Cala Santandria Holidays

Cala Santandria Holidays – A pretty, laid-back former fishing village

Cala Santandria is a former fishing village that centres around a pretty cove of fine white sand. Over recent years, the resort has begun to merge with the neighbouring coastal towns of Cala Blanca and Sa Caleta. Nightlife here is lively but low-key, with a good selection of tavernas, bars and restaurants. Cala Santandria has a laid-back, relaxed feel, making it popular with older couples. The picturesque former capital of Ciutadella is located 3km away and makes for a great day out with its cobbled streets, charming cafes and eclectic Moorish, Baroque and Spanish architecture. The resort has some excellent seafood restaurants, with specialities including prawns, mussels, red mullet and sea bass. Cala Santandria beach is popular with locals who come here over the weekends.

When to go

You can visit Cala Santandria any time between April and October and enjoy warm sunshine. The peak months to visit are June-August, when the weather is hottest and the town is at its busiest. As with the other Balearic Islands, this is also the most expensive time to go. To save money, consider booking for April-May or September-October; these are the spring and autumn seasons, when the weather will still be pleasantly hot but prices are much lower than in the summer. Activities such as hiking and cycling are more enjoyable during this time, as the sun is not uncomfortably hot.

The weather in Cala Santandria

Cala Santandria holidays in the spring will see plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures of between 18-21C. The air is still pleasantly fresh from the winter months during this period as well. From June the temperature starts to heat up, with the summer months seeing averages of 26-28C. Autumn begins to cool down again, but the good weather will generally last right up to late October, with the mercury hovering between 22-26C.  Around this time the resort experiences an increase in rainfall and strong winds from the north. November-March is the winter period, with temperatures around 14-18C, and the town all but closes down.

Getting the best deal

Package holidays to Cala Santandria will always be more expensive during the Easter and summer school holidays, as well as half-term dates, so it’s wise to avoid these times if you have the flexibility. Booking well in advance will see you benefit from the cheapest prices, as the best deals and most popular hotels will sell out quickly, especially for peak season dates.

Booking outside peak season (June-August) is a great way of making savings; there as some fantastic offers to be had in the spring months of April-May and autumn months of September-October. And booking self-catering will always lower the cost of your overall holiday spending.Take a look at our best Cala Santandria deals below or check out our late offers here.

Airport and transport need to know

You can fly to Menorca from virtually any area of the UK as there are over 15 regional airports that offer flights to the island. All will land at the Menorca Mahon airport (MAH). This is a compact airport with one terminal, set across two floors. It can get very busy here during the peak season. There is a smattering of shops and restaurants.

Holidays to Cala Santandria can really get started once you’ve arranged the transfer from the airport. The resort is over the other side of the island from the airport, at around 30 miles away, and it can take up to an hour to reach there by car.

You can catch a taxi from the taxi rank outside the Arrivals hall. Taxis can accommodate up to 4 adults and work on ‘fixed price’ basis. You should expect to pay around €55 for a taxi carrying 4 people as well as luggage. Child seats may be available if you ring up and make a request in advance, but ordinarily taxis will not be fitted with them.

A cheaper way of transferring is by shared shuttle bus. A number of coach companies offer this service from the airport and offer a return ticket for around €25. You can see prices offered by the Menorca Airport Transport company here.

The third and cheapest way of getting to the resort is by public bus – this can be a lengthy process however. You will need to catch the Airport-Mahon bus to the central bus depot in Mahon. From here, you can catch the Nr.1 or Nr.14 connecting bus to Ciutadella. Here you will have to go to the Town Hall Square, where there are bus stops which run services to Cala Santandria. You can download a PDF of the bus timetable from Mahon here.

The best beaches in Cala Santandria

The western coast of Menorca tends to have smaller beaches than the south. They are usually sandy coves of soft white sand, protected by dramatic cliffs. The beaches in the Cala Santandria are different from those such as Cala’n Forcat found further north, in that the beaches are slightly wider and larger. Their close proximity to Ciutadella means these beaches can get quite busy during the peak season and at weekends.

Cala Santandria beach

This is a white sandy beach that gently slopes down into warm shallow waters. It has been awarded the coveted Blue Flag for cleanliness, and has an excellent array of facilities including public toilets, a lifeguard post, beach bars, restaurants, a sailing club and a scuba diving school. You can hire out sun loungers, parasols and pedalos here as well as take part in watersports such as kayaking and banana boating.

Cala Blanca beach

The beach at Cala Blanca is around a 15 minute walk away from Cala Santandria. Here you will find a pretty crescent bay, with turquoise water and soft white sand. Snorkelling and scuba diving are popular pastimes at this beach. There is a wide selection of shops and bars along the promenade, and useful facilities such as public toilets. A salt-water lido area overlooks the beach and is lovely place to watch the sun go down.

Cala'n Bosch Beach

For those looking to explore the area a little, taking the short trip southwards along the coast to Cala’n Bosch beach is well worth the effort. This is a large, sandy beach close to the harbour in Cala’n Bosch resort. Plenty of shops, bars and restaurants are found at the harbour, which provides a lovely spot to have an evening meal and watch the sun go down. The beach has a lifeguard, sun loungers, parasols and watersports including snorkelling, pedaloes and kayaks.