The island’s best season is just around the corner, bringing ideal conditions for hiking, trail running and mountain biking. With fewer tourists, moderate temperatures and a whole host of reasons to choose autumn, this is the perfect time to discover Menorca on foot, by bike or at a run.
Travelling to Menorca to do Camí de Cavalls 360º or Menorca 360º is a fantastic idea at any time of year. We are open 365 days a year to provide our services to participants taking part in our hiking, trail running and mountain biking programmes. However, if there is one season that stands out above the rest for embarking on this adventure, it is undoubtedly autumn.
The island regains its calm
Autumn is when Menorca returns to its quieter self after the summer. August is the peak of the tourist season. From September onwards, you can already start to notice that there are fewer people in the streets, on the beaches and roads, in car parks, restaurants and accommodation establishments, and even on the Camí de Cavalls itself.
The summer bustle gradually gives way to a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere, closer to the traditional Menorcan character. The whole island returns to its usual rhythm: a calm, unhurried pace that is easily passed on to visitors.
Green landscapes
People who have only ever experienced Menorca in summer may think that the island’s characteristic colour is the yellow of vegetation scorched by the sun. In fact, for much of the year, Menorca is predominantly green: the green of cultivated fields, the green of its small woodlands and, ultimately, the green of living vegetation.
Autumn gradually brings back these characteristic shades of green, offering visitors who come at this time of year a more authentic view of the island. It is also a season of contrasts in colour and scent: freshly ploughed fields, the smell of the earth after rain…
Moderate temperatures
The thermometer is one of the most decisive factors when it comes to choosing autumn as the best time to come to Menorca for Camí de Cavalls 360º and Menorca 360º. From late spring through to the end of summer, temperatures on the island are often high or very high and can become a limiting factor when undertaking outdoor activities.
Autumn, by contrast, is characterised by moderate temperatures that favour activities such as hiking, mountain biking and trail running along the Camí de Cavalls.
Spectacular skies and light
If you have never been here to experience it for yourself, it is difficult to appreciate just how different the sky and the light can look from one season to another. We are here all year round and witness these changes first-hand. We can assure you that autumn offers some of the most spectacular skies and light of the entire year, enhanced by the angle at which the sun’s rays reach the island.
The atmosphere is clear, and the sky welcomes and bids farewell to each day with a symphony of colours, shades and nuances of extraordinary beauty. Clouds often put on a show of their own for anyone lucky enough to be watching, while the light makes the green landscapes glow in a very special, almost magical way.
Services still open
During the first part of autumn, approximately until the end of October, many services are still open. These are, moreover, precisely the kinds of services that meet the needs and expectations of participants taking part in Camí de Cavalls 360º and Menorca 360º.
To round things off, restaurants, accommodation establishments and other services are no longer dealing with the same crowds as in summer, making it easier to enjoy a more personal and attentive service.
Lower prices
The end of the peak sun-and-beach season also brings another welcome benefit: lower prices. In autumn, accommodation and travel to and from the island are generally much cheaper than in summer, as are many other services. This is largely explained by the drop in demand that comes with fewer visitors.
The sea is still warm enough for a swim
Many participants in Camí de Cavalls 360º and Menorca 360º greatly appreciate being able to take a break during an stage and enjoy a swim in one of the island’s coves or beaches along the route. This is still very much an option in autumn, when sea temperatures remain ideal for cooling off for several weeks.
There is an added bonus: these coves and beaches are much quieter and less crowded than in summer. Depending on the date and the beach, you may even find yourself with one almost entirely to yourself.
Birdwatching
Autumn is one of the most interesting times of year for birdwatching in Menorca. The island occupies a strategic position along the migration routes of many species crossing the western Mediterranean, while environmental conditions at this time of year are particularly favourable both for birds and for those who come to observe them.
The water levels in wetlands such as S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park, as well as in the island’s many lagoons, meadows, streams and ponds, begin to recover. This increases the availability of habitats and food sources for birds.
The other seasons in Menorca
Summer
Summer is the season with the highest level of tourist activity on the island. Temperatures are high, with many days in July and August reaching above 30°C, depending on heatwaves, which are becoming increasingly frequent. Daylight hours are long and the sea is at its best for swimming, although the greater influx of visitors means that some areas become very crowded, car parks can be packed and some services operate at or close to full capacity.
Winter
Winter in Menorca is wild, authentic and little known. Temperatures are mild compared with many parts of Europe, although the wind — when it blows — can make conditions feel uncomfortable. Daylight hours are the shortest of the year and tourist numbers are low. Many establishments close for the winter, and flight options are also significantly reduced. Despite this, Camí de Cavalls 360º and Menorca 360º remain open, and winter can be a fantastic season in which to experience them.
Spring
Spring brings mild and pleasant temperatures, with daylight gradually increasing. Atmospheric instability begins to ease, while weather fronts and episodes of strong tramontana become less frequent. The island slowly awakens and tourist numbers increase week by week, keeping pace with rising temperatures. Services begin to reopen, particularly from Easter onwards. March and April are, by far, the best months of spring for doing Camí de Cavalls 360º and Menorca 360º.