Cala Macarelleta (Ciutadella, Menorca)

Cala Macarelleta is a small white-sand cove on the south coast of Menorca, about 14 km from Ciutadella, in the same bay as the larger Cala Macarella. You drive (or take the summer bus) to the Macarella car parks at the end of the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, then walk: the official tourist board puts it about 5 minutes on foot from Cala Macarella. There are no services on the sand and nudist bathing is allowed. It suits swimmers and walkers who can carry their own water and food; skip it if you need toilets, a bar or step-free access next to the beach.

Quick facts

• Names: Cala Macarelleta, or simply Macarelleta, the Menorcan diminutive of Macarella. Spelled the same in Catalan and Spanish.
• Where: south coast of the municipality of Ciutadella de Menorca, between the Castellet de Macarella and Cala Macarella, about 14 km from Ciutadella (Catalan Wikipedia).
• Coordinates: 39.9362, 3.9349.
• Size: 48 m long and 30 m wide according to the national beach data on spain.info; the Balearic tourist board gives about 20 m by 40 m. Either way, it is small.
• Sand and water: fine white sand, usually calm water.
• Protection: part of the Àrea Natural d’Especial Interès (ANEI) of the Costa Sud de Ciutadella.
• Facilities: none on the beach beyond litter bins and cleaning. Free toilets and a café are mapped at Cala Macarella, about 300 m away.
• Entry: free. Parking near Macarella can be paid; see below.

Access and parking

By car: from Ciutadella, follow the signs for the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, which leads first towards Cala en Turqueta and then to Cala Macarella (Balearic tourist board, which gives 17.8 km from Ciutadella to Macarella). The board warns that in summer access is controlled: when the car park is full, no more visitors are let in.

Parking: OpenStreetMap shows two car parks. A paid one, “Parking de pagament Macarella”, lies about 0.8 km in a straight line from Macarelleta. A free gravel car park, “Parking Macarella”, is about 1.2 km away. Catalan Wikipedia describes the same choice: about half an hour on foot from the free car park, or about 10 minutes from the paid one. We could not confirm the 2026 parking fee.

By bus: OpenStreetMap maps the “Macarella” stop beside the free car park, served by line 69 Ciutadella–Macarella run by Autocares Torres. We could not open the operator’s timetable, so check the season, times and fares before you rely on it.

The walk: from Cala Macarella, a path on the right leads to Macarelleta in about 5 minutes (Balearic tourist board). OpenStreetMap maps this stretch as part of the Camí de Cavalls coastal path. From the road end the whole walk is about 1.5 km (spain.info).

What to expect

A small, isolated beach of very fine white sand, bordered by cliffs and dense pine woods. The water is clear and turquoise, and spain.info notes that the pines give some shade. The tourist board describes it as unaffected, with no services, and says you can bathe naked here.

It is busy. Spain.info rates its occupancy as high and calls it one of the most popular beaches in Menorca, together with Macarella next door. With a beach this size, a full day in July or August means a crowded strip of sand.

Practical details

• Bring drinking water, food and proper shoes; the tourist board says so for both Macarella and Macarelleta.
• Nothing is sold on Macarelleta itself. OpenStreetMap maps a café (“Susy”) and free toilets behind Cala Macarella; we could not confirm their 2026 opening times.
• Take your rubbish back with you. The cove is inside a protected natural area.
• OpenStreetMap maps rules and nature boards and a guidepost where the path leaves Cala Macarella.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

Go early in the morning, or in spring and autumn, when the car parks fill more slowly and the beach has space. In summer, the board’s warning applies: once the car park is full, the road is closed to further visitors, so a late start can mean no access by car at all.

Nearby alternatives

• Cala Macarella, 0.3 km away: the larger sister beach in the same bay, with a café and toilets mapped behind the sand.
• Cala en Turqueta, 1.7 km west along the Camí de Cavalls: another white-sand cove in the same protected area, with its own car park.
• Platja des Talaier, 2.9 km west: a sandy cove on the same coastal path.
• Naveta des Tudons, 8.3 km away: our guide to the historic site near Ciutadella.
• Maó Harbour, 29 km away: our guide to the harbour at the eastern end of the island.

Distances are in a straight line from the cove.

FAQ

How do I get to Cala Macarelleta?

Drive or take the bus from Ciutadella to the Macarella car parks at the end of the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, then walk. From Cala Macarella it is about 5 minutes on a path to the right; from the free car park, about half an hour.

Is there parking at Cala Macarelleta?

Not at the beach. There is a paid car park about 0.8 km away and a free one about 1.2 km away, both on the Macarella side. In summer the road is closed once the car park is full.

Is Cala Macarelleta a nudist beach?

Nudist bathing is allowed, according to the Balearic tourist board.

Can you swim at Cala Macarelleta?

Yes. The water is clear and usually calm. We could not confirm lifeguard cover, so swim within your limits.

Are there toilets or a bar at Macarelleta?

No. The nearest toilets and café are mapped at Cala Macarella, about 300 m away, with more toilets at the free car park.

Sources and freshness