Camí de Cavalls. Stage 11:
Ciutadella de Menorca – Cap d’Artrutx
The route of stage 11 of the Camí de Cavalls crosses Ciutadella and a large part of the residential areas on the western coast of Menorca. From Cala Blanca, it follows a flat and largely even path, tracing a coastline of sea cliffs until reaching Cap d’Artrutx.
This stage begins at the old ferry terminal in the old port of Ciutadella. Take Carrer de Santa Bàrbara and then Carrer sa Moradeta around the Plans de Sant Joan as far as Plaça des Born. Once across Plaça dels Pins, take Carrer de Mallorca to leave Ciutadella via La Platja Gran. After turning right at a roundabout, from here on you walk through a number of residential areas, past the new ferry terminal and Cala Santandria as far as Cala Blanca. In all, 9.5 km on roads. From Cala Blanca, the flat but stony path follows the line of the coast as far as the end of the stage, 1 km from the lighthouse on Cap d’Artrutx.
Distance: 13.2 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 4 h
SHORTER ALTERNATIVE WITHOUT ROADS
Cala Blanca – Cap d’Artrtux
If you want to avoid the 9.5 km of road and built-up areas, you could just walk the stretch between Cala Blanca and the end of the stage. The time you save could be profitably used to wander around the old centre of Ciutadella.
Distance:3.7 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 1 h 30 min
ALTERNATIVE VIA OLD PORT OF CIUTADELLA
Although this alternative avoids the old port of Ciutadella, you can make a short detour at the beginning of the stage to visit this part of this fascinating town. You can get there if, instead of continuing along Carrer de Santa Bàrbara, you go down the first turning on your right. You can walk right to the end of the port, where a short uphill section will take you up to the Plaça dels Pins, where you can rejoin the stage proper. This alternative is shorter and highly recommendable.
ALTERNATIVE TO THE STAGE (Ciutadella – Son Xoriguer)
If you are following the Camí de Cavalls as a long-distance footpath and want to combine this stage with the next (Cap d’Artrutx – Cala en Turqueta) and avoid the roads, you could in fact miss out this first stage. During the high season a bus runs from Ciutadella to Son Xoriguer, from where you can pick up the path to Cala en Turqueta. Nevertheless, if you decide on this option, don’t forget to have a quick wander through the streets of the old town of Ciutadella and its port.
During the high season there is a bus from Ciutadella to Cala Santandria, Cala Blanca, Cap d’Artrtux and Son Xoriguer that can help shorten this stage if desired. Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
The surroundings
This stage can be divided into two very different halves. The first half passes through Ciutadella and much of the residential suburbs of Menorca’s western coastline. Nevertheless, you should take advantage of this to explore the old streets and buildings of Ciutadella. 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 with an abundance of socarells (Launaea cervicornis). This plant is endemic to the Balearic islands and flowers at the end of spring.
Don’t miss
• Ciutadella: It is well worth wandering around the old port and getting to know the narrow streets of the old city.
• Santandria tower: Defence tower constructed during the second period of English occupation (1799). This stage circumnavigates Cala Santandria and passes close by this defence tower.
• Prehistoric house: Remains of a house from the pre-Talaiotic period (2000–1500 BC) standing just behind the beach at Cala Blanca.
Nearby sites of interest
• Artrutx lighthouse: Built in 1858 and automated in the 1980s, this lighthouse is an excellent place to enjoy the sunset with the island of Mallorca as a backdrop. Today, a bar-restaurant operates in the lighthouse during the high season. More information.
Services
• Ciutadella: All visitors’ needs can be catered for in the city.
• Cala Blanca, Cala Santandria i Cap d’Artutx: Along much of this route there are bars, restaurants and small supermarkets open, above all, near the beaches and in the high season.
How to get there
Both ends of the stage are accessible by car (Ciutadella and Cap d’Artrutx) and both have plenty of space for parking. If you want to cut the route short, take the car or bus to Santandria or Cala Blanca.
Cap d’Artrutx is 12 km south of Ciutadella if you follow the town’s southern ring-road and take the road all the way to Cala Blanca. To reach the end of the stage, turn right to pick the promenade (Passeig Marítim), just where the built-up part of Cap d’Artrutx begins.
During the high season there is a bus from Ciutadella to Cap d’Artrutx, Cala Santandria and Cala Blanca that can help shorten this stage if desired. Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
Accommodation and logistics on Camí de Cavalls
Find accommodation in Ciutadella.
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 stahe 11 of the Camí de Cavalls
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…