Camí de Cavalls. Stage 1:
Maó – Es Grau
Hike along the first stage of the Camí de Cavalls in Menorca, from Maó to Es Grau via Sa Mesquida. A route between sea and wild nature, featuring spectacular coastal views, unspoilt beaches, and arrival at the Albufera des Grau Natural Park. Practical information, distance, difficulty, and tips to help you plan your walk.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls begins in Maó Habour, at the beginning of the road to La Mola de Maó and to Sa Mesquida. The first 5 km of the stage follow the road as far as the small resort of Sa Mesquida, which you reach after passing the turn-offs to the right to Cala Rata, La Mola de Maó and Es Murtar. Once at Sa Mesquida, continue through the settlement to the eponymous beach, overlooked by a eighteenth-century defence tower. A wooden boardwalk takes you across the small wetland that lies behind the beach and onto a path that skirts the military area. From here, climb quite steeply for excellent views of this stretch of coast and continue onto the beach of Macar de Binillautí. From this bay, the path turns inland as far as the road to Es Grau; turn right and follow this road for almost a kilometre to the end of the stage at the entrance to S’Albufera des Grau.
Distance: 10 km • Difficulty: Average • Estimated walking time: 3 h
Be sure to shut all gates after you since they are used to control the cattle
Take care when walking along the roads as they can be quite busy, especially in summer; there are no paths or pavements for pedestrians.
SHORTER ALTERNATIVE AVOIDING ROADS
Sa Mesquida – Es Grau
It is highly recommended to shorten the route and avoid the asphalt stretch between Maó and Sa Mesquida. If you don’t have your own vehicle, during the tourist season you can take a bus to Sa Mesquida (Line 24) or to Es Grau (Line 23). Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
Distance: 5,4 km • Difficulty: Average • Estimated walking time: 1 h 5 min
The surroundings
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls passes through a fine example of a windswept coastal landscape, especially between Sa Mesquida and the Macar de Binillautí. Here, the vegetation is low and patchy, and includes important extensions of the socarrell – compact, cushion-like spiny bushes, some of whose species are endemic to the island – plant communities. The final part of the stage heads inland through farmland with scattered wild olive trees. Of note is the beach of Sa Mesquida, with its dune vegetation and a small wetland that floods in winter characterized by salt-resistant plants such as tamarisks and goosefoots.
Nearby sites of interest
• Sa Mesquida tower: Defense tower built by the British in 1799 during their third period of rule. It cannot be visited, as it is located on private property.
• S’albufera des Grau Natural Park: This stage ends right at the entrance to S’Albufera des Grau, a coastal lagoon of great interest to birdwatchers and nature-lovers in general that gives its name to Menorca’s only natural park. A number of different trails cross the park – more details from the information centre (Tel: 34 971 17 77 05 / 609 601 249). Road Maó – Es Grau Km 3,5.
• Es Grau: Summer resort backing onto S’Albufera des Grau, the beach of Es Grau and L’Illa de Colom. A good starting point for interesting excursions through S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park, either on foot or by kayak. Go to Es Grau – Cala sa Torreta by kayak.
Services
• Maó has all the services that a visitor might need.
• Es Grau: Small summer resort where there are bars, restaurants and a small supermarket. Kayaks can be rented on the beach if you wish to explore the nearby coastline.
• Sa Mesquida: Small summer resort where there is a bar/restaurant and a small supermarket.
How to get there
Sa Mesquida is 4.5 km from Maó. To get there, leave Maó from the roundabout at the end of the harbour along the road to La Mola de Maó. Ignore the turn-offs to the right to Cala Rata, La Mola de Maó and Es Murtar until you reach Sa Mesquida. Just 500 m further on you will come to the beach car-park.
Es Grau is 7 km from Maó and to get there leave Maó from the roundabout at the end of the harbour on the road towards Fornells. After just over 500 m, turn right towards Es Grau. You can park in one of the two car-parks behind the beach of Es Grau.
If you don’t have your own vehicle, during the tourist season you can take a bus to Sa Mesquida (Line 24) or to Es Grau (Line 23). Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
Accommodation and logistics on Camí de Cavalls
Search for accommodation in Maó.
There is no accommodation in Es Grau.
If you want to go through the Camí de Cavalls in stages, either a part or all of it, you have to plan your trek well. There are no accommodation for trekkers on the path, so you will have to make use of the touristic accommodations you will find on the route. That is the reason why making the route outside the tourist season could be somewhat complicated.
It is important to adapt the route plan to your physical condition and your experience as a trekker. In many cases, the ideal choice is to hire a logistic service for you to resolve those shortcomings. This way, you will be able to get the most out of the experience.
Camí de Cavalls 360º is a specialized travel agency that helps you to make the route in stages, in a self-guided manner and with a series of related services (among others, accommodation and logistics). Camí de Cavalls 360º offers you different choices to traverse the Camí de Cavalls with autonomy, always adapting to your needs.
Map of Camí de Cavalls. Stage 1: Maó – Es Grau
See all stages of the Camí de Cavalls
The Camí de Cavalls is divided up into 20 stages that can be walked as a single long hike or individually in sections, or can be used simply as somewhere go for a stroll. Discover Menorca here describes the official stages as 20 separate day-long walks, using the morning for the outward bound stretch and the afternoon for the return.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls passes through a fine example of a windswept coastal landscape, especially between Sa Mesquida and the Macar de Binillautí.
All of this stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs through S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park. It is an excellent walk for getting to know a variety of different habitats…
Much of this stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs through the S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park and many of its very diverse landscapes.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls begins at the far western end of the built-up area of Arenal d’en Castell. Walk for 10 minutes along the cliff-top path as far as Son Parc…
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls passes through one of the best-preserved parts of the Menorcan coastline. The EU has declared it to be an Area of Community Importance and and a Special Protection…
This is the longest and hardest of all the stages of the Camí de Cavalls and, unsurprisingly, also one of the most spectacular.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls is characterized by the number of different habitats it visits. Around Cala Pilar a large number of endemic plants thrive alongside the more typical plants of…
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls leaves the fertile and wooded area of La Vall d’Algaiarens to enter a landscape dominated by low, scattered vegetation and ends at Cala Morell, one of Menorca’s geological jewels.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls runs entirely through what is known as dry Menorca, characterized by sparse vegetation and endless rows of dry stone walls, ending near the Punta Nati lighthouse.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls, between Punta Nati and Pont d’en Gil runs through what is known as “Dry Menorca”, characterized by sparse vegetation and endless rows of dry-stone walls. It then passes through several residential areas before reaching Ciutadella de Menorca.
From Cala Blanca onwards and as far as the end of the stage, the flat path follows low coastal cliffs that harbour an interesting plant community.
This stretch of the Camí de Cavalls is flat and climbs very little. The landscape over much of this stage is dominated by a rocky coastline alternating with small coves.
One of the great attractions of stage 13 of the Camí de Cavalls are the unspoilt beaches of Cala en Turqueta, Macarella and Macarelleta, some of the most iconic — and also overcrowded — beaches on the southern coast of Menorca.
If you want to discover what the forests of Menorca’s southern coast are like, this stage of the Camí de Cavalls is a great opportunity, taking you through Cala Mitjana, one of the unspoilt coves on the southern coast that draws the most visitors during the summer months.
The route of stage 15 of the Camí de Cavalls is flat and not very rugged, never reaching any significant elevation. Even so, it passes through quite varied habitats, such as urban areas, inland ravines, low rocky coastline, coastal dunes, fields and pastures.
The route of stage 16 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely inland, connecting two important ravines on the southern coast of Menorca: the Llucalari ravine and the Cala en Porter ravine.
Stage 17 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely through the interior, crossing ravines along the southern coast, alternating with the typical Menorcan mosaic landscape of croplands, pastures and small wild olive groves.
Stage 18 of the Camí de Cavalls runs almost entirely through streets and paved roads of numerous residential developments, with the exception of two small remaining dirt path sections at the beginning and end of the route.
Stage 19 of the Camí de Cavalls covers part of the eastern coast of Menorca and crosses the Rafalet ravine. Along the way, it passes important vestiges of the island’s military history, such as the Alcalfar tower and Fort Marlborough, in Cala Sant Esteve, at the end of the stage.
A 100% paved and mainly urban stage that connects and crosses the towns of Maó and Es Castell, walking parallel to the Port of Maó.
The best walks and excursions around the coast of Menorca along the Camí de Cavalls (GR-223), an ideal way of exploring the island’s coastline at your leisure. Unspoilt beaches, rocky outcrops, pinewoods and sea-cliffs step-by-step.
The Menorcan interactive map with the 20 stages of the Camí the Cavalls (GR 223) and much more…