Camí de Cavalls. Stage 3:
Cap de Favàritx – Arenal d’en Castell
A large part of stage 3 of the Camí de Cavalls runs through the s’Albufera des Grau Natural Park, where you can enjoy a wide variety of landscapes before reaching one of the most well-known developed beaches in northern Menorca.
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls begins at Cap de Favàritx, 1 km before the eponymous lighthouse. First, follow the road to the lighthouse inland for 2 km before turning right onto the coastal path. After climbing a small hill giving good views over the north coast, drop down to the beach of Pou d’en Caldes. Wooden boardwalks take you across a small stream, after which you enter an area of fields and pastures before joining a road, Camí d’Addaia. Turn right, but be aware of the cars that pass along this road. Soon you reach the gates to the estate of Mongofre Nou where the path enters the Addaia or Mongofre saltpans. The Camí de Cavalls continues along the side of the main inlet of the port of Addaia as far as the first houses of the resort of Addaia. From here you have to walk 3.5 km through this built-up area, then a further 750 m along the road and, finally, through the built-up areas of Coves Noves and Arenal d’en Castell. This stage ends at the far western end of the beach.
Distance: 13,6 km • Difficulty: Average • Estimated walking time: 4 h
Be sure to shut all gates after you since they are used to control the cattle
Keep an eye out for cars as quite a lot of this stage is along roads that are fairly busy in summer and have no facilities for pedestrians.
Please be aware of the breeding birds and respect the environment in the stretch of the path that passes through the Addaia saltpans.
SHORTER ALTERNATIVES AVOIDING ROADS
Favàritx – Addaia
If you want to walk this stretch of the Camí de Cavalls as a ‘there-and-back’ walk, you should avoid the road between Addaia and Arenal d’en Castell (but not the first 2 km of road on Cap Favàritx). In Addaia, the path towards Favàritx begins at the end of the street Carrer Fontanilles, where you can park.
Distance: 9,7 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 3 h
The surroundings
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. The first part passes through low coastal scrub with an important concentration of the endemic socarell plant communities. After passing through the small stand of tamarisks behind the beach of Pou de Caldes, you enter fields and pastures and then pinewoods as you approach the road to Camí d’Addaia. This road is flanked by the cliffs of Capell de Ferro, with its outcrops of siliceous sandstones, which run as far as the Addaia saltpans. These saltpans are now abandoned but have become an important site for breeding and migratory birds. Please respect them. Before reaching the built-up area, check the waters of the inlet of Port d’Addaia for the ospreys that come to fish in these peaceful waters.
Nearby sites of interest
• Favàritx lighthouse: This lighthouse is just 500 from the beach of S’Escala and was the first built from concrete in the Balearic Islands. It is 28-m high, and its black spiral painted on a white background makes it unmistakeable. More information.
• Addaia saltpans: Interesting wetland for wintering, breeding and migratory birds. These saltpans were built in 1845 and operated until 1990. They were the last active saltpans in Menorca and were worked on a totally artisan basis.
• Addaia tower: Defence tower built by the English in 1801 during their third period of occupation (1798-1802). It stands in Cala Molí (Addaia), almost at the end of the built-up area. It cannot be visited, as it is located within a private garden.
Services
• Favàritx cape: No facilities.
• Addaia: Resort with a few shops, bars, restaurants and a supermarket.
• Arenal d’en Castell: Large built-up area with all types of tourists facilities.
How to get to Cape Favàritx
Cape Favàritx is located 17 km from the town of Maó. To get there, take the Fornells road that starts at the roundabout at the far end of Maó harbour. After 8.5 km, you will find the road to Cape Favàritx on the right-hand side.
From both Mercadal and Fornells, the distance is approximately 26 km. Between these two towns you will find the road towards Maó. Follow it for 12.5 km until you reach the Favàritx road on the left.
About 2 km before the lighthouse there is a car park. It is recommended to leave your car in this car park, as parking is not allowed anywhere else along the road.
During the tourist season, Cape Favàritx can be reached by a shuttle bus service departing from the Maó bus station (Line 43). Check timetable, schedules and frequency.
How to get to Addaia
Addaia is located 17 km from Maó, 11 km from Alaior and 16 km from Mercadal. To get there from Maó, take the Fornells road that starts at the roundabout at the far end of Maó harbour. After about 14 km, you will reach the camí d’Addaia roundabout, where you should turn right and then turn right again towards Addaia port.
From both Es Mercadal and Fornells, the distance is approximately 16 km. Between these two towns you will find the road towards Maó. Follow it for 7.5 km until you reach the Addaia roundabout, where you should turn left.
From Alaior, take the Subaida road, which leads to the beaches of the north coast and to Addaia. The trail towards Cape Favàritx begins at the end of Fontanilles Street, where you can leave your vehicle.
During the tourist season, there is a bus service Alaior – Addaia (Line 44). Check timetables and frequency depending on the time of year.
How to get to Arenal d’en Castell
Arenal d’en Castell is located just over 2 km from Addaia, leaving the turn-offs to Addaia, Cala Molí and Na Macaret on the right. The stage ends at the western end of the beach.
During the tourist season, there is a bus service Maó – Es Mercadal – Arenal d’en Castell (Line 41). Check timetables and frequency depending on the time of year.
Accommodation and logistics on Camí de Cavalls
Search for accommodation in Arenal d’en Castell.
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 3: Cap de Favàritx – Arenal d’en Castell
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…