Fornells North Coast Boat Tour to Beaches and Caves

Fornells and its sheltered inlet

Fornells is a small white fishing village on the north coast of Menorca, set at the mouth of a long, sheltered inlet that cuts deep into the land. The calm, shallow water inside makes it a favourite place for sailing and paddle boarding, while the harbour is lined with fishing boats and seafront restaurants famous across Spain for their lobster stew, the local speciality.

Your Fornells boat trip starts at the end of the breakwater in the harbour. If you are wondering how to get to Fornells, it is about 30 minutes by car from Mahón and about 40 minutes from Ciutadella, with buses in summer. Arrive early to walk along the waterfront, where white houses with green shutters look out over the boats.

The watchtower and fortifications of Fornells

At the entrance of the inlet stands the Fornells tower, a round stone watchtower built at the beginning of the 19th century to protect the anchorage from pirates and enemy fleets. It is one of the best-preserved defence towers in the Balearic Islands, and from the sea you can appreciate its strategic position on the rocky headland above the waves.

Closer to the village lie the ruins of a 17th-century fort that once guarded the harbour, a reminder of the centuries when Menorca was fought over by European powers. Your guide shares stories about this history as the boat sails out, so you understand why such a quiet village needed such strong defences. The tower can also be visited on land after your tour.

Sea caves and beaches of the north coast

The north coast of Menorca is very different from the south. Instead of white limestone, the cliffs here are made of older, darker rock in shades of grey, ochre and red, and the coast is more rugged and exposed to the wind. The sea has cut caves and arches into these cliffs, and the boat brings you close to their entrances so you can see the colours of the water inside.

Depending on the wind and sea of the day, the route follows the coast east or west of Fornells to reach secluded beaches such as those around Cala Tirant and the Cavalleria peninsula, where few buildings disturb the view. Seeing them from a boat is one of the best things to do in Fornells, because many of these beaches can only be reached by a long walk.

Swimming and snorkelling in the north Menorca marine reserve

The waters off Fornells belong to the north Menorca marine reserve, created to protect the sea grass meadows, rocky reefs and fish of this coast. That protection shows: the water is extraordinarily clear, and even near the surface you can see shoals of fish, sea urchins and starfish. During the swim stop you can dive from the boat, float in the calm water or explore with the snorkelling mask provided.

The best time to visit Fornells for a boat trip is from June to September, when the sea is warmest. The north coast is more exposed to the wind than the south, so the crew always chooses the most sheltered route and swim spot of the day. Is the Fornells boat tour worth it? For nature lovers, this wild and quiet coast is one of the highlights of Menorca.