Roques

About Roques

Roques stands on Carrer De Ses Roques in Ciutadella, the old capital of Menorca, about 0.4 km from the historic centre. That address suits travellers who want a town base rather than a resort strip: the cathedral, the palaces and the narrow port are a short walk away, and the southern coves lie a drive south. Couples and families both fit here, and a week in town is easy to manage without a car for the centre itself.

Roques is a four-star hotel rather than a serviced apartment block or a beach resort, and it is not on the sand: Ciutadella's port and centre are the main draw here. Guests get a town setting with practical in-room facilities, useful for a family week or a shoulder-season break when the island is quieter. It is classified as a four-star hotel, not a private rental.

Location: Ciutadella

Ciutadella was the capital of Menorca before Maó took over, and the old town still reads that way: a cathedral, aristocratic palaces on narrow streets, and a long, thin inlet of a port that faces west and fills with people at sunset. Roques sits at the edge of this, 0.4 km from the centre, so evenings in the old town need no planning and no taxi. In the last week of June the Sant Joan festival brings horses and riders through those same streets.

The centre, the port and the cathedral are walkable from Roques; everything else on this list wants wheels. Menorca Airport is 36.1 km away, Maó port 38.5 km, Cala Galdana 12.7 km and Es Mercadal with Monte Toro 21.8 km. Buses run from Ciutadella to Maó and to some southern beaches, with more lines in summer, and the island bus operator publishes current times. A hire car is the simplest way to reach Cala Turqueta and the Naveta des Tudons, at 10 km and 4.7 km, and car parks at the popular coves fill early in high summer.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at Roques are listed with air conditioning, wifi, a TV, a hairdryer, toiletries, an iron and board, a balcony or patio, and coffee-making kit. The detail that matters most for a longer stay is the kitchen: an oven, microwave, refrigerator, toaster and dishwasher are all listed, plus a washing machine. For a couple, that means breakfast at your own pace and no need to eat out every night in Ciutadella.

Families get more from the layout: family rooms, cots, high chairs and a babysitting service are listed, plus a massage service, a picnic area and a terrace. Non-smoking rooms are listed too. Late arrivals should confirm how keys are handed over and whether the kitchen is stocked for a first night, and ask about cot linen, cleaning days and parking near Carrer De Ses Roques before booking.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) lies 36.1 km from Roques by straight line, south-west of Maó at the other end of the island. A taxi is the quickest option with luggage; a hire car collected at the airport is the usual choice for a week that includes the southern coves. Buses run from the airport into Maó, and from Maó on to Ciutadella, with more services in summer, so check the island bus operator for current times before relying on a connection.

Maó port is 38.5 km from the hotel, the terminal for overnight crossings to Barcelona and for sailings to Palma; Ciutadella also has its own port links, including the crossing to Alcúdia on Mallorca, which is worth checking with the operators for dates. From Roques, Ciutadella centre is 0.4 km, Cala Galdana 12.7 km and Es Mercadal 21.8 km. Winter brings fewer flights and sailings, so confirm both before booking a short break.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Turqueta, a white-sand cove under pine on the Migjorn coast, is 10 km from Roques by straight line; arrive early or take the bus, because parking there fills quickly and summer limits apply. Cala Galdana, a wider family bay, is 12.7 km. Closer in, the Ciutadella old town at dusk is 0.4 km and the Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb, is 4.7 km. Both coves sit inside the island's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, listed in 1993, and the talayotic sites joined the World Heritage list in 2023.

Menorca's food follows the island: Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin, and the north-coast fishing villages are known for caldereta de llagosta, a lobster stew. Ciutadella's own market and bakery streets are within walking distance of Roques, which keeps a self-catering week interesting. Gin, a legacy of 18th-century British rule, is part of the local drinking culture in both Ciutadella and Maó, usually with a slice of orange and lemonade.

A day from Roques

Start on foot: coffee in Ciutadella, then the cathedral and the palaces around the old town, all within 0.4 km of Roques. Drive or take a bus south in the morning to Cala Turqueta, 10 km away, and swim before the car park fills. On the way back, stop at the Naveta des Tudons, 4.7 km from the hotel, for the boat-shaped tomb and the view over the Migjorn plain.

Afternoons slow down: the narrow port, the shade of the old streets, or the terrace and picnic area at Roques while the kitchen does the work. Dusk on the port is why many people base themselves in Ciutadella, and the walk back from the centre is short. Es Mercadal, 21.8 km away under Monte Toro, is an alternative evening out, but it needs a car or taxi in both directions.

Practical tips

Season matters in Ciutadella. Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, and July and August are the peak, so check Roques's own opening dates before booking outside the summer half of the year. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is added to stays at Roques by the accommodation: the rate varies with the season, the type of accommodation and the length of stay, and children under 16 are exempt, so check the current rules with the Govern de les Illes Balears.

Questions about Roques