SeaTV · Spain · Balearic Islands · Menorca · Cala Fornells
Cala Fornells — The Small Rocky Swimming Cove Inside Fornells Village
~50 m wide rocky cove just N of the Fornells port · located inside the village itself, ~400 m walk N of the main marina along a coastal promenade · INSIDE the Marine Reserve of North Menorca · ⚠ NOT to be confused with Fornells Bay (the 3-km natural harbour where you actually anchor) · Cala Fornells is the small rocky bathing spot in the village · metal ladders fixed to the rocks for water entry · prime snorkelling area with fishing prohibited · ⚠ NOT to be confused with Cala Fornells in Mallorca (different island, different bay).
⚠ Swimming + snorkelling spot · NOT a sailing anchorage · for boats anchor in Fornells Bay (3 km natural harbour, the main port and base for the N coast)
Cala Fornells is the village swimming spot, not a sailing anchorage. It’s important to make this distinction clearly: Fornells village (the small whitewashed fishing-village resort on the N coast of Menorca) sits at the head of Fornells Bay, a 3-km long natural harbour that’s the main sailing anchorage on the N coast of the island and the base for windsurfing, sailing, and N-coast cruising. Cala Fornells, the subject of this page, is something different: a tiny ~50-m wide rocky cove just N of the village’s main marina, ~400 m walking distance along the seafront promenade, used by villagers and visitors for swimming and snorkelling. Metal ladders fixed to the rocks let you climb in and out of the deep clear water; the cove sits within the Marine Reserve of North Menorca where fishing is prohibited, which makes it one of the better snorkelling spots accessible from a Menorcan village. For sailors the practical use is straightforward: anchor in Fornells Bay (the proper anchorage), tender or walk to Cala Fornells for the snorkel and the late-afternoon photo, then back to the boat for sunset on the larger bay. For dining, the village’s seafood restaurants — including the lobster-stew specialists — are a 5-minute walk in either direction.
⚠ Reality check:
→ ⚠ NOT a sailing anchorage · the cove is too small + rocky to anchor a yacht · for boats use Fornells Bay (the larger 3 km natural harbour)
→ ⚠ NOT to be confused with Fornells Bay · the bay is the sailing harbour, the cala is the village swim spot 400 m N
→ ⚠ NOT to be confused with Cala Fornells Mallorca · that’s a different beach in Calvià near Andratx (Mallorca, not Menorca)
→ ⚠ Marine Reserve of North Menorca rules apply · NO fishing in the cove · respect the protected status
→ ⚠ No sand, rocky entry only · metal ladders are the access · water shoes recommended
→ ⚠ Moderate currents possible even in calm conditions · stay within the buoyed area
⚓ Cala Fornells at a Glance
Coordinates
~40°03.5’N · 4°08’E (N of Fornells port)
Type
Rocky village swimming cove (NOT a sailing anchorage)
Size
~50 m wide rocky cove
Bottom
Rocky near edge · sand in centre · Posidonia patches
Water entry
Metal ladders fixed to the rocks
Status
Inside Marine Reserve of North Menorca
Distance from Fornells port
~400 m N along promenade · 5 min walk
Sailing anchorage
Fornells Bay (3 km natural harbour) · NOT here
Best for
Snorkelling · short swim · village walk
Marine life
Big sargo · seabreams · salema · jacks · red mullet
Restaurants nearby
~200 m to the harbour · multiple seafood + lobster stew specialists
Snorkelling — Why You Come Here
Cala Fornells sits inside the Marine Reserve of North Menorca · fishing prohibited within the cove · this concentrates marine life close to shore.
→ Bottom variety: rocky near the edges, sandy in the centre, Posidonia patches in deeper sections
→ Marine life you’ll see: big sargo (the cove is known for them), seabreams, salema, jacks, red mullet, peacock wrasse, occasional octopus
→ Snorkelling area defined by yellow buoys · 50 m wide swimmable zone · moderate depth
→ Easy access: walk down via the metal ladders fixed to the rocks · no shore beach
Skill level: basic snorkelling skills · not within depth · moderate currents possible · stay within buoys.
If You’re Sailing — Use Fornells Bay Instead
⚠ The actual sailing anchorage is Fornells Bay
For yachts cruising Menorca’s N coast, the proper anchorage at Fornells is the 3-km long Fornells Bay (the natural harbour at the head of which the village sits). The Cala Fornells cove on this page is a 50-m village swimming spot, not a yacht anchorage.
→ Anchor in Fornells Bay · 3 km natural harbour · sandy bottom 3-7 m · sheltered from N quadrant · open to S
→ Tender to the village · land at the public quay or the dinghy pontoon next to the port
→ Walk N along the seafront · 400 m / 5 min to Cala Fornells for snorkelling
The Fornells Village — What’s Walking Distance
Fornells is one of the most authentic fishing villages on Menorca. Whitewashed sugar-cube houses cascade down to the harbour · pedestrian streets · no high-rise development · “discovered” by King Juan Carlos I (who used to summer here aboard the royal yacht Fortuna).
Restaurants — the lobster stew specialists:
→ Fornells is the official home of caldereta de langosta — the spiny-lobster stew that is Menorca’s regional dish · multiple specialists in the village · expect €100+/person for the genuine version
→ Casual seafood: La Guapa (Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice), Es Cranc, Jordis, several others on the waterfront
→ Don’t miss Ricardo Riera ice cream · handmade on-site · local + fresh produce
Other village highlights:
→ Plaça del Forn · small public swimming area in the inner harbour · clear water, calm
→ Torre de Fornells (1801-02) · British-built defensive tower above the village · open to visitors · views over the bay
→ Basilica des cap des Port de Fornells · 5th-7th century Christian basilica ruins · just S of the village
⛵ From Fornells — N Coast Day Sails
Day sails from Fornells Bay (the proper anchorage):
→ Cala Pregonda (~3 NM W) · the iconic red-rock beach with offshore islets
→ Cala Cavalleria (~5 NM W) · reddish-gold sand crescent below the lighthouse
→ Cap de Cavalleria lighthouse (~5 NM W) · Menorca’s northernmost point · 1857 lighthouse (oldest on island, 22 NM range)
→ Cala’n Tosqueta (~3 NM E around the Mola peninsula) · hidden virgin cove · jet-ski tour route
→ La Mola cliffs + Punta Pentinat (~3 NM E) · sea-cliff drama on the Mola peninsula
→ Cala Tirant (~2 NM W) · sandy beach + lagoon · windsurfing
→ Cala Mica + Binimel·là (~6 NM W) · undeveloped beaches inside the Marine Reserve
Emergency & Practical Contacts
Emergency: 112 (national)
Maritime SAR (Salvamento Marítimo): 900 202 202
VHF distress: Channel 16
Closest service marina: Port d’Addaia +34 971 188 871 (~12 NM E)
Fornells village: ~30 min drive from Maó · bus L41 from Maó station
Hospital Mateu Orfila (Maó): +34 971 487 000
⛵ Continue Exploring Menorca
→ Cala’n Tosqueta — 3 NM E · hidden virgin cove on Mola de Fornells
→ Cala Addaia (Port d’Addaia) — 12 NM E · 168-berth NE marina
→ Cala Algaiarens (La Vall) — NW double virgin bay
→ Cala Morell — NW + 14C BCE necropolis
→ Port de Ciutadella — the medieval capital · 1,170 m natural inlet
→ Cala Galdana — south-coast horseshoe
→ Cala’n Porter — Cova d’en Xoroi
“Cala Fornells is the village swimming spot not a sailing anchorage and it is important to make this distinction clearly · Fornells village is the small whitewashed fishing village resort on the north coast of Menorca that sits at the head of Fornells Bay which is a three kilometer long natural harbour and is the main sailing anchorage on the north coast of the island and the base for windsurfing and sailing and north coast cruising · Cala Fornells is something different a tiny fifty meter wide rocky cove just north of the village’s main marina about four hundred meters walking distance along the seafront promenade used by villagers and visitors for swimming and snorkelling · metal ladders fixed to the rocks let you climb in and out of the deep clear water · the cove sits within the Marine Reserve of North Menorca where fishing is prohibited which makes it one of the better snorkelling spots accessible from a Menorcan village · big sargo seabreams salema jacks red mullet peacock wrasse occasional octopus · for sailors the practical use is straightforward anchor in Fornells Bay the proper anchorage and tender or walk to Cala Fornells for the snorkel and the late afternoon photo and back to the boat for sunset on the larger bay · for dining the village is the official home of caldereta de langosta the spiny lobster stew that is the regional dish of Menorca with multiple specialists in the village expect a hundred euro plus per person for the genuine version · do not confuse this Cala Fornells with the Mallorcan one near Andratx which is a different beach on a different island · the village has the eighteen oh one British defensive tower above and the fifth to seventh century Christian basilica ruins south of the village · day sail from Fornells Bay to Cala Pregonda three miles west or Cap de Cavalleria five miles west with the eighteen fifty seven lighthouse the oldest on the island or Cala’n Tosqueta three miles east around the Mola peninsula · this is the village photo stop you make rather than a yacht anchorage.”
— SeaTV · Menorca · Cala Fornells · The Village Swimming Cove
