A wide inlet on the south coast of Menorca, in the municipality of Alaior, Cala en Porter lies below limestone cliffs that close the bay on both sides. It was one of the earliest beach resorts developed on the island; villas and terrace bars now cover the eastern cliff, while the western one is left bare. The sand runs into shallow, clear water with an area marked off for swimmers. Cova d'en Xoroi, the nightclub in the caves, sits in the cliff above, and the Talayotic settlement of Son Rotger and the Biniadrís Cave lie nearby.
Cala en Porter
Wide sand cove on Menorca's south coast, framed by high limestone cliffs with a nightclub cut into the rock.
- Entrance
- Free. Sunbeds and umbrellas are hired on the beach — €20 for two sunbeds and one umbrella; kayaks and pedalos also for hire.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible parking and a wheelchair-accessible entrance.
- Parking
- Free car park behind the beach, plus paid parking and free street parking. The nearest car park is about 165 m away, a second about 195 m. Spaces near the beach go by 9:30.
- Difficulty
- Easy: about a five-minute walk to the sand from a parking space near the beach. A separate path runs off the left-hand side of the beach along the cliff.
- Transport
- Bus stop Mirador Platja on Passeig Marítim (stop 3345), about 150 m away; Sa Païssa on Avinguda Central (stop 3330), about 420 m. Daily bus to Mahón.
- Advance booking
- Not needed — sunbeds and umbrellas are hired on the beach.
- Hours
- Open at any time — the beach is neither gated nor ticketed.
- Address
- Passeig Marítim, 17, 07730 Cala en Porter, Illes Balears, Spain
What makes it special
The water is the first thing — clear enough to watch shoals of small fish over the sand, shallow close in, with an area marked off for swimmers. The cove is a wide inlet with high limestone cliffs on either side, one left bare and the other covered in villas and terrace bars, and a path off the left-hand side of the beach opens out views back over the bay. Cova d'en Xoroi, the nightclub in the caves, sits in the cliff above the water. The beach stays quieter than most on this coast, loungers are usually free through the day, and kayaks and pedalos with slides make it easy going with young children.
Good to know
- No shade: there is no natural shade on the beach, and the sun comes back off the white sand and the water — bring cover or hire an umbrella.
- Parking: get there before 9:30 for a space near the beach, from which it is about a five-minute walk to the sand.
- Jellyfish: a southerly wind washes them into the bay, so look at the water before the children go in.
- Rough sea: on a windy day the cove loses most of its appeal — check the forecast before committing to the drive.
- Public toilets by the slipway are free to use; there is no drinking water on the beach or nearby, so bring what you need.
Getting there
Cars come in through the resort and stop in the streets behind the beach; the nearest car park is about 165 m away, with a second about 195 m. Arrive early enough to use them — from a space near the beach it is roughly a five-minute walk to the sand. The seafront bus stop, Mirador Platja, is about 150 m away, and a second stop, Sa Païssa, sits on Avinguda Central about 420 m off; a bus runs daily to Mahón. Son Bou is around 20 minutes away by car. At the beach itself, a path leads off the left-hand side and out along the cliff.
Best time to visit
Best: early, before 9:30, and October.
Avoid: windy days, when the sea turns rough.
Early arrivals get a parking space near the beach and the sand before the sun is high; by October the crowds have gone and the resort is quiet. With no natural shade at all, the middle of the day is the hardest part of a beach day here, and in a rough sea the swimming is not worth the trip.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Cala en Porter on the map
The limestone cliffs above the cove drop straight to the water and the edge is eroding — keep well back from it, and stay off any stretch of the cliff path that is closed. In a rough sea, do not go in.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a charge to use the beach?
No. The beach is free; sunbeds, umbrellas, kayaks and pedalos are hired on the spot.Is parking free, and will there be space?
There is a free car park behind the beach, along with paid parking and free street parking. The free spaces fill up, so arrive before 9:30 if you want to be near the beach.Are there toilets and drinking water?
Public toilets sit by the slipway and are free to use. There is no drinking water tap at the beach or nearby — bring your own.Is it suitable for young children?
Yes. The sand runs into shallow water with an area marked off for swimmers, and kayaks and pedalos with slides are for hire. When the wind blows from the south, jellyfish can be pushed into the bay, so check the water first.Can you get here by bus?
Yes. Buses stop on the seafront at Mirador Platja and inland at Sa Païssa on Avinguda Central, with a daily service to Mahón.