Fornells road and the Favàritx turn-off. Only from October to mid-May: in season the road is closed to cars.
Parking
From October to mid-May, a small car park at the end of the road
By bus
Line L43 Maó–Favàritx from Maó bus station, from mid-May to 30 September. Stops at the lighthouse and at the beach paths. Bus timetables: Favàritx bus

See the details

View of Maó harbour with boats and the houses on the cliff

History and culture · Maó

Maó: town centre and harbour

Menorca’s capital overlooks one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. Above, the historic centre; below, the Moll de Ponent with restaurants and bars.

What to see

Santa Maria church, with its great organ; plaça de la Constitució with the town hall; the Claustre del Carme, now a market; and the Costa de ses Voltes steps down to the harbour.

The harbour is about 5 km long, with the Illa del Rei and the Lazaretto in it. Sightseeing boats leave from the Moll de Ponent for a tour around it.

Practical information

Municipality
Maó
Location
Maó: plaça de s’Esplanada, Santa Maria church and the Moll de Ponent
Best time
All day
Time needed
Half a day.
Admission
Free.
Facilities
Everything: markets, bars, restaurants, shops and chemists.
Accessibility
The centre is 25 metres above the harbour: the glass lift at Costa de ses Voltes takes you up in a minute and saves about a hundred steps.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes.
By car
Public car parks at the harbour and in the centre. The old town is best seen on foot.
Parking
Public car parks at the harbour and in the centre
By bus
Every line ends at Maó bus station, next to s'Esplanada square. Bus timetables: Island bus lines

See the details

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