Villa Faro

About Villa Faro

Villa Faro suits families and small groups who want a self-catering base on Menorca's south-west side, away from the big resort strips. The property is listed as an apartment or villa with two stars, and the layout is practical rather than formal: family rooms, a cot on request and a kitchen with a fridge, oven, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. A garden, a terrace and an outdoor pool give children room to move, and the beaches of the Migjorn coast are a short drive away.

Expect a straightforward, self-contained stay rather than hotel service. Villa Faro is listed with non-smoking rooms, air conditioning, free wifi and a TV and DVD player, plus a safe and an iron and board for longer stays. Coffee and a toaster in the kitchen cover breakfast, and the pool bar is listed for warmer afternoons. The property also lists a car rental service and a shuttle service, which helps if you would rather not drive the island roads yourself.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

The setting is quiet and residential, outside the main resort areas and near Cala en Bosc, on the south-west coast of Menorca. Ciutadella, the old capital, is 8.7 km away and Cala Galdana is 11.5 km. This is a stretch of the island best explored by car: the coast road threads between pine woods, small coves and the bigger beaches of the Migjorn side, and the distances are short once you are behind the wheel.

Straight-line figures give the shape of the area. Cala Turqueta is 7.6 km from Villa Faro, Cala Macarella 9.8 km, and Son Bou, the longest beach on the island, 21.8 km. Walking to any of these is impractical, so plan on a hire car, a taxi or the seasonal bus network, which is busier in July and August; the island bus operator publishes the current lines. In high summer the coves fill early, while May, June and September are calmer.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at Villa Faro are listed with air conditioning, a safe, a hairdryer and an iron and board, and the kitchen comes with a refrigerator, oven, microwave, dishwasher, toaster and coffee. Couples can treat the apartment as a base and eat out in Ciutadella; families can cook early and use the garden and terrace afterwards. A washing machine and a cleaning service are listed, which matters on longer stays with children.

For late arrivals, ask the property about check-in arrangements and the express check-in it lists before booking a flight that lands after dark. The same applies to the cot, the family rooms and the pool bar, whose opening times follow the season. Confirm what the cleaning service covers, whether the laundry service carries a charge, and how the shuttle service works, since these details change from year to year.

Getting there

From Menorca Airport (MAH), 34.4 km away in a straight line, the drive crosses the island to the south-west coast. Hiring a car at the terminal is the simplest option, and Villa Faro lists a car rental service of its own if you prefer to arrange it on arrival. Taxis wait at the terminal. The property also lists a shuttle service, so ask whether it covers airport transfers before you book.

By sea, Maó port is 37.7 km away, with overnight crossings to Barcelona and links to Palma; Ciutadella, 8.7 km from the property, has a narrow port with its own sailings, including the crossing to Alcúdia on Mallorca. Check the operators for current timetables, as sailings thin out outside summer. Flights to Menorca are also fewer between November and April, when much of the island's tourist business closes.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Three south-coast coves sit within easy reach: Cala Turqueta at 7.6 km, Cala Macarella at 9.8 km and Cala Galdana at 11.5 km, where the bay is wider and the water shallower. Son Bou, 21.8 km away, is the longest beach on Menorca, backed by dunes and a wetland. Car parks at the popular southern coves fill early in summer and some carry seasonal limits, so start out early.

Ciutadella is 8.7 km from Villa Faro, and its old town at dusk is a short evening run: the cathedral, the palaces and the narrow port. Inland, Menorca's food is worth planning around. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin, and the fishing village of Fornells on the north coast is known for caldereta de llagosta, a lobster stew. Bakeries and markets in Ciutadella cover picnic supplies.

A day from Villa Faro

Start early and drive the 9.8 km to Cala Macarella, where white sand sits under pine and a cliff path continues towards Cala Turqueta, 7.6 km from Villa Faro. Both coves are small and busy by midday, so morning is the better half of the day. Return for a late lunch at the apartment and an afternoon by the outdoor pool and in the garden.

In the evening, drive the 8.7 km into Ciutadella to see the old town at dusk, when the light reaches the cathedral and the port. Alternatively take the coast road east towards Cala Galdana, 11.5 km away, for a swim in a wider bay. Distances on this side of Menorca are short, so two outings in a day are realistic, with the pool as the interval.

Practical tips

Charged by the accommodation, the Balearic sustainable tourism tax (the ecotasa) is levied per person per night; the rate varies with the season and the length of stay, children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the details. Much of Menorca's seasonal business closes roughly from November to April, and July and August are the busiest months, so check Villa Faro's opening dates before booking a shoulder-season flight, as its pool bar and shuttle service may follow the season.

Questions about Villa Faro