The Camí de Cavalls (GR223) hiking trail on Menorca leads around the Balearic island in 20 stages. Whether on foot or by bike. Lonely bays and turquoise sea alternate with rugged cliffs. Here's all the info you need.
If you are really fast, you may be able to finish the 185km circuit around the island of Menorca in less than 20 hours - but only if you are the current trail running champion …
185km, 20 stages, endless wildflowers
But that wouldn’t leave you enough time to soak in the beautiful landscape which you will pass along the way. So we decided to hike a few stages of the Camí de Cavalls, also called GR223, at a leisurely pace. In April, Menorca comes alive with an abundance of beautiful wild flowers and the temperatures are around 20 degrees. Perfect hiking conditions.
Click on the first picture to start the gallery:
A hiker's secret: Menorca
As a hiking destination, the northernmost Balearic island of Menorca received scant attention for a long time: too much private land, too few mountains, so the main reasons.
The change occurred in 2010 with the formal opening of the Camí de Cavalls, a technically easy long-distance trail that runs along the coast and around the island in 20 stages. The name (literally translated as "horse way") is based on the history of the way. In the Middle Ages riders patrolled here to defend the island.
Menorca has pine groves and beautiful bays with white beaches and turquoise waters. But the trail also has rugged features, over rocky hills with heather and mastic bushes.
Map Wikimedia
The island tour is also suitable for riders and mountain bikers … and a refreshing dip in the sea is never far away. The Camí de Cavalls is well signposted, but a few stops lack accommodation. If you do not want to camp unofficially in Menorca (strictly speaking not allowed, but generally tolerated), you can also look for two or three accommodations in different corners of the island and take a taxi to the respective stages. This is very straightforward in Menorca.
We took a rental car and stayed in the Agroturismo Biniatram close to Cala Morell. From here we hiked the stages 8 and 9 on the north coast. The coastline here was quite rugged, with beautiful flowers and lots of waves.
The next day we drove down to the south to hike stage 13 from Cala en Turqueta to Cala Galdana. Here the coast feels more as if you’d landed in the Caribbean: beautiful white beaches, turquoise water and lovely pine trees.
The major town in the west is the charming city of Ciutadella, which is well worth a visit.
How to get there:
TUI for example flies directly from Frankfurt. If you also spend some time on Menorca's big sister Majorca you can also take the ferry from Alcudia directly to Ciutadella.
Stay:
We stayed in the Agroturismo Biniatram from which you can directly start the hike.
Ctra. Camí de Cala Morell, 1, 07760 Ciutadella de Menorca, Tel: +34 971 38 31 13
Eat:
Restaurant Cas Consol
Plaça des Born, 17, 07760 Ciutadella de Menorca, Tel: +34 971 48 46 54
The Cas Consol is located on the city wall. Not only is there really delicious food, but also a great view over the harbour.