Boat trip from the Port of Mahón
the best departure in Menorca

Planning a summer holiday in Menorca usually involves a fair amount of organising: choosing the best beaches, booking restaurants weeks in advance and, of course, deciding which day you'll take your sailing trip around Menorca. There is, however, one factor that no tourist brochure tells you about, yet it can shape your experience completely: the wind and the harbour you set off from.

In Menorca, the wind rules. And this is precisely where geography plays in our favour. Departing from the Port of Mahón isn't just an aesthetic choice for the beauty of the setting; it's the smartest strategic decision to make sure your day on the boat goes perfectly, with no last-minute cancellations and none of the stress of not knowing whether you'll be able to sail. Let me tell you all about it from the deck.

The geographical peculiarity of the Port of Mahón

The Port of Mahón is no ordinary harbour. At more than six kilometres long, it is considered one of the largest natural harbours in the world and, without doubt, the safest and most protected in the entire Mediterranean. Its narrow entrance acts as a natural shield that holds back the swell outside, keeping the inner waters as calm as a mirror even on the worst days.

But its great strategic advantage when starting a day trip lies in its position at the far east of the island. Sitting right on Menorca's eastern hinge, we have immediate access to both the north coast and the south coast. This gives us a weather flexibility no other harbour on the island can match.

Total flexibility: adapting to the weather without stress

When you charter a boat departing from a harbour on the north or south coast (such as Fornells or Cala Galdana), your route is heavily limited by the day's wind. If a strong wind blows on that particular coast, your trip is very likely to be cancelled or to turn into an uncomfortable crossing with bothersome waves for the family.

Departing from Mahón, that limitation disappears:

• If the Tramontana blows (north wind): instead of staying in port, we head straight for the south coast. In just a few minutes' sail we find ourselves sheltered by the southern cliffs, anchoring in calm, turquoise coves such as Binibèquer, ses Olles de Binisafúller or the beautiful Isla del Aire.
• If the wind comes from the south: we do exactly the opposite. We head north towards the s'Albufera des Grau Natural Park and set our anchorage in the bay of Illa d'en Colom or Sa Mesquida, where the north coast protects us from the southern waves and gives us crystal-clear, calm water.

This ability to decide the ideal route at the last moment (the day before, after studying the most accurate forecasts) lets us save 95% of the trips that elsewhere on the island would have to be cancelled. For you, that means enormous peace of mind: your long-awaited holiday won't be affected and you'll be able to enjoy your day at sea without worrying about the wind.

The value of a spectacular start and end to the trip

Another great feature of departing from Mahón is that the trip begins from minute one. Sailing through the inside of Mahón harbour out to open sea is a fantastic experience in itself. During the first 20 or 30 minutes of calm sailing, while you enjoy a cold drink on deck, we take in spectacular historic landmarks:

• The imposing Fortress of Isabel II (La Mola): this gigantic 19th-century military fortification guards the harbour's northern mouth. It's so colossal that its walls and moats carved into the stone look like something out of a novel. As a telling anecdote, it was built to defend the island from a possible British or French invasion, but took so long to finish that, by the time it was ready, its artillery technology was already obsolete. Seen from the sailboat on the way out, its golden limestone walls glow spectacularly in the morning sun.
• The historic Illa del Rei (King's Island): it owes its name to the landing of King Alfonso III of Aragon in 1287, when he came to reconquer the island. It is home to the impressive 18th-century British military hospital —known as "The Bloody Island" for the colour of its stones and the reputation of its surgeons— which today coexists with the prestigious international art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Seeing from the deck the fusion of neoclassical military architecture and the gardens of native plants designed by Piet Oudolf is quite a visual contrast.
• The enigmatic island of the Lazaretto: an impressive sanitary fortress with towering walls, used during the 19th century to quarantine crews arriving on ships suspected of carrying epidemics such as the plague or yellow fever. It once held thousands of people isolated from the world in different zones according to their suspected level of contagion. Sailing alongside its colossal outer wall commands great respect and always sparks plenty of questions and stories on board.
• The picturesque quays of Es Castell and the houses of Mahón: sailing the south side of the harbour we pass Cales Fonts and Es Castell, the town founded by the British under the name of Georgetown, where the old fishermen's caves carved into the cliff are now sought-after restaurants and markets. A little further on, we take in the spectacular colonial houses that defy gravity, built right on the edge of Mahón's cliffs, with their typical English-red and Menorcan-white façades.

Each of these landmarks hides centuries of history and anecdotes. If you'd like to get to know them in detail before stepping aboard, we go through them one by one —from the head of the harbour to the mouth— in our guide to what to see in the Port of Mahón.

On the way back in the afternoon, coinciding with sunset, the return into the harbour with the golden light reflecting off the houses along the waterfront is the perfect finishing touch to an unforgettable day's sailing.

Comfort and accessibility: no stress getting aboard

When you book a sailing trip with a skipper, comfort shouldn't be limited to the time you spend on board. Getting to the boat is key.

Many boats operate from remote beaches or coves that require long walks along dusty paths, carrying food, towels and cool boxes under the sun. Or, worse still, they require boarding a small, unstable tender to transfer you to the main boat anchored in the bay.

In the Port of Mahón, the process is extremely comfortable. You park the car easily right on the waterfront (with plenty of free and metered parking), walk a few steps along a flat pavement and step aboard the sailboat directly from the pontoon, safely and without getting your feet wet. It's perfect if you're travelling with small children or older people who need easy, stable access.

Frequently asked questions about departing from the Port of Mahón

About the author: Sergi is the owner and host of Elan Menorca. He has sailed the Menorcan coast since 2020 aboard his Elan Impression 384, based in the Port of Mahón, and has welcomed families of all ages on board.