Snorkelling at Cala Macarella, through caves and grottoes on the south coast of Menorca
The cliffs that plunge into the sea at the eastern end, with their grottoes and small cavities, are the most attractive spot for snorkelling at Cala Macarella.
Cala Macarella beach
Cala Macarella is a clear example of the typical cove found on the south coast of Menorca: white sand, turquoise blue waters, tall limestone crags and green pine forests. Due to its beauty and unspoilt nature, this cove — along with its neighbour Macarelleta — is one of the most popular with visitors to the island, becoming very crowded during the summer months. The cove has a relatively wide sandy beach flanked by vertical walls of white rock up to thirty metres high.
Due to the karst nature of these rocks, the walls are full of holes, grottoes and small caves that extend into the submerged section. From the beach you can see how some of these caves have been converted and used as weekend retreats. This use of caves and cavities, along with their use as boat garages, is common all along the island’s coastline and is one of its distinctive features.
The seabed at Cala Macarella
Both at Macarella and Macarelleta, the central seabeds are predominantly sandy and not very attractive for snorkelling, although the more observant among you may spot a sole or similar flatfish camouflaged on the sandy bottom. The sides of the cove are covered by small patches of posidonia, and in this environment you may come across a group of salema fish feeding on the leaves of this seagrass plant.
Where the vertical wall begins you will find some fallen boulders covered by communities of light-loving algae, where you can see species such as dictyotales (flat algae with Y-shaped divisions), Halopteris scoparia (in the form of tufts) and the introduced species Asparagopsis taxiformis. But without doubt, the rocks that plunge into the sea — especially the one at the eastern end, with its grottoes and small cavities — are the most attractive spot in the cove for underwater exploration.
On these walls you can find algae from shadier areas, starfish and some anemones such as the yellow encrusting anemone and the beadlet anemone. But perhaps the most interesting thing is to observe the morphology and colours of the different sponge species such as Crambe crambe and Ircinia variabilis that coat these rocks with little light exposure.
If you want to discover the seabed of Menorca with an exclusive snorkelling experience alongside an experienced underwater guide, Olives Ocean offers a personalised adventure that will allow you to enjoy peace and privacy while admiring the biodiversity of its waters.
How to get to Cala Macarella
Cala Macarella is 15 km from Ciutadella. From this town you must take the road leading to the beaches of the south coast in the direction of Sant Joan de Missa. After 6 km, on your right, you must pass the turning for Son Saura beach. After about 8 km, you will reach the car park junction, which is a 15-minute walk from the beach.
This is one of the most visited beaches during the summer months. For this reason, the number of bathers is regulated by the capacity of the respective car parks. During the journey in summer, you will find signs indicating whether it is full or not. If the car parks are full, it is best to head to another beach.
During the tourist season, private cars are not permitted access to Cala Macarella and it can only be reached by shuttle bus. The bus to Cala Macarella departs from the town of Ciutadella de Menorca and has different frequencies depending on the season:
Check the season, timetables and buy shuttle bus tickets to Cala Macarella online.
You can always go on foot. From Cala Galdana you can walk to Cala Macarella in about 45 minutes by following a section of stage 13 of the Camí de Cavalls.
During the tourist season there is a bus service to Cala Galdana from Maó, Ciutadella, Alaior, Es Mercadal and Ferreries. Check timetables and frequencies by time of year.
Nearby points of interest
• Cala Macarelleta: A small, unspoilt beach with white sand and turquoise waters, highly prized and popular on the south coast of Menorca. From Cala Macarella you will find, on your right, a path carved into the clifftop rock connecting the two beaches. Please avoid walking over the beach’s dune system to encourage its regeneration.
Map of Cala Macarella
View the map Snorkelling in Menorca on Google Maps
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