Marce

About Marce

Marce is a four-star hotel set outside the main resort areas of Menorca, close to Cala en Bosc on the island's south-west coast. It suits families and couples who want a quiet base with their own kitchen and laundry rather than a full-board package. The facilities listed include an oven, a dishwasher, a washing machine and outside space in the form of a balcony, terrace or patio. Ciutadella is 8.4 km away, so evenings in the old capital are easy to fit in.

The stay at Marce is practical rather than pampering. This is a four-star hotel, and the listed facilities read like a self-catering setup: kitchen, oven, microwave, toaster, dishwasher and washing machine, with air conditioning and a fan for warm nights. Couples who prefer to eat out can treat the kitchen as backup. Families with small children get the routine of their own space, and a cot is listed. It is worth asking about the exact room layout when booking.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Cala en Bosc sits on the south-west coast of Menorca, within reach of the Migjorn beaches and the old capital. Marce's position is away from the busiest resort strips, which makes it a base for exploring rather than a place to spend every hour in one spot. Ciutadella is 8.4 km away in a straight line, Cala Galdana 10.1 km, and Son Bou, the longest beach on the island, 20.5 km. The nearest cove, Cala Turqueta, is 6.3 km off.

A hire car makes most sense from Marce, because the coves along this coast sit a few kilometres apart and parking at the popular ones fills early in summer, with some summer limits in place. Cala Turqueta is 6.3 km away in a straight line and Cala Macarella 8.5 km. Buses and taxis cover the run into Ciutadella, 8.4 km off, though services thin outside the season. July and August are busy here; May, June and September are calmer. Check timetables with the island bus operator.

Rooms and facilities

Couples get a comfortable setup at Marce: air conditioning, a fan, a TV, a desk and free wifi, with toiletries, a hairdryer and an iron and board listed. Families benefit from the kitchen equipment, the washing machine and a cot. The outdoor space, whether balcony, terrace or patio, adds a second room in warm weather, and non-smoking rooms are listed. Free car parking is listed too, which matters if you plan to drive to the coves early.

Late arrivals should confirm arrangements with Marce before travelling, since reception hours vary and a delayed flight or a late ferry changes everything. Ask whether the kitchen sits in the same room or in a separate living space, what the cot includes, and whether the garden and patio are shared with other guests. Water sports appear among the listed facilities, so ask what is available and when. First aid supplies are listed as well.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 33.1 km from Marce in a straight line, on the far side of the island near Maó. The usual choices are a hire car collected at the airport, a taxi, or a bus into Maó and onward connections. With luggage and children, driving is simpler, and a car also serves the coves. Allow for traffic and the route rather than the straight-line figure. Check current timetables with the island bus operator before booking a flight that lands late.

From Maó port, 36.4 km away in a straight line, the same roads lead west towards Ciutadella, which is 8.4 km from Marce. Ferries from Maó and Ciutadella run to Barcelona, Ciutadella also links to Alcúdia on Mallorca, and Maó to Palma. Crossing times are long on the overnight routes. Schedules thin in winter and flights are fewer outside the season, so match your arrival to your booking and confirm with the operators.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The nearest coves to Marce are the southern ones. Cala Turqueta, 6.3 km away, is a pine-backed cove; Cala Macarella is 8.5 km; Cala Galdana, a wider bay, is 10.1 km. Son Bou, the longest beach on Menorca, with dunes and a wetland behind it, is 20.5 km off. Ciutadella, 8.4 km away, has the cathedral, the palaces and a narrow port that faces the sunset, with the Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb, nearby.

Food on Menorca is tied to the coast and the countryside. Caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew, comes from Fornells on the north coast; Mahón-Menorca cheese has a protected designation of origin and turns up on most menus; the British spell in the 18th century left Maó with a gin tradition. Village bakeries and weekly markets are worth a morning. From Marce, Ciutadella at 8.4 km is the obvious place to eat in the evening, and the Sant Joan festival falls around 23-24 June.

A day from Marce

Start early from Marce, because car parks at the southern coves fill in summer. Drive to Cala Turqueta, 6.3 km away, and swim before the light gets hard, then move on to Cala Macarella, 8.5 km off, for a second cove and a stretch of the cliff paths. Both are straight-line distances, so allow for winding lanes. Return to Marce for lunch and the shaded terrace or patio, and let the hottest hours pass indoors.

In the afternoon, drive to Ciutadella, 8.4 km from Marce, and walk the old town as the light softens: the cathedral, the palaces and the port where people gather at dusk. Eat there before returning. With a second day, Cala Galdana is 10.1 km away and Son Bou 20.5 km, each with its own character. A hire car is the practical way to string these together; otherwise taxis and seasonal buses cover the Ciutadella run.

Practical tips

Marce trades in a seasonal destination. Many Menorca hotels, beach bars and boat trips close roughly from November to April, so confirm the hotel's own opening dates before booking flights, and expect fewer crossings and flights in winter. July and August are the crowded months; the sea is typically about 18-19 °C in May and 23-25 °C in September. A nightly ecotasa, the Balearic sustainable tourism tax, is added by the accommodation; the amount varies with category and season, falls in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt. Check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates and ask Marce how it appears on your bill.

Questions about Marce