2026 Menorca – Day 0 Getting to Menorca  04 04 2026

2026 Menorca Circumnavigation – Liverpool Canoe Club

Day 0 Getting to Menorca  04 04 2026

Menorca is the easternmost of the Balearic Islands, lying closer to mainland Spain than to the north coast of Africa. Rich in history and culture, it also offers superb sea kayaking, with a dramatic and often challenging rocky coastline ideal for exploration.

A full circumnavigation covers around 140km at its shortest, though it’s easy to add considerably more distance when tempted into the island’s many caves, inlets and calas. We paddled 180 km and covered nearly every cave, headland and bay.

A group of six Liverpool Canoe Club sea kayakers set out in early April, deliberately ahead of the main holiday season. This proved a wise decision. Although we missed a spell of strong Tramontana winds the week before, they returned during the final days of our trip, reminding us just how exposed the island can be.

For most of the journey, however, we had the coastline almost entirely to ourselves. Beaches were quiet or deserted, with daytime temperatures often reaching the low 20s. Nights were mild, though mornings brought heavy dew, and the sea temperature—around 15°C—was refreshing rather than inviting for long swims.

Travelling anti-clockwise allowed us to tackle the more exposed north coast in favourable conditions. Resupply was straightforward, with water available from shops, bars and harbour taps. We stocked up initially in Mahón, with further opportunities en route, particularly in Ciutadella. Many smaller resorts were still closed for the season, adding to the sense of remoteness.

Menorca’s reputation as the “windy Balearic” is well deserved. The Tramontana wind, funnelling through the gap between the Alps and Pyrenees, can create demanding conditions. Much of the coastline consists of high, unbroken cliffs with limited landing options between calas, making this a trip best suited to experienced paddlers.

We had allowed nine to ten days for the journey, but opted to finish three days early as forecasts showed the return of strong winds. Rather than sit it out exposed near Es Grau, we moved inland and took accommodation near Mahón—a decision fully justified when force 7+ winds set in for the final three days.

Travel logistics were straightforward. We flew direct with Ryanair and stayed at Hotel Victori at the start of the trip. Boats and equipment were hired from Menorca en Kayak, an excellent, paddler-run outfit with high-quality kit and strong local knowledge. Their support—including weather updates, airport transfers, supplies runs and emergency backup—made a real difference.  www.menorcaenkayak.com 

We carried our own camping gear and safety kit, sourcing gas and water locally before departure.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip—challenging at times, but hugely rewarding. We managed to explore nearly every corner of a truly beautiful island and would thoroughly recommend Menorca as a sea kayaking destination and Menorca en Kayak for outfitting.

Tramontane, Northern wind

The Tramontana is a strong, cold northern wind that blows across parts of southern Europe, particularly Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, southern France, and northern Italy, often reaching speeds over 100 km/h.  The Tramontana is prevalent along the northern Mediterranean coast, including Catalonia, Mallorca, Menorca, southern France, northern Italy, and parts of Slovenia and Croatia. In the Balearic Islands, particularly Mallorca and Menorca, it can generate violent maritime storms, making navigation hazardous.

Characteristics

The Tramontana is cold, dry, and turbulent, often lasting several days with continuous gusts. It is similar to the Mistral in its meteorological causes but follows a different corridor. It can produce clear skies or, when associated with a perturbed system, precipitation, known in Liguria as “dark Tramontane” (Tramontana Scura). Its intensity can significantly affect local weather, lowering temperatures and reducing humidity.

We landed, collected all our bags and jumped into two waiting taxis to our hotel – 8 minutes away. Once at the hotel, we soon established that we needed a pin to enter and also for each of our three rooms. After several phone calls and WhatsApps, we eventually got hold of a real person. Access codes delivered, we dumped our bags and went out to explore the local bars and restaurants.