There are only a few months left for your long-awaited vacation and it’s time to tie up all the details. One of them -and perhaps one of the most important- is to decide how you are going to move around the island: Is it better to tour Menorca by motorcycle or car? What is more comfortable and economical? What are the advantages of each type of transport? We very often come across these questions in our offices and, as specialists in car rentals in MenorcaWe give you all the keys with the pros and cons so you can decide in a clear and safe way. Keep reading and discover all the details to travel Menorca in the best way and enjoy an unforgettable vacation.
How to move around the island of Menorca? Motorcycle, car, public transport…
Menorca has an area of about 700 km², smaller than its neighbor Mallorca but bigger than Ibiza and Formentera. To cross it from side to side takes about 45 minutes by car by road, a quite manageable time that allows to know it well but… how to move around the island? If we stick to the great amount of cars that are rented every year in Menorca, we can say that the car is the favorite option of the tourists. However, there is also the possibility of traveling by public transport, renting a motorcycle or moving from cove to cove by boat. These are the possibilities:
- Menorca by carRenting a car in one of the dozens of rental offices on the island or taking your own vehicle on the ferry is the most popular option. The car brings freedom, comfort, safety…. We will see its advantages later on.
- Renting a motorcycle in Menorca: Getting a motorcycle (or ferrying our own) is the best way to rent a motorcycle in Menorca. alternative that some people choose for their vacations in Menorca. It is not a bad idea but it is necessary to take into account some aspects that we will comment in the following points.
- Public transportation network: This island has a quite complete public transport network that connects by bus the main cities such as Mahón, Ciudadela, Fornells, etc. and the most important towns. It also joins all these points with the airport in a wide schedule, especially in the high season. The main problem of moving by bus is that it does not reach many coves and hidden corners so if you do not have your own vehicle you will miss much of the essence of the island. The cab is the perfect alternative for specific moments and, above all, to return to the accommodation at night.
- On foot and by bicycle: Menorca has a historic trail that circles the entire coastline, the.
Camí de Cavalls
which can be covered on foot or by bicycle to reach the most special spots that cannot be reached in any other way.
- By boat: Another of the most suggestive alternatives to move around the island of Menorca is to do it by boat, going from cove to cove and docking in the best ports to visit the cities. To rent a boat for a day is one of the possibilities of leisure that the island of Menorca offers.
summer in Menorca
to discover it from the sea.
Roads in Menorca
Roads in Menorca are in very good condition. La vía más importante es la Me-1 que cruza toda la isla desde Mahón, que está en el sureste, hasta Ciudadela, situada en el noroeste. Son solamente 50 kilómetros para ir de una ciudad a otra pasando por municipios como Alaior, Es Mercadal y Ferrerías. Además de esta carretera principal, en Menorca tenemos la Me-7 que une Mahón y Fornells, la Me-12 que va de Mahón a Cala en Porter o la Me-22 que conecta Ferrerías con Cala Galdana. De todas estas vías principales salen otras carreteras secundarias hasta pueblos y zonas costeras. Como no existe ninguna carretera que rodee la isla por la costa, para ir de una cala a otra hay que retroceder a las vías principales y tomar carreteras más estrechas.
In Menorca it is very common to travel by motorcycle or car along ancient roads and trails, some of them of Roman, medieval or British domination in the eighteenth century but that have been restored and are in perfect condition.
Vacations in Menorca: car vs motorcycle
Returning to the objective of this article and once you know how it is possible to move in Menorca and what is the state of its roads, let’s see if it is better to go by car or motorcycle. Both give us freedom of movement and schedules, comfort and full availability but they have some different characteristics that are worth mentioning.
As in everything, the first thing we want to say is that there is not a better or worse vehicle but that both the car and the motorbike are both the car and the motorcycle are suitable to move around Menorca.. Eso sí, dependiendo de las necesidades, de la época del año, de los desplazamientos, etc. es más adecuado uno u otro.
Touring Menorca by motorcycle: Advantages and disadvantages
Renting a motorcycle can be a good alternative to a car in three cases: if you are used to drive miles on it, if you go alone or as a couple or if during your stay you only want to enjoy a part of the island and make short trips close to your accommodation. These are the advantages of touring Menorca by motorcycle:
- The motorcycle is more economical than the car. Renting a
scooter
in Menorca is cheaper than a car, you will also spend less on fuel and save on insurance and parking.
- Parking is easier to find. In August the parking lots of the most crowded beaches are full early in the morning, but if you go by motorcycle you can find a space without any problem.
- Enjoying the scenery. Many of the roads of Menorca have a great charm so riding a motorcycle ensures an unforgettable experience among the vegetation and its 100% Mediterranean atmosphere.
As for the disadvantagesThe motorcycle is not the ideal vehicle if you go for a week and you want to know Menorca completely. The distances are too long if you intend to go from east to west or from north to south continuously on roads and tracks, some of them dirt and stony, which makes driving difficult.
Discomfort is the main disadvantage of renting a motorcycle in Menorca.. Además, las temperaturas en los meses de verano suelen ser altas, y a veces con viento, por lo que después de un día de playa subirse a la moto igual no es el plan que más apetece.
On the other hand, when renting a scooter you have to take into account that it is more complicated to carry luggage or to carry backpacks with the necessary things to spend a day at the beach. Finally, driving a scooter at night on some of the roads of Menorca can be dangerous since many of them are not illuminated.
Touring Menorca by car: Advantages and disadvantages
Most visitors to Menorca use the car to get around its towns, villages and beaches. What are the advantages of a car over a motorcycle? We look at them one by one:
- Convenient travel. All the comfort of an air-conditioned or heated vehicle is assured to move around the island whatever the month and whatever the weather.
- Carry all the luggage. Both in the day to day with the beach backpack or the cooler with fresh drinks as well as the suitcases to go to the airport, to travel Menorca by car gives you the possibility to store all the luggage you need. Of course if you are more than two people, the car is the best option.
- Maximum safety. Although the motorcycle is also safe
routes through Menorca by car
is much more reliable with a vehicle that adapts to the road.
Among the disadvantages of the car in Menorca we emphasize the difficulty of parking in the most crowded areas, which will force you to get up early if you want to go to the most beautiful coves. In this case the best option is to rent a motorcycle in Minorca. Another disadvantage is that the price of car rental in Minorca is higher in high season and if you do not make the reservation in time you can -even- run out of the model you want.
Conclusion
As we see, after analyzing the pros and cons of Menorca by motorcycle or car, the conclusion is clear: renting a car is the best option if you want to go more comfortable, or if you travel with several friends or family. Renting a motorcycle is the best option if you want a cheaper rental, to be able to park easily and enjoy the scenery more.
