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Territory capital · Spain

Maó

Base in Maó for 2 nights: old town on foot, harbour boat trip, one day out to a beach or fort. Skip it as a beach base — the town has no sand.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (crowds and heat), Nov–Mar (many harbour places shut)
Airport
MAH
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
  • Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
  • Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
  • Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
  • Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
  • Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

Maó is Menorca's capital and its working harbour town: a compact old town of churches, a gin distillery and a food market, wrapped around a 5 km inlet. It is where you land, eat and sleep well, not where you swim — the nearest sand is 8 km north at Es Grau or 11 km south at Punta Prima. Two nights covers the town; add nights if you use it as an island base.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Maó, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Beercaña at a bar / supermarket can€2–3.50 (≈ US$3–5)€0.80–1.50 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Metro or bus rideBus Maó to Ciutadellaabout €6–7 (≈ US$7–9) (check)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseu de Menorca entryabout €4 (≈ US$5) adult (check)
  • Budget bedHostal or guesthouse double, a night, per room€70 (≈ US$85)
  • Mid-range bedHostal or guesthouse double, a night, per room€100 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedHostal or guesthouse double, a night, per room€140 (≈ US$170)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €60 (≈ US$70) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €200 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Natural harbour and waterfrontXoriguer gin distillerySanta Maria de Maó and its organMercat des Peix food courtMahón cheese and mayonnaise
Airports
MAH Menorca Airport (5 km southwest in Sant Lluís; bus to town every 30 min, about 10 min)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Maó: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

14°C

7°C

7 rd

Feb

14°C

7°C

6 rd

Mar

16°C

8°C

6 rd

Apr

18°C

10°C

6 rd

May

22°C

13°C

4 rd

Jun

26°C

17°C

2 rd

Jul

29°C

20°C

1 rd

Aug

30°C

21°C

2 rd

Sep

27°C

19°C

5 rd

Oct

23°C

16°C

7 rd

Nov

18°C

11°C

8 rd

Dec

15°C

8°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The old town is traffic-restricted and camera-enforced: park outside and walk. TMSA buses run the island spine (Ciutadella–Ferreries–Alaior–Maó–Sant Lluís) from the bus station by Plaça Esplanada; bus 1 to Ciutadella takes about 1 h, bus 2 to Es Castell about 15 min. Taxis wait at the Esplanada and on the waterfront.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Es Castell and Fortalesa de la Mola

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus 2 from Maó bus station, about 15 min, then a taxi or long walk to the fortress

Fortress entry about €8 adult; check seasonal hours before you go.

Es Grau beach

go

Door to door: 20–30 min

Car or taxi, 8 km north; no direct town bus

Shallow, sheltered sand and a nature reserve behind it; free car park at the village edge.

Sant Lluís and Punta Prima

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min

Bus 91 or 94 from Maó bus station, 20–30 min

Punta Prima has a 100 m beach that fills up in summer; S'Algar has no beach.

Ciutadella

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus 1 (about 1 h) or express bus 14 (about 45 min, weekdays)

Former capital with 17th-century streets; a full day or an overnight.

Cala Galdana

caution

Door to door: About 45 min

Car via Ferreries, about 35 km

No direct bus from Maó; parking is tight in July and August.

Son Bou

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Car via Alaior, about 20 km

Long sandy beach; easiest with your own transport.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old town (centre)

Around Plaça de la Constitució and Carrer Nou: walk to everything, quiet at night, few rooms.

Moll de Llevant / Moll de Ponent waterfront

Harbour views and the bar strip; 10–15 min uphill walk to the old town.

West edge (Sant Esteve, Dalt Vilanova)

Modern hotels with pools, 10–15 min walk in; cheaper than the centre.

Son Vilar / Bintaufa

Suburban, 2–3 km out; only worth it with a car or for the sports pavilion.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–95 (≈ US$70–120) excl. bed
Mid
€95–160 (≈ US$120–190) excl. bed
High
€160 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid hotel double1 × 2 nights × €140€280
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €110€440
Airport bus to town, one way2 × €3 · check€6
Harbour boat trip2 × €15 · check€30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €10€20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€78
Trip total≈ €214 per person per day, bed included€854≈ US$1,000

2026 estimate in euros; flights and ferries excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)
Menu del día at lunch€14–22 (≈ US$17–30)
Tapas plate€4–9 (≈ US$5–11)
Beer: caña at a bar / supermarket can€2–3.50 (≈ US$3–5) / €0.80–1.50 (≈ US$1–2)
Gin tour and tasting at Xoriguerabout €15 (≈ US$18) adult (check)
Museu de Menorca entryabout €4 (≈ US$5) adult (check)
Bus Maó to Ciutadellaabout €6–7 (≈ US$7–9) (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Maó is a low-risk town: the usual pickpocket care on the Moll de Ponent bar strip at night, sun and rock care at the swimming spots, and no beach in town to fall back on.
  • No beach in town: the waterfront is rock and quay, not sand.
  • Old-town streets are traffic-restricted and camera-enforced — fines are automatic.
  • Many Moll de Ponent restaurants close or cut hours from November to March.
  • Sunday and public-holiday buses run a reduced timetable; check the TMSA site before relying on one.

Emergency numbers

All services (police, fire, ambulance)
112
National police
091
Guardia Civil
062

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

MaóMaó

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A aquesta adreça, si us plauTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All services112
  • National police091
  • Guardia Civil062

Embassy

No embassies in Maó; the US has a consulate-general in Barcelona, the UK and most others have embassies in Madrid.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → Maó bus station: about €3 (≈ US$4), 10 min (check)
  • Bus Maó → Ciutadella: about €6–7 (≈ US$7–9), 1 h (check)
  • Taxi across town: €8–12 (≈ US$10–14) (check)

Say or show

  • Hola — Hello (OH-lah)
  • Gràcies / Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-syehs / GRAH-syahs)
  • El compte, si us plau — The bill, please (el KOM-tuh, see oos plow)
  • On és l'estació d'autobusos? — Where is the bus station? (on ehs luh-stah-SYOH dow-toh-BOO-sos)
  • Puc pagar amb targeta? — Can I pay by card? (pook pah-GAR um tar-GEH-tuh)
  • Una taula per a dos, si us plau — A table for two, please (OO-nuh TOW-luh pehr uh dos, see oos plow)

Menorca has two official languages, Catalan and Spanish; place names on signs are usually Catalan (Maó, not Mahón).

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Maó. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (crowds and heat), Nov–Mar (many harbour places shut) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MAH: last bus from the airport, taxi fallback, first-night rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Plaça de la Constitució, the harbour quays, the market and Carme, the museum and San Francisco.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Santa Maria, Museu de Menorca, Xoriguer, La Mola) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Ferry and cruise-day fixtures so harbour-area pages can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Spain

Sources