What Fornells is like

Fornells sits in a bay in the north of Menorca and has a population of roughly a thousand people, which explains the village scale of everything. The heart of it is the harbour, lined with restaurants and a promenade, with the whitewashed streets behind it given over to houses, small shops and cafés.

Once a fishing village that served as a landing site during the British occupation of Menorca, it now draws day trippers and sailors rather than beach holidaymakers. Evenings are when it works best: the waterfront fills up and the side streets stay softly lit until late.

Who Fornells suits, and who it does not

Come here for food, sailing and a slower pace. Fornells is the island's watersports centre, with sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding and kayaking on offer, and it is starting point for many of Menorca's boat tours, helped by reliable winds and the shape of the bay. Several operators run excursions from the centre of the village, so a day trip can be built around one.

Skip it if your holiday is built on sand and shallow water. There is no proper beach in the village, and the daily rhythm is eating and drinking rather than sunbathing, so families wanting a classic beach resort are better off elsewhere; for sandier alternatives, compare the things to do in Menorca.

Where Fornells sits, and the other Fornells

Fornells is in the northeast of Menorca, a setting that makes it a striking but slightly isolated base. If you plan to explore the whole island, a rental car is essential when staying here, and it also makes the wider things to do in Menorca easier to reach from this corner of the coast.

Watch out for names when booking. Platges de Fornells, also written Playas de Fornells, is a separate resort on the western side of the peninsula, around a ten-minute drive away and built for package holidays and self-catering. Check the address on your accommodation, because a resort booking is not a village booking.

Getting there

From Menorca's airport, take bus line 10 to the bus station at Maó; it runs every 30 minutes and the fare is paid to the driver. From there, line 41 continues to Fornells several times a day and takes about an hour.

A taxi from the airport takes around 30 minutes and costs more than the bus but drops you at the door. Driving yourself gives the most flexibility for the beaches and coves along the north coast, though parking in the village tightens in high summer.

Torre Fornells and the harbour defences

Torre Fornells is one of the largest and best-preserved defensive towers on the island, built in 1801 in the final years of British rule to guard the harbour. It has been restored and now opens daily from 10am to 4pm.

The ticket is €2.40 for adults, with concessions at €1.40 and children under eight free. The grounds outside the tower are free to walk, which is the better call if you only want the view over the harbour and out to the Balearic Sea.

Below the tower, the Castell de Sant Antoni is a modest fort that guarded the harbour entrance for 150 years before being demolished in 1782. It is a ruin, but restored walls and information panels explain how the site worked, and it is a short walk from the village.

A slow wander through the village

Fornells is small enough to cover on foot in an hour or two. Start at the whitewashed church of Sant Antoni de Fornells on its wide, quiet square.

Carrer Major is the main pedestrian street, lined with restaurants and craft shops that come alive in the evening. Walk to the end of Carrer Q, a narrow promontory in the harbour, for views back over the town. Plaça del Forn doubles as the village's swimming spot and is covered below.

For ice cream, Ricardo Riera makes it on site with local produce, and it is worth joining the evening queue for a cone.

Swimming without a beach

Plaça del Forn is a small inlet with clear, wave-free water that suits swimmers and snorkellers, with a bench in the shade and a café for those staying dry. It is set up for swimming rather than sunbathing, so bring a towel and not a sun lounger.

A little further along the coast, Cala Fornells is a rocky cove reached by metal steps down into deep blue water. If you want sand, take a water taxi or kayak to Arenal Son Saura at Son Parc, or to Cala Tirant by Platges de Fornells.

On the water

Fornells has watersports companies with offices in the village centre, and booking ahead is sensible for a day trip. Boat and catamaran cruises head along the north coast to beaches such as Cala Pregonda, with time to swim and snorkel, while sailing trips can include Menorcan food and drink.

For something more active, stand-up paddle excursions head out to S'Arenalet with a swimming stop. Book through your accommodation or directly with the local operators once you arrive, since anything involving the sea can be rearranged for wind and weather.

Where to eat in Fornells

Fornells is one of the island's top food destinations, above all for caldera de langosta, the local lobster stew served in the restaurants along the harbour. Seafront places display live lobsters and charge accordingly, so expect the steepest bills there.

Sa Taula runs as two venues opposite each other, a cocktail bar and a restaurant, and the modern menu plays on traditional recipes. Book for dinner. La Guapa is an easy place to walk past but serves some of the best food in the village, and Jordis is a good lunch stop close to the water. Es Cranc is also popular.

In summer, arrive early or reserve if you have your heart set on a particular table, since the alternative is waiting in the heat or ending up somewhere less busy. In a village built on seafood, most restaurants keep a vegetarian dish or two on the menu; vegans will find it harder going.

Where to stay

Serviced rooms are scarce in Fornells. La Palma is the pick of them, right on the harbour with a pool and bar-café. Hostal S'Algaret is basic but comfortable, with a pool and garden, about five minutes' walk from the centre.

Self-catering covers the rest, from one-bedroom apartments in the centre to townhouses in the old streets and villas with pools on the waterfront. Ses Salines, a couple of kilometres south, has more affordable accommodation, but the walk back after a late meal is longer than it looks and a car is the sensible pairing.

Fiesta, markets and practicalities

The Fiesta de Sant Antoni takes over the village on the fourth weekend in July, with horses paraded through the square, food and drink, live acts, and fireworks usually around midnight. It is also the moment to try a pomada, Menorca's gin and lemonade. Families should bring earplugs and keep hold of small children, since there is no barrier between the crowd and the horses.

In summer, a night market runs along Calle del Mar de Fornells from May to October, 8pm to 1am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A local flea market takes the same spot on Wednesday mornings, 10am to 2pm.

Stock up on groceries before you arrive or plan around the small local shops. Eating on Spanish time helps: lunch runs from around 1.30pm to 4pm and dinner rarely starts before 8.30pm to 9pm, so an early evening table is easy to find.

Fornells as a base or a day trip

As a base, Fornells rewards slow travellers: mornings for swimming, afternoons on the water, long late dinners. Its remoteness is the trade-off, and anyone planning to see a lot of the island should pair it with a car.

If you are also exploring other parts of Menorca, our [things to do in menorca] guide covers the rest of the island.

Plan Your Visit

Fornells works best for travellers who choose a destination for its food and its water rather than its beach. Book your accommodation by village name, not resort name, reserve dinner in summer, and plan at least one evening on the harbour.

Fornells is one of several bases on the island. For comparison, see our guides to [Es Castell, Menorca] and [Sant Lluís, Menorca], or weigh it against the broader options in our things to do in Menorca guide.