Camí de Cavalls. Stage 8:
Platges d’Algaiarens – Cala Morell
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 begins at the second of the two car-parks used by those heading for the beaches at Algaiarens (worth returning to on a non-walking day). The path heads into the forest and reaches Ses Fontanilles in 10 minutes. Continue alongside the sea, with good views of the beaches of Algaiarens and Punta Roja, as far as the pebble beach of Biniatram. Soon you leave this attractive coastline and head inland on a path that will take you to the first houses of the built-up area of Cala Morell. Continue through the streets of this resort for 25 minutes until you reach the Necropolis of Cala Morell, just a few meters before the end of the stage.
Distance: 5,4 km • Difficulty: Easy • Estimated walking time: 1 h 30 m
Be sure to shut all gates after you, since they are used to control the cattle.
The surroundings
This stage of the Camí de Cavalls leaves behind the fertile fields and woods of La Vall d’Algaiarens and heads into a dry scrubby landscape dominated by low scattered plants such as winter heath, rosemary and chamomile. There are also interesting stands of dwarf fan-palm, a palm that is endemic to the Mediterranean. Cala Morell is also of great geological interest as the exact place where the two great geological zones – north and south – of Menorca meet. This means that here you will find many interesting rock outcrops, of which the best known is the Roca de l’Elefant, which presides over the beach of Cala Morell and is visible from the highest points of the resort and from the beach.
Don’t miss
• Algaiarens beaches: Group of two unspoilt beaches consisting of Es Tancats and Es Bot, with a small wetland behind the latter.
• Aljub de Corniola: A perfectly preserved water cistern. These cisterns were built to collect and store rainwater and consist of large sloping platforms from where water was channelled into a purpose-built (or hewn from the bare rock) well.
• Necròpolis de cala Morell: A group of 14 burial chambers hewn from the bare rock that were used from the pre-Talaiotic period up to the second century AD. Just before reaching the beach you will come to a small car park at the entrance to the necropolis. More information about Cala Morell necropolis.
• Cala Morell: This beach that is well protected from the southerly and easterly winds. It is 9 km north of Ciutadella and, thanks to the diving platforms and its calm shallow transparent waters, is a perfect place for diving. More information about another interesting points to snorkel in Menorca.
Services
• Algaiarens beaches: Unspoilt beach with no facilities.
• Cala Morell: The resort has a few shops and restaurants with good views of the beach that are open during the high season.
How to get there
The beaches of Algaiarens and Cala Morell are 10 km north of Ciutadella. From the roundabout to the north of the town, take the road towards Cala Morell. After just over 6 km, you come to the road to the right that leads to the beach of Algaiarens. After 3.5 km you come to the first car-park and then to another just a few metres behind the beach.
A bus runs to Cala Morell from Ciutadella in the high season. Check out bus times and frequencies (that vary according to the season).
Accommodation and logistics on Camí de Cavalls
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.
Also, you have to bear in mind that there are sections where you will not find any kind of accommodation for kilometers around. That is the case of the 33,5 km section between Cala Tirant and Cala Morell. 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 stage 8 of 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…