Son Catlar talayotic village
The site of Son Catlar is of great interest as the only Talayotic settlement in the Balearic Islands whose surrounding cyclopean wall is all but intact.
The site of Son Catlar is of great interest as the only Talayotic settlement in the Balearic Islands whose surrounding cyclopean wall is all but intact. These walls were built out of large irregular blocks of stone and without any mortar to keep them in place. The 2-m-thick walls of Son Catlar completely surround the site and are almost 1 km in length. Attached to the walls are numerous defensive bastions and on its northern side there is a perfectly preserved entrance passageway. Although the interior of the site is not that well preserved, there are still the remains of four talaiots, the taula enclosure with their capitals, a number of fallen stones and various rooms. The best way to admire the wall is to circumnavigate the site along the path on the outside. This walk alone makes Son Catlar well-worth a visit.
• There is unlimited and free access to the site.
How to get there
Son Catlar is 7.5 km south of Ciutadella. To get there, take the road Camí de Sant Joan de Missa and then in 4 km turn right along the road that takes you to the beaches of Son Saura. In 3 km on the left you will come to the site’s car park.
You can also get to Son Catlar using public transport from Ciutadella in the high season by taking the Ciutadella – Son Catlar – Son Saura bus. Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season)
Nearby sites of interest
• Son Saura beach: Just 3.5 km further on along the road past the site you reach the beaches of Son Saura, Es Banyuls and Bellavista, the latter with a small wetland behind it. In summer, these are three of the most popular of Menorca’s unspoilt beaches.
Map of Son Catlar megalithic village
See the map Cultura talaiòtica in Google Maps
The Talayotic culture refer to the customs and skills of the pre-historic inhabitants of the Balearic Islands up to the Roman conquest (123 BC). Most of the archaeological remains that have been excavated –of which most are on Menorca – correspond to the so-called Talaiotic culture that can be dated from around 1,000 BC.
The Naveta des Tudons is a pre-Talayotic funeral building in use from 1200 to 750 BC. It consists of a collective tomb that was found to contain the remains of at least 100 graves…
This spectacular necropolis with 14 burial chambers hewn from the bare rock is to be found in a small gully just before Cala Morell to the north of Ciutadella.
Torre d’en Galmés is one of the largest Talayotic sites in the Balearic Islands and is well worth a longish, unhurried visit to ensure that you appreciate all its finer points.
Torrellafuda is a small Talayotic site with unrestricted access that stands in a shady old wild-olive grove. You will find the remains as soon as you begin to walk along the access track.
A visit to the Talayotic settlement of Talatí de Dalt, which blends in so harmoniously with its surroundings, is always a memorable experience.
The site of Son Catlar is of great interest as the only Talayotic settlement in the Balearic Islands whose surrounding cyclopean wall is all but intact.
Despite being somewhat hidden-away and smaller than other Menorcan sites, the Talayotic settlement of Torretrencada is still well worth a visit.
Torralba d’en Salort is remarkable for its enormous taula and its enclosure. This taula is one of the largest on Menorca and is perfectly preserved.
Covering 5,000 m2, Trepucó is one of the largest Talayotic sites in Menorca, even although only a small part of the original settlement has been preserved.