Castell de Sant Antoni

Castell de Sant Antoni

Ruined 17th-century fort at the mouth of Fornells harbour, with wide views over the water.

Castell de Sant Antoni stands on the point at the entrance to Fornells harbour, in the municipality of Es Mercadal on the north coast of Menorca. The fortress was built in the 17th century to hold the harbour mouth, and the village of Fornells came into being because of it. It was dismantled in 1782 on the order of Carlos III, once its defensive role had gone, and only ruins remain; a restoration project has repaired many stretches of wall. Fornells Tower (Torre de Fornells) stands nearby, built to protect the castle from attack.

Parking
Customer-only parking about 77 m away; free parking about 226 m away
Difficulty
Walk in from parking about 226 m away in a straight line; uneven ground among the ruins, fully exposed to the wind
Transport
Fornells bus stop, about 408 m away; Les Salines stop about 2 km away
Hours
Daily 09:30–13:00
Address
Carrer dels Vivers, 10, 07748 Fornells, Illes Balears, Spain

What makes it special

The fort held the entrance to Fornells harbour for 150 years, and the village behind it exists because of it. What is left is low ruin on an open point: repaired walls, the outline of the rooms, notices telling the story of life inside, and the harbour opening out in front of you. The wind belongs to the place as much as the stone does — the northerlies that scour this coast wore the fort down alongside the demolition of 1782, and they still come across the point hard enough to take a hat off. The ground is a good one for photographs over the water. Come for the setting and the story; the building itself is largely gone.

Good to know

  • Ruins, and little more. What stands is low wall and open ground; some of it has been repaired, and maintenance is patchy.
  • The site is not open all day. Opening hours are limited, so check them before setting out or you will arrive at a closed gate.
  • No drinking water at the ruins or nearby — bring your own. Free toilets sit about 391 m away.
  • An information office, Casa del Contramestre, is about 187 m from the castle.
  • Bring a windproof layer. The point is fully exposed to the northerly wind, and there is no shade or shelter on the site.

Getting there

The castle sits out on the point where Fornells harbour meets the open sea, at the edge of the village. Arrival is by car for most people: the closest parking, about 77 m away, belongs to a business and is for its customers, while free parking sits about 226 m away in a straight line. The last stretch is on foot either way. The Fornells bus stop is about 408 m from the ruins, and Les Salines about 2 km. An information office, Casa del Contramestre, stands about 187 m away.

Best time to visit

Best: the morning — it is the only part of the day the site is open, and the walk out to the point is easier before the sun is high.

Avoid: afternoons, when the site is closed, and days of hard northern wind. The ruins stand on open ground at the harbour mouth with nothing to shelter behind, and in rain there is no cover on the site at all.

Sun & daylight

Nearby Places

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Castell de Sant Antoni on the map

The ruins are unfenced: broken walls end in drops towards the water, and loose stone shifts underfoot. Keep children close and stay off the wall tops.

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Frequently asked questions

  1. What is actually left of the castle?

    Ruins. The fort was dismantled in 1782 and what stands is low wall, much of it repaired during a restoration project, with notices about life in the castle. There is not much to see beyond the walls and the view over the harbour.
  2. Where do you park?

    The nearest parking, about 77 m away, is for customers of the business it belongs to. Free parking sits about 226 m away in a straight line, with the last stretch on foot.
  3. Can you get there by bus?

    The Fornells stop is about 408 m from the castle, and the Les Salines stop about 2 km away.
  4. Are there toilets and drinking water?

    Free toilets are about 391 m away. There is no drinking water at the ruins or anywhere close by, so bring your own.
  5. Is it a good stop with children?

    It suits children, but the ruins are unfenced and the ground is uneven, so keep them away from the wall edges.