Macarella Cove
The Mecca of tourism
Coming back from Menorca without having been in Macarella is a sin. This is a paradise beach located in the south of Menorca where you have to go, at least once in your life, to see the immense beauty hidden in nature.
This cove of fine white sand remains relatively unspoiled. With the exception of the restaurant and some other human constructions (such as the channel designed to drain the waters of the torrent) there is little else to disturb the view.
On the western cliffs you can still see the caves that were “squatted” to spend the summer days on the beach. Blessed is the shade of the pine forest. It is hard to believe that what was once a quiet nudist beach is now a tourist Mecca.
Name: Cala Macarella
Location: South Zone III (
39°56’11.5 “N 3°56’13.6 “E)
Distance from Mahón: 24’4 MN ; 52 km
Time from Mahón: 1h 52 min by boat (average speed: 15 knots); 1 h by car
Type of beach: Sand
Anchoring with boat: Sand
Dangerous access by boat: Under
Posidonia: Yes
Nearest gas station for boats: 5’3 MN; Cala’n Bosch
SERVICES
PARKING
BUS STOP
WALK 350 m
FONDEADERO
RESCUE SERVICE
SHOWERS
BATHROOMS
CHIRINGUITO
PADDLE SURF RENTAL
Discover the secret corners and beaches of Menorca!
RENT SCUBAJET
Explore the seabed with the Scubajet thruster. Expand your possibilities of use by motorizing your paddle surf.
Cala Macarella in Menorca, how to get there?
The access to the coves of Menorca can be very varied: car, motorcycle, bus, bike, on foot or by boat, although it is important to know that, since 2018, motorcycles and cars have access restrictions in Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta in summer that should be consulted before moving there.
In any case, we are going to give you here all the information we have about the available options, so that you can choose the option that best suits you. Of course, you can get up early! Because Cala Macarella is one of the most photographed, touristic and crowded coves in Menorca, if you don’t want to run out of place to plant your umbrella, don’t let the sheets stick to you!
The access by car from Ciutadella is very simple, take the southern ring road (RC-2) and head towards Cala Macarella along the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa. It is the same road you will have to take to go to Son Saura and Cala Turqueta.
If you are leaving from Mahón, exit the city on the Me-1 and head for the southern ring road to Ciudadela. Once you are on that road, follow the directions we have left for departures from Ciudadela.
When you arrive you will see a first parking lot that is private and paid, and a free parking lot beyond. From the first one to the beach you have to walk about 350 m flat, and 1.1 km from the free beach, first downhill and then uphill.
You may find yourself in the situation of having to choose between having room in only one of them or in none of them. A few years ago, someone had the ingenious idea of putting up digital signs that warn you before you arrive if the parking lot is full or if there is still some space left. You have three options: park for free, pay or run away. Now it is no longer necessary to endure traffic jams to have to get there and turn around.
The most reliable option is the shuttle bus* that runs every summer from July 1 to September 30. It arrives at the Cove every 40 minutes, with the first service at 8:25 am and the last at 9:15 pm. On Fridays and Saturdays there are special departures at 11:00 pm and 00:15 am. However, these schedules are subject to change, and we recommend that you check them at the same time or one day before taking the bus.
Renting a boat to go to Cala Macarella is, if not the best, one of the best ways to access this beautiful cove. The reasons are obvious: the space on the sand is very limited and always crowded, the parking lots are already full at a certain time or the walk under the sun from the parking lot to the beach, among others. You won’t find the views, spaciousness and comfort of a boat on shore.
You can also hire a boat trip to Cala Macarella and Cala Macarelleta already closed with a water activities company, or rent a boat and organize your own excursion along the coast of Menorca. Both the ports of Ciudadela and Mahón will offer these services and if you book in advance you can find them for a small fee.
Finally, the Camí de Cavalls is always a good option if we feel like doing some hiking or an outdoor route. Through it, you will be able to reach practically all the beaches and coves of Menorca. In this case you can reach Cala Macarella and Macarelleta following the stage 13 of the Camí de Cavalls, about 1.8km away from Cala Galdana.
*The schedules, lines and/or routes indicated here may vary throughout the year. Consult validity
Services near Cala Macarella
There are not many services available, in fact, the only thing you will find in the area is the famous Susy bar. A restaurant that has been frying everything that runs, swims and flies for forty years. You will see how many well-known people have visited the place and have left a record of it by taking pictures.
This historic beach bar is packed to the rafters, just like the sand. It is one of the few you will find on the island that has seen so many familiar faces pass by. And no wonder, because for that dream landscape of fine white sand and turquoise waters always clean and transparent, it is worth enduring so much, isn’t it?
However, since it is located in a virgin environment, there are no hotels or accommodation options on the beach itself. However, not far from there, in Cala Galdana (which is about 2 km from this famous cove), we will find many options: from hotels (always full to the brim in high season), to quieter options such as villas or apartments available for rent.
| SERVICE | TELEPHONE | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| BAR-RESTAURANT. Susy's Cafeteria | 971 35 94 67 | www.cafeteriasusy.com |
What to see and what to do in Cala Macarella
Boat trips, photography, hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving… Cala Macarella, without having the option of hiring services on the beach itself, is a scenario that lends itself to numerous activities with which the whole family will find fun.
For example, for children it can be very exciting and educational to discover the marine species that are hidden among the aquatic plants of this cove while, for adults and diving experts, there is an underwater cave in Cala Macarella that can be visited. You will find it about 150 meters from the cliff on the left.
You can also swim to Cala Macarelleta, a small cove smaller than Cala Macarella.
How to get to Cala Macarella by boat?
To get to Cala Macarella by boat, we must leave the port of Mahón heading SE. We will sail along the coast, leaving Illa del Rei to port.
We will continue out to the open sea, leaving the Punta de Sant Carles lighthouse to starboard.
Following the coastline in a southerly direction we will pass the outcrops of Na Girada and Punta Rafalet. We will continue skirting the island, which will take us in a SW direction and leave Punta Prima and Punta dels Marbres to starboard. At this point we will have the Illa de l’Aire on our port side.
Following the coastline, we will orient ourselves in a NW direction and ascend passing Cape Binibeca, Illot d’en Marçal, Cap d’en Font, Cap de ses Penyes, Illot de Binicodrell… We will have to continue advancing until we pass Mitjana and Morro de Llevant. After them, we will begin to make out the tip of Macarella on the horizon.
Just before reaching it, we will find the inlet where Cala Macarella and Macarelleta are located.
Do you want to go to Cala Macarella by boat?
