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Menorca is an island that offers a endless possibilities to enjoy a family vacation. Its spectacular beaches, its natural landscapes and its rich culture make it an ideal destination for parents and children alike. In this article, from my experience as the mother of a family with a 7-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy who have traveled twice to Menorca, I will provide you with a complete guide to travel to Menorca with children.
We are the kucavana familyWe traveled with our two children, ages 8 and 11, and our adopted dog Max. We usually travel in our motorhome called Kucavana, hence the name of our blog (Anna as a baby didn't know how to say motorhome and said Kucavana), but we also like to travel by bicycle touring or by plane and backpacking. We enjoy every learning experience as a family and we hope to help you enjoy it as much as we do. We do it by traveling.
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Summary of our 2 experiences in Menorca
We have traveled twice to Menorca and in a very different way.
As you all know we have a motorhome and our first time in Menorca was precisely with this way of traveling. We arrived on a Baleària ferry with our motorhome and we moved around the island with her. Honestly, this first experience is the one I recommend the least. Menorca is not prepared for this type of tourism, neither Menorca nor really any island. There are only 2 campsites, always very full, far from points of interest to go on foot, 2 motorhome areas without any charm and the parking lots and many of its roads are impassable for these large vehicles. We went in June and there weren't even that few people. Not recommended at all.
Our second time, however, has been in aplane and in a great hotel, with swimming pools, park, activities, slides and renting a Fiat 500 Great that it has allowed us to move with total freedom and with which we have been able to enjoy much more freedom of movement to make visits.
The hotel for those who ask is this: https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/club-sur-menorca.en.html?aid=2216794&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
With total conviction I recommend you without a doubt to do the hotel trip and plane or ferry and you bring your car. For freedom, tranquility, enjoyment and even for price (the second trip cost us even cheaper than the first, the hotel and plane in the month of May was very well priced).
Hotels in Menorca with children
When planning a family vacation, the choice of accommodation is key to ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay. In Menorca, there is a wide variety of hotels, apartments and villas that adapt to the needs of families with children.
Once we rule out the motorhome or camper because of past experience, we look at the possible accommodations with children on the island.
Recommended types of accommodation for families
Family hotels are a good option for families with children, since they usually have facilities and services specially designed for them. In Menorca, there is a wide range of hotels with children's pools, play areas, children's activities and entertainment, among other services. In addition, apartments and villas can be a cheaper option to stay with your family, offering more space and the possibility of cooking and preparing meals in the accommodation that can save you perhaps a little more.
Examples of hotels with facilities for children
Some hotels that we looked at and recommended to us on the island for families with children in Menorca are:
- Our chosen hotel with swimming pools, activities and water park with slides: Minura Sur Menorca & Waterpark: https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/club-sur-menorca.en.html?aid=2216794&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
- Hotel Royal Son Bou Family Club: This hotel has a variety of facilities and activities for children, including a children's pool with slides, a kids' club, a playground and a mini golf course. It also has an entertainment program for children and adults.
- Hotel Carema Club Resort: Located on the seafront, this hotel offers several swimming pools, a children's play area, a kids' club, and an entertainment program for the whole family. In addition, it has apartments equipped with kitchen and living room.
- Floramar Aparthotel: Located in the town of Cala Galdana, this hotel has a children's pool, a playground and a kids' club with daily activities. Its apartments have an equipped kitchen and a terrace with sea views.
What to do in Menorca with children
Menorca is an island that offers a wide variety of activities to enjoy with the family. Here are some of the most popular options:
Walks along the paths of the island
Menorca has a network of paths that cross the island, the Camí de Cavalls, and allow you to discover its natural landscapes. An ideal option to exercise with the family and enjoy the views of the sea that its paths offer. In addition, in this way you can visit beautiful coves. We loved doing the section from Cala Galdana to Macarella and Macarelleta, for example.
Rent a kayak, boat or paddle surf
In Menorca you can rent kayaks, boats and paddle surf boards to tour its spectacular coves and beaches from the sea. A fun and refreshing activity to do as a family. We in Fornells loved, for example, renting an electric boat and visiting coves and bathing alone in remote corners of the bay.
The experience of Benissuès in Ferreries, living the island as before
Binissuès is tradition, culture and history, a privileged natural environment where you can relive the rural life of Menorca, where you can get to know and feel the essence of the island.
Here, you take an incredible journey into the past to rediscover the ancient work of the fields. A family of actors, in period costume, recreates how they worked in the fields a hundred years ago. You can do workshops, live a dramatized visit and even visit the museum house and the natural sciences museum that it houses.
Theme and water parks
Menorca offers a large number of theme and water parks for the whole family. The first, the same as the hotel we stayed in, already included with the price of the hotel and great: https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/club-sur-menorca.en.html?aid=2216794&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
One of the most popular is the Aquarock Water Park, located in Cala en Bosch, in the southwest of the island. This park has a wide variety of water attractions, including slides, wave pools and play areas for the little ones.
If you want a cheap option of slides and water we recommend the restaurant The Slide in Cala Galdana, while you eat guaranteed fun for the little ones.
Lithica: Menorca's stone labyrinth
The Lithica Labyrinth is a limestone garden located in the Lithica quarry in Menorca. This incredible 2,5-hectare maze is a popular tourist attraction for families with children, where they can explore and have fun in a magical and enigmatic environment. The maze is made up of stone walls that are over 3 meters high, forming an intricate pattern on the floor. In addition to the maze, Lithica also has beautiful gardens with a wide variety of plants and flowers, as well as a quarry that can be visited. It is an ideal place to enjoy with the family and have a unique experience in Menorca.
Guided boat tours
One of the best ways to explore Menorca's coast is by boat, and there are many options for doing so with children. Boat excursions offer the opportunity to discover secluded coves and beaches, swim in crystal clear waters and explore the island's marine life. In the port of Mahón you have different boat trips with very interesting glass floors with children.
The small labyrinthine town of Benibequer Vell where you can get lost
If you want another maze to get lost in, in this case through narrow streets, go to Benibequer Vell.
It is a small town, or rather a hotel complex (as you hear it is something very small and artificial), very pretty and labyrinthine, great fun with the little ones.
What to see in Menorca with children: top 10 for us
Menorca has a large number of places of tourist interest that are very suitable to visit with children. Some of the most recommended options under our 2-time experience on the island are:
Monte Toro
Monte Toro It is the highest mountain in Menorca, with a height of 357 meters. From the top, you can enjoy panoramic views of the entire island. There is a church at the top and a restaurant where the little ones can have an ice cream with good views and rest for a while.
Favaritx and Cavalry Lighthouse
El favaritx lighthouse It is located in a spectacular natural environment, with cliffs and rocks of whimsical shapes. It is an ideal place to enjoy the landscape and do some excursions on foot.
Go up to cavalry lighthouse: On an excursion from the parking lot in this beautiful lighthouse where we will also find a cave to investigate, the children will enjoy a beautiful day.
Albufera des Grau
El Natural Park of s'Albufera des Grau: a protected natural area that is home to a large number of animal and plant species. It is possible to take routes through the park and contemplate the birds and other animals that live there, especially surely you will see Mediterranean tortoises.
Mola Fortress
La Mola Fortress is an impressive fort located at the entrance to the port of Mahón. It is an essential visit to learn about the history of the island and enjoy the panoramic views of the port.
Citadel of Menorca
See the pirate city of the Ciutadella. Ciutadella is a beautiful city located to the west of the island, with a historic center full of charm. I recommend walking through its narrow streets and visiting its cathedral, the Market Square and the port.
Naveta des Tudons
La Naveta des Tudons It is a prehistoric funerary monument located near Ciutadella. It is an interesting place to learn about the history of the island and to enjoy a unique place.
Mahon
The port of Mahon It is one of the most beautiful places in Menorca. I recommend walking along its docks, visiting the Fish Market and enjoying dinner at one of the restaurants in the area.
coves caves
All the coves Coves de Cala en Porter. A beautiful, surprising place full of history and peace. Here you will find after an excursion of a couple of kilometers, a cove with more than 90 Talayotic burial caves excavated or natural in the rock.
Talayotic settlement of Trepucó
Visit Talayotic village of Trepucó and see the great Taula (table) full of mysticism where the Talayotic civilization performed rituals and sacrifices.
Lighthouse and huts of Punta Nati
The Punta Nati lighthouse and barracks are located on the westernmost point of Menorca, offering impressive views of the Mediterranean Sea and the north coast of the island. The lighthouse, built in the XNUMXth century, is still in operation and can be visited. In addition, near the lighthouse, there are the famous Menorca barracks, which are small stone houses built by the inhabitants of the island to protect themselves and their livestock from strong winds and storms. The huts are a sample of the traditional architecture of Menorca, the so-called "pont" and a must for children. The barracks closest to the lighthouse, but they were built during the civil war to house cannons.
Here you can see a beautiful sunset, write it down as an activity with your little ones.
In addition, Menorca has various museums and interpretation centers that may be interesting to visit with children, such as the Museum of Menorca, the Es Grau Nature Interpretation Center or the Menorca Crafts Center.
The best beaches in Menorca with children
The beaches of Menorca are one of the main attractions of the island, and many of them are very suitable for visiting with children. Some of the options that I recommend the most with children are:
Cala Galdana
One of the most popular beaches in Menorca with children, it has a wide variety of services and is very suitable for children, since the water is shallow and there are shady areas. For me it was undoubtedly the best for my children.
Cove in Turqueta
One of the most beautiful beaches on the island, with crystal clear waters and fine white sand. It is an ideal place to spend the day with children, although it is advisable to arrive early to avoid the crowds in the parking lot, which is small and limited. Then he tells that you have to walk approximately one kilometer to the cove.
Son Bou beach
The longest beach in Menorca, with about 3 kilometers in length. It has a wide variety of services and is ideal for children, since the water is shallow and there is plenty of space to play.
The 5 best places to watch the sunset in Menorca with children
I can say that one of the most magical and exciting things we have experienced together has been watching the sunset in different places on the island. Next, I share with you the 5 best places to enjoy a beautiful sunset in Menorca with children.
1. Favaritx Lighthouse
The Favaritx Lighthouse is one of the most spectacular places on the island to watch the sunset. With its unique architecture, located in a rocky area with incomparable landscapes, you will be able to see how the sun goes down behind the mountains while the children enjoy the scenery.
2. Cova d'en Xoroi
Cova d'en Xoroi is one of the most popular places on the island. A bar and restaurant built in a natural cave, located on a cliff with spectacular views of the sea. Ideal to watch the sunset while the children enjoy live music and the experience of being in a cave.
3. Son Bou Beach
Son Bou beach, located in the south of the island, is one of the longest in Menorca. With its beautiful natural landscape and the sun reflecting in the sea, it is one of the perfect places to watch the sunset with children. In addition, the beach has several bars and restaurants to enjoy the view while having a drink.
4. Lighthouse and huts of Punta Nati
If there is an iconic place to watch the sunset in Menorca, it is the Punta Nati lighthouse and barracks. Located on the north coast of the island, this historic lighthouse and its old barracks are a popular place to enjoy spectacular views of the sunset over the Mediterranean.
5. Mount Bull
Monte Toro is the highest point on the island and offers spectacular panoramic views of Menorca. It is an ideal place to watch the sunset while the children learn about the geography of the island and enjoy the fresh mountain air. In addition, at the top there is a church that can also be visited.
In short, Menorca offers many wonderful places to enjoy the sunset. These 5 sites are just a small sample of the many magical places that the island has to offer. If you plan to visit Menorca with children, make sure to include one or more of these places in your itinerary. You will not regret!
My top 5 tips for traveling to Menorca with children
As the mother of two young children, traveling to Menorca with them can seem overwhelming at first, but with some practical advice, it can be a wonderful experience for the whole family. Here are my top 5 tips for traveling to Menorca with children from our experience.
1. Choose the best time to travel
The high season in Menorca is from June to August, when the island is busiest and prices are highest. To avoid the crowds and enjoy the pleasant weather, we recommend traveling in May or September. The temperature is warm and the climate is more pleasant, which makes it perfect for outdoor activities with children. It is not necessary to lose a week of school, with 3 days on the island, you will enjoy a lot.
2. Plan ahead and book family-friendly accommodation
There are many hotels and apartments in Menorca that offer facilities for families, such as swimming pools, children's clubs and activity programmes. Be sure to book your accommodation in advance and check the family-friendly facilities they offer. If you prefer something quieter, there are also rural houses and villas in Menorca that offer space and privacy for families.
3. Be flexible and adjust the pace of the trip according to the needs of your children
It is important to be flexible and be prepared to adjust the pace of the trip according to the needs of your children. Children can get tired easily, so it is advisable to have more relaxed activities and free time in your itinerary. It is also essential to be prepared with snacks, water and sunscreen to keep your children comfortable and safe while traveling.
4. Take advantage of outdoor activities
Menorca is known for its stunning beaches and natural parks, making it an ideal destination for outdoor activities with children. Menorca's beaches are crystal clear and shallow, perfect for children to play and swim. There are also many hiking and biking trails to explore as a family.
5. Learn about the local culture and experience the gastronomy
Learning about the local culture and trying the local food is an important part of any trip. In Menorca, there are many opportunities to learn about the rich history of the island, visiting historical sites such as the Mahón citadel and the Fornells tower or Talayotic sites. There are also many restaurants that offer local cuisine, such as lobster stew and ensaimadas, which are worth trying with the little ones.
