Cala Macarella, Menorca

Monthly water temperature temperature

The surface runs about 26 °C in August. The annual low is 13.5 °C in February and the high is 26 °C in August. No pronounced summer thermocline is recorded here. For October, the mean surface figure is 22 °C.

Mean water temperature by month (°C)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
14	13.5	14	15.5	18.5	22	25	26	25	22	19	16

Safety safety

Menorca's bathing waters are sampled by the Balearic government under the EU directive and Macarella has held 'excellent' every season for over a decade. The Posidonia meadows are a protected habitat and anchoring on them is prohibited.

Safety notes (3)

• There is no shade after 11:00 in July and August. Menorca's south coast gets full sun from the sea; heat exhaustion is a bigger risk here than drowning.
• Day boats enter the cove to anchor in the afternoon. Swim within the buoyed swimming zone — propellers are the most common injury source at Balearic coves.
• Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) appear in some years in late August and September. Check the beach flag board: purple means jellyfish present.

Where to get in

• White sand beach — Both ends of the cove give walk-in entry over firm sand; the eastern end is quieter.
• Rock ledges (west headland) — Flat limestone ledges with ladders used by locals for a straight deep-water start.

On site

• Seasonal beach bar (June–September) with water and snacks
• No toilets; the nearest are at Cala Galdana
• Lifeguards on duty in July and August only

Getting there arrival · entry · exit

Getting there

In July and August the access road is closed to cars at the Cala Galdana barrier and you walk the 3.2 km in — about 35 minutes on a shaded pine path with the sea in view for the last kilometre. Outside those months you can drive to within 200 m.

Come before 09:30. The cove is small and by noon in high season there is no bare sand left, and no shade anywhere.

Getting in

Walk straight in. With 40 m of sand before you reach 1.5 m, this is the easiest entry of any sea spot on this list and the best one for children and nervous swimmers.

For a proper swim, head for the channel between the headlands where the depth reaches 10–14 m, and swim the 250 m across the mouth of the cove. The water is 26 °C in August and holds 22 °C into October.

Getting out

Walk out anywhere on the sand. The beach is gently sloped and there are neither rocks nor urchins.

Rinse at the beach bar tap or bring fresh water — Menorca's south coast coves have no showers, and the salt dries to a noticeable crust in the sun.

Depth profile

A textbook Mediterranean cove profile: fine white sand to 1.5 m at 40 m out, 3 m at 80 m, then a sandy channel between the two headlands that reaches 14 m. Posidonia seagrass meadows start at about 6 m on both flanks — they are why the water is so clear and so intensely turquoise.

Season window

May to October; access by car is closed in July and August

Cold-water questions

Why is Cala Macarella water so turquoise?

White sand and Posidonia seagrass meadows on a pale limestone bed reflect light back through very clear, nutrient-poor water — the combination produces the characteristic Balearic colour.

Can you drive to Cala Macarella in summer?

No — in July and August the access road is closed at the Cala Galdana barrier, and visitors walk the 3.2 km. Outside those months there is limited parking at the cove.