Port of Ciutadella
The crown jewel
Considered by many the most beautiful city of Menorca, if you come to the island a visit is a must. Your crown jewel? The port.
Originally dedicated to fishing and commercial activities, it is now also used for pleasure boats and sporting activities. Its environment has become a space for leisure, with a wide gastronomic and commercial offer in its surroundings that will not leave anyone indifferent.
In the port, the infrastructures are innovative and respect the natural environment in which they are located, preserving environmental values with actions such as not allowing anchoring on certain banks where the seafloor may be affected.
Commercial and passenger vessels depart daily from this port, linking Menorca with Mallorca and Barcelona through recurring travel lines.
Curiosities
The name “Ciutadella” comes from Latin, civitatelladiminutive of civitasCiutadella was for many years the capital and administrative center of Menorca, hence the abundance of buildings of cultural and historical interest, which are also very well preserved, which is why in 1964 it received the title of Spanish historic-artistic site.
One of the most spectacular sceneries of the city is the Port of Ciutadella. It is home to four ports: fishing, marina, commercial and passenger. In its surroundings you can buy typical Menorcan handicrafts and enjoy delicious tapas and other recipes typical of the island. The busiest areas are two of the streets that give access to the Port of Ciutadella, the street that goes down from the Plaza Es Born (Firac), where you will find the most artisanal products, and the street that goes down from Can Faustino.
One of the curiosities that occur in the Port of Ciutadella is known as “rissaga”. It is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs a few times a year, and consists in the oscillation of the sea level, i.e., sometimes the sea water level drops a lot in a short time. It does not always fall the same, every year this level can vary and can become a real problem, as happened in 2006, when the sudden changes in sea level caused damage to many boats that were anchored.
Name: Port of Ciutadella
Location: Ciutadella Area (39º59.813’N 3º49.511’E)
Distance from Mahón: 33’8 MN ; 41’3 km
Time from Mahón: 2h 50 min by boat (average speed: 15 knots); 44 min by car
Type of beach: Port
Anchoring with boat: Natural marina, fishing and transport.
Dangerous access by boat: High. Some rocks at the entrance of the cove. Special attention to the rissaga
Posidonia: Yes
Nearest gas station for boats: 0 MN; Port of Ciutadella
SERVICES
PARKING
BUS STOP
FONDEADERO
BATHROOMS
RESTAURANT
CHIRINGUITO
HOTEL
PADDLE SURF RENTAL
Discover the secret corners and beaches of Menorca!
RENT SCUBAJET
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Port of Ciutadella in Menorca, how to get there?
It is located next to the town hall of Ciutadella, you can get there by bus, motorcycle or car. The bus lines that take to the port are the 60 and 65, they have stops in Ciudadella and Ferreries. As for the car and motorcycle, there are free parking lots near the area, it is best to park and walk there to enjoy the charm of Menorca, especially during the sunset. In high season it may be a little more complicated to leave the car, count on it when calculating the time before arriving to an appointment or restaurant reservation, you can easily be late.
If we want to reach the port by boat, we must take into account that this is one of the busiest in Menorca and, although entering it is very simple, it is possible that there is no room for your boat, as it is a small port.
Services near Ciutadella Port
In the port area of Ciutadella there is a wide gastronomic offer with numerous restaurants and bars with terraces, from which you can enjoy wonderful views of the port and taste delicious Menorcan specialties such as lobster stew, oliagua with figs or a good perol.
The offer is for all tastes, whether you go to lunch or dinner in the Port of Ciutadella, you will find pizzerias, tapearías and classic sandwich bars, even ice cream parlors or creperies with which to complete your meal, give you a salty treat and then a sweet one. However, getting a spot can be a matter of magic, especially in summer, so be sure to book early to be able to enjoy the port and its sites.
But, of course, the offer does not end at the restaurants: hotels, stores, supermarkets, parking, discos… everything that Menorca can offer in terms of services can be found in Ciutadella.
| SERVICE | TELEPHONE | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| RESTAURANT. Café Balear (seafood restaurant) | 971 38 00 05 | www.cafebalear.com |
| RESTAURANT. Aquarium Port Ciutadella | 971 38 67 00 | www.aquariumrestaurante.com |
| ACCOMMODATIONS. Hotel Patricia | 971 38 55 11 | www.hotelpatricia.es |
AQUARIUM PORT CIUTADELLA
This restaurant, located in the port of Ciutadella, is housed in a natural cave converted into a useful space where we will find a cozy dining room in a seafaring style, decorated using materials and typical elements of the island. In his kitchen, as it could not be of another way, we will find the traditional products of Minorca, with a varied offer in which they emphasize the plates of fish and seafood.
If you have not been able to reserve a table on the terrace, do not forget to visit it before leaving, it has spectacular views of the harbor.
What to see in the Port of Ciutadella
If you have a vacation planned to Menorca, the Port of Ciudadela is one of the places you have to visit. You can do many activities in the area, enjoy the beauty of the landscape, go shopping in the commercial area and then enjoy the rich gastronomy of the area. Dedicate a day of your vacation to make the most of this area, you will not be disappointed!
If you want to extend the radius a little and want to do some sightseeing in Ciutadella, we recommend you to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Ciutadella, built in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, a beautiful building of Catalan Gothic style, which will make you fall in love at first sight. You can visit it for free or attend one of its masses, although if you are just visiting it, it is better not to go during the mass.
Next to the cathedral you will find Ses Voltes street, also called Josep Maria Quadrado, an area with a lot of tourist traffic, in fact, it is probably the busiest street in Ciutadella for the number of bars, restaurants and stores that you will find there. If you like the tradition of buying typical sweets when you go sightseeing, in this street you will find the best ensaimadas filled with chocolate in Menorca. You can also get some of the famous Avarcas of Menorca, or get some souvenirs.
It is often said that to get to know a city you have to start with its markets and the Ciutadella Market is one that does not disappoint. Vegetables, meats and fish of the highest quality and seasonal, local and foreign, if you are staying in an apartment, do not miss the opportunity to shop at the Citadel Market. The shopkeepers are very friendly, and their service is exemplary.
The jewel in the crown of the Port of Ciutadella is the Faro de Sa Farola, a building that accumulates 150 years of history, located at the entrance of the port. The lighthouse house is still used today for whoever is in charge of the 3 lighthouses of Ciudadela: Sa Farola, Artrutx and Punta Nati. If you dare, you can go to the promenade of Sa Farola, either walking or cycling, as there are bike paths that will take you to Cala en Brut and Cala en Blanes and you will enjoy a beautiful tour along the coast of Menorca.
For those who love history and culture, in Ciudadela there is a route of historic buildings You can do it on your own or with a guide, which includes a 90-minute visit, either in the morning or in the afternoon, with a guide who will tell you every interesting detail of the places you will visit. The route includes a visit to the Cathedral of Santa María de Ciudadela, the convent of San Agustín, the stately houses of the city, and the cobblestone streets of the old town.
How to get to the Port of Ciutadella by boat?
To reach the port of Ciutadella 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 head in a NW direction and ascend passing Cabo Binibeca, Illot d’en Marçal, Cap d’en Font, Cap de ses Penyes, Illot de Binicodrell, Punta de Macarella, Punta des Tambors… until we reach Cap d’Artrutx (at the SW end of the island). From here we will ascend in a northerly direction until we pass the Punta des Pegre ledge, which we will leave to starboard.
Past it, we will find two entrances, one that enters in an E direction, and another deeper one after it that advances in a NE direction. The latter is the one that hosts the Port of Ciutadella.
Do you want to go to the Port of Ciutadella by boat?
