Villas Las Golondrinas

About Villas Las Golondrinas

Villas Las Golondrinas suits travellers who want a self-contained base in western Menorca rather than a resort strip. The four star villas sit at De La Tramontana, 168, outside the main resort areas near Cala en Bosc, with a garden, an outdoor pool and a solarium on site. Couples can spread out, and families get a kitchen, a washing machine and space to eat outside on the patio or terrace. A car makes the most of the position.

Villas Las Golondrinas is a four star apartment and villa property, so the stay is self-catering rather than full service. Kitchens and kitchenettes come with an oven, a microwave, a fridge and a toaster among the listed equipment. Air conditioning, fans and non-smoking rooms are listed, and express check-in helps after a late flight. Cleaning and laundry service are listed too; confirm the schedules with the property before arrival.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Villas Las Golondrinas stands near Cala en Bosc, a small holiday area on the south-west coast of Menorca, outside the main resort districts. Ciutadella, the old capital, is 8.1 km away in a straight line, close enough for an evening in its old town. The south coast here is limestone country: white sand coves under pine, clear water and low cliffs. The area fills in July and August and empties in the shoulder months.

Little of interest is on the doorstep, so plan on a car, a taxi or the seasonal bus for most trips. Menorca Airport is 34.5 km away in a straight line and Maó port 37.8 km, both across the island. Cala Galdana is 11.4 km and Son Bou 21.9 km. The southern coves and the road into Ciutadella, 8.1 km off, reward early starts in high summer, when parking at the popular beaches fills quickly.

Rooms and facilities

Inside, the listed equipment covers the practical side of a self-catering stay: kitchen and kitchenette, oven, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, iron and board, safe and TV. Bath and hairdryer, air conditioning and fans are listed, and a cot is listed for families with small children. Outside there is a garden, a patio, a terrace, an outdoor pool and a solarium. Express check-in and free wifi help a late arrival settle in.

Confirm the practical points with Villas Las Golondrinas before booking: the layout of the villa you choose, whether the pool sits beside your unit, and how cleaning and the laundry service work during the stay. Ask about cot arrangements if travelling with a baby, and about parking, since free car parking is listed. Check-in and check-out times are worth fixing in advance, particularly for an evening arrival from the airport.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) sits about 4-5 km south-west of Maó, and Villas Las Golondrinas is 34.5 km from it in a straight line, at the far western end of the island. The drive crosses Menorca from east to west, so a hire car collected at the airport is the simplest option; a taxi covers the same route. Buses run to Maó and, in summer, to the resorts; check the island bus operator for lines that come near Cala en Bosc.

Ferries arrive at Maó, 37.8 km away in a straight line, and at Ciutadella, 8.1 km from the villas; the Barcelona crossings from either port are overnight sailings of several hours. From Ciutadella the run south to De La Tramontana, 168, is short. Cala Galdana is 11.4 km and Son Bou 21.9 km if you are approaching from the south coast. Flights and ferries thin out in winter, so check timetables with the operators before fixing dates.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Turqueta, one of the white sand coves of the Migjorn coast, is 7.6 km from Villas Las Golondrinas in a straight line; arrive early or take the bus in summer, when the car park fills. Cala Galdana is 11.4 km and Son Bou, the longest beach on the island, 21.9 km. Ciutadella old town at dusk is 8.1 km off, and the Naveta des Tudons 9.5 km. The villas are not beachfront, so each of these is a drive.

Menorca's food is part of the reason to stay west. Mahón-Menorca cheese has a protected designation of origin and appears on most menus. In Ciutadella, 8.1 km from Villas Las Golondrinas, the old town lanes hold bakeries and everyday cafés that stay open outside the peak months. Fornells, on the north coast, is known for caldereta de llagosta, its lobster stew. In August, tables are harder to find; in May or October, walk in.

A day from Villas Las Golondrinas

Start early with the run to Cala Turqueta, 7.6 km from Villas Las Golondrinas, before the car park fills, and take water and sun cover. On the way back, stop at the Naveta des Tudons, 9.5 km off, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb from the Talayotic Menorca World Heritage listing. Lunch in Ciutadella, 8.1 km from the villas, then spend the hottest hours at the pool, on the patio or under the fans inside.

Late afternoon suits Ciutadella old town at dusk, 8.1 km from Villas Las Golondrinas: the cathedral, the palaces and the narrow port where the sun goes down. Eat in the lanes, then drive back to De La Tramontana, 168. A swim at the pool before dinner fits the pattern, and the solarium or terrace is the place to end the day. Keep the evening short if you have an early departure from Menorca Airport, 34.5 km off.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so ask Villas Las Golondrinas about its own dates before booking a winter or early spring stay. July and August are the peak, when the southern coves and the road into Ciutadella, 8.1 km away, are busiest. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; for a stay at Villas Las Golondrinas the rate varies with season and length of stay, under-16s do not pay, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rules.

Questions about Villas Las Golondrinas