How to Spend 3 Days in Menorca

While visitors tend to flock to Menorca for its beaches first and foremost, this pocket-size Balearic gem offers plenty more. With three days at your disposal, there’s time to enjoy its pretty towns, prehistoric relics, and sleepy countryside, as well as sailing trips and water sports. Here’s how to get the most out of 72 hours on Menorca.

Day 1: Sea, Sands, and Sailing

Devote day one to Menorca’s top draws: the sandy coves and turquoise waters that offer up all manner of water-sports opportunities and the chance to simply lounge in the sun. Take a Jet Ski tour to whiz past beaches and bays, join a boat trip, or choose a kayaking tour to learn how to paddle and follow a guide to hidden coves and swim stops. In the afternoon, take a catamaran trip—it’s a relaxing way to enjoy the coast and access bays perfect for snorkeling. Alternatively, swap the beach for a spot of culture at the Binissues Natural Sciences Museum. Set in the countryside, this indoor-outdoor attraction showcases traditional life with craft demos, re-enactments, and food tastings. Come dusk, view the sunset and the island from the water on an evening sailboat cruise.

Day 2: Getting Out and About

Now that you’ve enjoyed Menorca’s beaches, delve into its towns, countryside, and sights. Get an all-round picture on a grand tour that covers highlights such as historical Ciutadella, Mt. Toro, and the island’s megalithic sites—ancient stones left by the Talaiotic peoples around 3,000 years ago. If you prefer to explore independently, rent a scooter for the day to zip around Menorca’s country lanes and villages. Outdoor enthusiasts, meanwhile, can hike the Cami de Cavalls footpath that winds along Menorca’s southern coast. Or, if you’re hungry for adventure, take off on a Jeep safari, heading off-road to discover secret coves and gorges and checking out landmarks such as the Cavalleria lighthouse.

Day 3: Water Sports and Water Parks

Menorca’s beaches and water sports beckon again today. Go all out for thrills with a high-in-the-air flyboarding session, or try snorkeling with a motorized sea-scooter to expand your exploring range and speed effortlessly through the water. Alternatively, book a stand-up paddleboarding tour—learning the technique from an instructor and discovering coves inaccessible from land—or opt for luxury on a private catamaran cruise along the island’s rugged coast. For family fun, make tracks for Menorca’s water parks. If you haven’t already taken a catamaran trip, save it for tonight—cutting through the waves and watching the sunset over drinks and nibbles. Alternatively, go restaurant-hopping at Menorca’s seaside towns—perhaps hitting Mahon or Ciutadella for the pick of harborfront eateries.