Illa de l’Aire (Sant Lluís, Menorca)

The Illa de l’Aire (Isla del Aire) is the low islet with the tall lighthouse about 1.5 km off Punta Prima, at the south-east tip of Menorca in the municipality of Sant Lluís. You see it from the beach at Punta Prima, but you cannot land: the Balearic tourism portal says access to the island is not permitted, to protect its colony of endemic lizards. The sea around it is a marine reserve and very popular with divers, with caves, Posidonia meadows and old wrecks. It suits divers, snorkellers and people on a boat or kayak trip; skip it if you want to walk on the island or visit the lighthouse.

Quick facts

• Names: Illa de l’Aire in Catalan, Isla del Aire in Spanish. Sometimes called “lizard island” in English guides.
• Where: off Punta Prima, Sant Lluís, south-east Menorca. About 1.5 km from the Menorca coast (Balearic government); 11 km from Maó and 7 km from Sant Lluís to the beach at Punta Prima.
• Coordinates: 39.8014, 4.2917 (islet, OpenStreetMap). Lighthouse: 39.7995, 4.2932.
• Size: about 45 ha (Balearic marine reserves service).
• Landing: not permitted at present (illesbalears.travel).
• Lighthouse: lit in 1860; at 35.3 m it was the tallest lighthouse tower in the Balearics until 1977. It is the only lighthouse on an islet in Menorca.
• Marine reserve: Reserva Marina de l’Illa de l’Aire, created by Decree 26/2019 of 12 April; about 719 ha, of which 454 ha are a special diving zone.
• Heritage: the seabed around the island has been an archaeological site of cultural interest (BIC) since 2010, with fifteen underwater sites, wrecks and anchors.

Access and parking

To see it from land: drive to Punta Prima. From Maó (11 km) or Sant Lluís (7 km), follow signs for Urbanització Punta Prima; there is a large car park near the beach (illesbalears.travel, Punta Prima). The 200 m beach looks straight at the islet and at the small rock of s’Illot des Cagaires in front of it.

By sea: dive centres and boat trips go out to the reserve; a kayak or paddleboard from Punta Prima is also an option on calm days, as the beach is listed as good for both. We could not confirm current boat operators, times or prices. Whatever boat you are on, the island itself stays off limits.

Landing is not allowed. The Balearic tourism portal says that “at present, access to the Illa de l’Aire is not permitted” to protect its high ecological value and its abundant colony of an endemic subspecies of Balearic lizard (illesbalears.travel, lighthouses of Menorca).

What to expect

From the shore, the Illa de l’Aire is a low, flat island crowned by its lighthouse. Under water it is far more interesting. The Balearic marine reserves service describes Posidonia meadows in the strait between the islet and Menorca, rocky seabeds around the island and many caves and hollows in the limestone, which make it very popular with divers. Currents often meet here, and 634 marine species have been recorded. The service estimated some 2,000 recreational dives a year before the reserve was created (Reservas marinas, Illa de l’Aire).

On land, the island is known for its black lizard, Podarcis lilfordi lilfordi, an endemic subspecies; this is the reason landing is closed.

Diving and boating rules

These are the main rules on the Balearic government’s pages for the reserve (regulated activities) and in Order 11/2026 of 5 June 2026 (BOIB no. 73, 11 June 2026):

• Speed: boats must stay below 10 knots inside the reserve, to cut underwater noise.
• Scuba diving: allowed, except inside the underwater caves of the Illa de l’Aire. You need an individual or group permit from the Balearic fisheries department.
• Group dives: take place preferably at two buoyed points, Illot des Cagaires and Cap de Llebeig, one at each end of the island. These buoys are only for authorised dive centres, go in in April and come out in October, and boats tied to them may be at most 12 m long.
• Snorkelling and freediving: free throughout the reserve.
• No fishing gear on dives: divers may not carry anything that can be used to fish or collect marine life, in the water or on the boat, except a safety knife.
• Fishing: recreational fishing from a boat needs a three-year authorisation; in the special diving zone only rod fishing is allowed, and not from the island.
• Questions: Servicio de Recursos Marinos, reservesmarines@dgpesca.caib.es.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

The dive buoys are in place from April to October, which is also the main season for boat trips. Punta Prima’s shallow beach is busiest in summer. For photos of the lighthouse from the shore, any clear day works.

Nearby alternatives

• Maó Harbour, 10 km away: Menorca’s capital and its long natural harbour.
• Camí de Cavalls, 10 km away (to our map point): the long-distance coastal path around Menorca.
• Illa d’en Colom, 18 km away: the other big Menorca islet, where you can land on two public beaches.
• Cala Mitjana, 31 km away: a cove on Menorca’s south coast, in Ferreries.
• Cala Macarelleta, 34 km away: a small cove in Ciutadella.

Distances are in a straight line from the Illa de l’Aire.

FAQ

Can you visit the Illa de l’Aire?

Not on foot. The Balearic tourism portal says access to the island is not permitted at present, to protect its endemic lizards. You can see it from Punta Prima or from a boat, and dive in the marine reserve around it.

Can you visit the Illa de l’Aire lighthouse?

No, because the island is closed to visitors. The lighthouse dates from 1860 and is 35.3 m tall.

Can you dive at the Illa de l’Aire?

Yes, with a permit, except inside the underwater caves. Group dives use two buoyed points for authorised dive centres, from April to October. Snorkelling is free.

How far is the Illa de l’Aire from Punta Prima?

About 1.5 km from the Menorca coast. Punta Prima is 11 km from Maó and 7 km from Sant Lluís, with a large car park near the beach.

Is there a speed limit around the Illa de l’Aire?

Yes. Since Order 11/2026 of June 2026, boats must stay below 10 knots inside the marine reserve.

Sources and freshness