Pont d'en Gil is a natural sea arch cut into the limestone cliffs of Menorca's west coast, on the edge of Ciutadella. The name means Gil's Bridge in Catalan. The arch is seen from the rocky clifftop above it, and there is no way down to the water from land. It is known as one of the island's sunset viewpoints and as a subject for photographers, and the clifftop fills with people as the sun goes down.
Pont d'en Gil
Natural sea arch in the limestone cliffs near Ciutadella, seen from a bare rocky clifftop that fills at sunset.
- Entrance
- Free; open clifftop with no ticket.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: neither the parking nor the approach is step-free, and the clifftop is rocky and uneven.
- Parking
- Free car parks about 350 m (asphalt) and 485 m (unpaved) away, plus free street parking; a paid car park also exists. Fills around sunset.
- Difficulty
- A walk on foot from the car park over rocky, uneven clifftop, with sheer, unfenced drops at the edge; trainers or sturdy shoes needed.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stops: Torre del Ram, about 925 m away, and Cales Piques, about 1.1 km away.
- Advance booking
- Not needed.
- Hours
- Open at any time.
- Address
- Av. Mar, 07769 Ciutadella, Illes Balears, Spain
What makes it special
The sea runs straight through the cliff here, under a bridge of pale rock, and the water below is a deep, clear blue. You look down on it from bare clifftop rock, with open sea on every side of the view.
The evening is the draw. As the sun drops, the light on the rock and the sky shifts minute by minute, and the arch turns into the shape every camera on the headland is pointed at. The clifftop is broad, with plenty of places to stand and watch from, so even a busy evening leaves room to find your own ledge.
This is a viewpoint and nothing more: no beach, no path to the water, just the arch, the cliffs and the sea.
Good to know
- There are no toilets and no drinking water at the arch or nearby. Bring water with you.
- You cannot reach the sea from the clifftop. Come to look, and swim somewhere else.
- The ground is rocky and uneven. Wear trainers or sturdy shoes; sandals are a poor choice.
- Parking gets difficult around sunset. Arrive early, or be ready to leave the car further out and walk.
- The clifftop is bare rock with no shade, which matters on a summer afternoon.
Getting there
Most people drive. The arch sits on the coast outside Ciutadella, among the town's seaside neighbourhoods, and there are two free car parks within reach: one with an asphalt surface about 350 m away in a straight line, and an unpaved one about 485 m away. Street parking is also possible, and a paid car park exists as well.
Around sunset the nearer spaces go first. If you are happy to walk a bit further, there is plenty of room to park.
From the car, the last stretch is on foot over rocky, uneven clifftop to the viewpoint above the arch.
Without a car, the nearest bus stops are Torre del Ram, about 925 m away, and Cales Piques, about 1.1 km away.
Best time to visit
Best: sunset, arriving well before the sun goes down; or the morning, if you want the arch without the evening crowd.
Avoid: turning up by car right at sunset, and the middle of a summer day.
The clifftop is at its busiest as the light changes in the evening, and by then the parking is hard to find; at midday the bare rock offers no shade at all.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Pont d'en Gil on the map
The clifftop ends in sheer drops to the sea, with no fence along the edge and rocky, uneven ground underfoot. Keep well back from the edge, especially when the sunset crowd is jostling for photos.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you swim or get down to the water at Pont d'en Gil?
No. The arch is seen from the clifftop, and there is no way down to the water from land. The ground is rocky, with sheer drops.Where do you park for Pont d'en Gil?
There are car parks about 350 m and 485 m away, plus street parking. Around sunset they fill up, so arrive early or park further out and walk.When is the best time to visit Pont d'en Gil?
Sunset is the main event, and also the busiest time. For the arch with fewer people around, come in the morning.Are there toilets or water at Pont d'en Gil?
No. There are no toilets and no drinking water at the arch or nearby, so bring what you need.