Boat Trips from Fornells in Menorca

Fornells is a village of little white houses on the north coast of Menorca. From its small harbour daily boat trips take you to discover the most spectacular unspoilt beaches of the island.

Carmen Navarro

Carmen Navarro

7 min read

Boat Trips from Fornells in Menorca

Sailing in the Bay of Fornells | ©Jonathan Smith

If you are thinking of going sailing during your holidays in Minorca, Fornells is one of the key points to take into account when booking your boat excursion.

Of course, as you can imagine, the offer of boat trips in Minorca is enormous. The immense number of paradisiacal beaches invite you to let yourself go on a boat and not worry about anything except deciding which cove to anchor in for your next dip. So that this is really the case and you don't have to worry about anything else, I'll tell you about the best options for a boat trip from Fornells.

Our favourite

Menorca Catamaran Cruise

Discover the coves of the north on board a luxury catamaran from Fornells

Departing from Fornells and sailing by catamaran, you can discover the inaccessible virgin beaches of the north coast of Menorca. Stops for swimming and snorkelling. Snack and drinks included.

If you visit Menorca in summer, it is more than likely that you will find some beaches full of visitors eager to enjoy the turquoise waters of the island. But if you visit the north coast of Menorca, the panorama is quite different. Departing from Fornells, you could sail for quite a while without coming across dozens of boats and the landscapes are so wild and unspoilt that they seem to have been taken from another continent.

The northern coves are well worth a visit, but they are not always accessible on foot or by car. That's why sailing the north coast and accessing these natural wonders by boat is a great idea. On this excursion you will embark at the port of Fornells and sail on a luxurious catamaran. The skipper will take you literally wherever the wind takes you. Don't worry about the route because, with his expertise, he will make sure that you will comb the essential corners of the north coast.

The tour lasts more than three hours and during this time you will have the opportunity to swim, snorkel (the boat is fully equipped, so you will be provided with goggles and snorkel) and discover the amazing underwater life of the island. On board, you can enjoy a snack and drinks to recharge your batteries.

Why choose this excursion: you will sail with all the comforts on board, but you will discover the most authentic coastline of the island.

Recommended if... you are looking for something different to do during your trip that allows you to enjoy the turquoise waters of Menorca away from the tourist crowds.


Catamaran excursion at sunset

If sailing on a sailboat is already romantic in itself, doing it under the last rays of the sun of the day is unbeatable. With this sailing trip departing from Fornells through the coves of the north of Menorca, you will embark before 19:00 to be able to watch the sunset from where it is best seen: in the middle of the sea. But not before stopping at one of the wonderful coves in the north to take a dip and snorkel.

If what you are looking for is to enjoy the crystal clear waters in their maximum splendour, it would be better to do the tour in the morning, but if what you want is to live a unique experience that will mark your trip forever, this is your option. On the way back, when the sun has set and night begins to fall, you will sail back to the harbour. You will only hear the wind and the sea. Are you up for it?

Why choose this excursion: there's no better way to end a day's holiday at sea, taking the last dip of the day and enjoying a romantic evening at sunset.

Recommended if... you feel like enjoying a unique experience to connect with the sea and nature.


How much does a boat trip from Fornells cost?

Sailing| ©Jacob Meissner
Sailing| ©Jacob Meissner

Joining a boat trip from Fornells will cost you around €60. Obviously, the price will depend on the length of the tour, the type of boat and how many people are on the excursion. You can book it on Hellotickets.

Given that the north coast of Menorca is more exclusive and less frequented by large groups of tourists, you're likely to find smaller group tours, more authentic boats and less crowded excursions. The good thing is that on the two excursions we propose, the boats come fully equipped with snorkelling equipment and have drinks and snacks included to make your stay on board perfect.

How to book the excursion

Enjoying the crystal clear waters| ©Unsplash
Enjoying the crystal clear waters| ©Unsplash

The most important thing to do is to book in advance, especially if you're travelling in high season, and the best way to do this is online at websites such as Hellotickets, where you can compare schedules, prices and routes. The boats tend to be small and limited in size, but demand in July and August tends to be very high.

There is also the possibility of going to Fornells once you land on the island and asking at the port which boats are available, but you run the risk of not being able to choose the time and date you want.

Boat trip schedule

Sailing at sunset| ©Loreta Pavoliene
Sailing at sunset| ©Loreta Pavoliene

The offer of boat trips from Fornells is varied, so you will have the opportunity to choose between doing the trip in the morning, mid-afternoon or late in the evening to see the sunset. For example, early risers have the option of sailing on a catamaran leaving at 9.30am, which allows you to escape the hottest part of the day and see the turquoise waters at their best. The same excursion is available in the afternoon, departing at 15:00.

If you prefer to end the day at sea, you can board a sailing boat shortly before 19:00 and watch the sunset on board, after the last swim of the day.

How long do the boat trips from Fornells last?

Enjoying the snorkelling| ©Jacob Owens
Enjoying the snorkelling| ©Jacob Owens

If you are thinking of taking a boat trip departing from Fornells Bay, you will have the opportunity to choose between half day tours and full day tours. As you can imagine, the price goes up if you want to spend the whole day on board, but you can always write to Hellotickets to check price and availability.

If you're looking for an excursion to discover the north coast, the three-and-a-half hour tours will give you plenty of time to explore the most spectacular spots, swim and snorkel.

Itinerary of the boat trips departing from Fornells

The sunset from the sea| ©Johannes Plenio
The sunset from the sea| ©Johannes Plenio

The most attractive aspect of the excursions along the north coast of Menorca is that the wind will determine the route: the base port will always be Fornells and during the three and a half hours of sailing the route may vary slightly: Cala Pregonda will be the most westerly point of the expedition and Cala Mongofre the most easterly point to visit.

Boat trips from other coves

The beaches of Menorca| ©Unsplash
The beaches of Menorca| ©Unsplash

If you are still not sure where you are going to stay, don't worry. Firstly, because Minorca is not excessively large and in less than an hour you can drive from one end of the island to the other. But even so, if you want to ensure greater comfort, there are boat trips from the main coves and towns on the island.

From Cala Galdana

This is probably the most frequented cove in the south of Menorca. It is home to two of the largest hotels on the island and although it is usually quite crowded, it is the perfect location to discover the rest of the paradisiacal coves of the south on a boat trip from Cala Galdana.

From Ciudadela

You will fall in love with Ciudadela from minute one. Its small streets full of people, its lively terraces and its small port are its main attraction. What's more, from its promenade you can join a boat trip from Ciudadela to discover the most outstanding beaches on the south coast of the island. Of course, don't leave without exploring its streets!

From Mahón

Mahón is the largest city on the island and its harbour influence can be felt from the moment you set foot on its streets. Its central location makes it the ideal place to take a boat trip from Mahón and take to the water to discover both the coves to the south and the coves to the north, as they are the same distance from the city.

Other interesting activities to do in Fornells

About to go kayaking| ©Ksenia Z
About to go kayaking| ©Ksenia Z

To discover the coves in the north of Menorca you already know that you don't have many options: the most spectacular ones are inaccessible if you want to get there on foot or by car. Therefore, another good option to explore them is to join a kayak tour that takes you around either the bay of Fornells or the spectacular Cuevas de los Ingleses.

In any case, you will always be accompanied by an expert monitor who will tell you what to do and which is the best route so that you don't miss a single detail. Oh, and don't worry if you're not in great physical shape, as it's a relatively quiet walk that doesn't require excessive physical exertion. If you want to know more, don't miss my guide to the best kayak tours in Menorca.