Cala Galdana beach
Cala Galdana, a place of outstanding natural beauty, is today one of the most important urbanised beaches in Menorca. It is a very popular tourist beach surrounded by a large resort area offering all kinds of services.
Cala Galdana has a wide sandy beach and, thanks to its enclosed shape and high cliffs, it is very well protected from waves. Its calm turquoise waters and pine trees growing right by the fine white sand make it one of the most famous and visited beaches in Menorca, especially for family tourism. The beach is linked to the Algendar Gorge, whose stream flows into one side of the bay and is now used as a small boat harbour.
Cala Galdana and its surroundings are a natural jewel that many locals remember as the best beach in Menorca, although the coastal urban development of the 1970s significantly altered its original landscape.
Cala Galdana, a beach dedicated to tourism
Cala Galdana is a fully equipped beach offering all kinds of services. From beach bars, sunbeds and parasols covering much of the sand, to a complete range of water sports such as kayak hire, a diving centre, motorboat rental and boat trips. In the resort area you will find all types of accommodation: large hotels, apartments and aparthotels, as well as bars, restaurants, clubs, a pharmacy, supermarkets, car hire and shops. Just before reaching Cala Galdana from Ferreries you will also find the Cala Galdana campsite, one of only two campsites in Menorca.
Cala Galdana with children
Cala Galdana is one of the best family beaches in Menorca. Its easy car access, fine sand and shallow, crystal-clear waters make it a safe and pleasant beach for children. Its enclosed bay usually keeps the sea calm, creating a natural swimming pool. However, on days with southerly winds, the sea can be less comfortable. In those cases, northern beaches such as Es Grau or Arenal d’en Castell are better options.
How to get to Cala Galdana
Cala Galdana is located 8 km south of Ferreries. The only access by car is from this village. From Ciutadella, take the Cala Galdana road at the roundabout just before entering Ferreries. From Maó, continue past Ferreries on the main road until you reach the Cala Galdana roundabout after a tunnel. At the beach there are several car parks, although in July and August they tend to fill up quickly.
Distance from Ciutadella to Cala Galdana: 25.5 km, 27 min.
Distance from Maó to Cala Galdana: 37 km, 34 min.
Distance from Menorca Airport to Cala Galdana: 36 km, 32 min.
Public transport: During the tourist season there are several bus lines to Cala Galdana from Maó–Alaior–Mercadal (51), Ciutadella (52) and Ferreries (53).
Things to do and do in Cala Galdana
● Cala Galdana viewpoint: One of the best panoramic views of Cala Galdana can be enjoyed from the viewpoint at the end of Sa Punta Avenue, on top of the cliff.
● Camí de Cavalls: Cala Galdana marks the start and end of two stages of the historic Camí de Cavalls, leading to some of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches on the south coast such as Cala Mitjana, Binigaus, San Tomàs, Cala Macarella and Cala Turqueta. You can check these stages of the Camí de Cavalls in detail in our guide:
From Cala Galdana to Cala Turqueta on foot: 6.4 km, 2 h 30 min.
Cala en Turqueta – Cala Galdana. Camí de Cavalls. Entire Stage 13.
From Cala Galdana to Cala Macarella on foot: 2 km, 1 h.
Cala en Turqueta – Cala Galdana. Camí de Cavalls. Last section of Stage 13.
From Cala Galdana to Cala Mitjana on foot: 1.3 km, 30 min.
Cala Galdana – Sant Tomàs. Camí de Cavalls. First section of Stage 14. Very short, ideal for children.
● Kayak tour: One of the best activities from Cala Galdana is a kayak trip to Cala Mitjana, passing through some of the most spectacular spots on the south coast of Menorca.
● Rent a boat in Cala Galdana: Private boat trip Menorca.
Map of Cala Galdana
Why visit Cala Galdana?
Cala Galdana is perfect if you are looking for a beautiful, comfortable and family-friendly beach in Menorca. It offers the ideal combination of natural scenery, calm waters, easy access and excellent tourist facilities, making it one of the best beaches on the island for both relaxing and enjoying activities by the sea.
View all the urban and semi-urban beaches in Menorca
We all know that Menorca’s main tourist attraction is its beaches, which is why no Menorca travel guide would be complete without a beach guide. Here you’ll find a complete guide to the best beaches in Menorca, with practical travel information
A selection of the 10 best unspoiled beaches in Menorca: Cala Mitjana, Cala Turqueta, Macarella, Pregonda, Cavalleria, Tortuga and four more. Discover them!
The beach at Son Bou with its fine white sands is the longest in Menorca (3 km). The sea here is shallow, its waters clear and clean
Binigaus is the largest unspoilt beach on the south coast of Menorca, with no services and within walking distance of the nearest car park. For this reason, it is also the most popular beach in the municipality of Es Migjorn Gran.
Cala Trebalúger is one of Menorca’s most beautiful unspoiled beaches. It is framed by limestone cliffs and shaded by pine trees that reach down to the shoreline. The beach is marked by the mouth of the Son Fideu ravine stream.
Cala Galdana, a place of outstanding natural beauty, is today one of the most important urbanised beaches in Menorca. It is a very popular tourist beach surrounded by a large resort area offering all kinds of services.
The Cala Mitjana and Cala Mitjaneta area is one of those places that leaves no one indifferent — an unspoiled beach surrounded by pine trees and turquoise waters that are simply irresistible for swimming.
Is Cala Macarella the most photographed and most visited beach in Menorca during the summer months? Probably yes — and for good reason. Cala Macarella is a postcard-perfect beach that everyone wants to see at least once.
Cala Turqueta is one of the most famous unspoilt beaches on the south coast of Menorca. It has everything many of us are looking for: fine white sand, surrounded by pine trees, and crystal-clear water that, as its name suggests… is turquoise.
The Son Saura del Sud beaches, in the municipality of Ciutadella de Menorca, are among the largest unspoilt beaches on the south coast, with the shade of a splendid pine forest behind them and easy access by car.
Cala Algaiarens, also known as the La Vall beaches, is a group of two unspoilt beaches on the north coast of Menorca, easily accessible, with no services and located within an area declared a Natural Area of Special Interest.
Cala Pilar is an unspoilt beach on the north coast of Menorca with no car access, located in an incomparable natural setting. The walk to reach this corner of the world is well worth it.
Cala Pregonda is one of Menorca’s iconic beaches, with a unique landscape dominated by varied geological colours and the islets that protect it from northern winds.
Binimel·là Beach is a coarse-sand beach with different colour tones, virtually unspoilt yet easily accessible by car, located in the heart of the North Menorca Marine Reserve.
Cavalleria beach is one of the largest beaches on the north coast of Menorca. Unspoilt, surrounded by rugged nature, with no services, easy car access and watched over by the Cavalleria Lighthouse. A must-see.
The Son Saura del Nord sandy beach is a large beach with fine white sand, urbanised, and home to one of the largest and most spectacular dune systems in Menorca.
Arenal d’en Castell is one of the largest and most spectacular beaches in Menorca, but also one of the most urbanised, very touristy and with all kinds of services right on the beach.
Cala Tortuga and Cala Presili are two neighbouring beaches on the east coast of Menorca, watched over by the Favàritx lighthouse, which you can admire while swimming in the crystal-clear waters of these two unspoilt coves in the S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park.
If you are visiting Menorca with young children, you should know that Es Grau beach is the family beach par excellence in Menorca. It is the largest beach in the S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park, is protected by Colom Island, and is located next to the summer resort village of Es Grau.
The beach is associated with the summer residential area of Sa Mesquida, where many families from Maó spend their summers. As it is very well preserved and relatively separated from the urbanised area, it is a practically unspoilt beach.
The beach of Punta Prima is the tourist beach par excellence of the municipality of Sant Lluís. It offers a significant range of hotels and is equipped with all the beach services you may need.
Thanks to the good conservation of the immediate surroundings of the Binibèquer beach, and despite being surrounded by the Binibèquer Nou residential area, it feels as if you were on an unspoilt beach, surrounded by pine trees, with crystal-clear waters and fine white sand.
The cala en Porter beach is located very close to one of the largest residential areas on the south coast of Menorca. Nestled between high cliffs that block the incoming swell, it is a natural pool ideal for families spending their holidays in Menorca with children.