Cala en Porter
Best for. Families and value travellers who want a calm, free swim in a dramatic cliff cove, with a beach bar, sunbed hire and the famous cave above for an evening view.
Best spot. The wide centre of the cove where the cliffs keep the water calmest and shallowest, with the cliff top lookout and Cova d'en Xoroi above for the view.
Know this. The beach is reached by a flight of steps, so it is hard work with a buggy, and the cave bar charges an entry, so visit Xoroi by day for the cheaper way to the same outlook.
Cala en Porter is the south coast cove that trades a little wildness for a lot of ease. Set at the foot of tall cliffs below a long established resort, it is a wide, generous sweep of golden sand with calm, shallow, clear water held in by the headlands, and that shelter is what makes it one of the more reliable family swims on this coast. Crowning it all are the caves of Cova d'en Xoroi, set high in the cliff above the bay, a bar and famous sunset spot that gives the cove a drama few family beaches can match. As a free beach with real facilities and a landmark view, it earns its keep.
The value savvy read starts with the steps. The beach sits well below the road and you reach it down a flight of stairs from a cliff top lookout, which is wonderful for the view and a chore with a buggy, a cool box and small children in the heat. Plan for that, travel as light as you can, and the rest is genuinely cheap. The sand is free, you can hire a sunbed if you want one or lay a towel if you do not, and the resort up top has shops to stock a picnic so you are not tied to the beach bar prices. For a relaxed, low cost day with calm water, it works.
Here is where the value really hides. Cova d'en Xoroi charges an entry that typically comes with a drink, and at peak sunset it is busy and priced for the occasion. The smart move is to visit the caves by day, when the daytime entry is lower and the cliff top outlook over the sea is just as spectacular, then be down on the sand or back at your base for the evening. And the honest caveat, because this is not a wild cala, is that the resort feels developed and a touch dated, so if it is untouched scenery you are after, point the car at the southwest calas instead. For calm water, a free beach and a famous view done cheaply, Cala en Porter delivers.
Clubs near this beach
Cala en Porter is the rare Menorca cove with a real landmark above it, the cliff caves of Cova d'en Xoroi, plus the resort facilities that make an easy day, so here is the honest read on both.
Photo: Paul Lakin via GoogleCova d'en Xoroi, Cala en Porter
The famous cave bar set high in the cliff above the cove, a series of terraces carved into the rock with one of the best sunset views in Menorca and a separate evening club use. Entry typically includes a drink, and the value move is a daytime visit for the lower entry and the same dramatic outlook. Hours, prices and club nights to be confirmed.
Beach bar on the sand, to be confirmed
Down on the cove there is a seasonal beach bar with sunbed and umbrella hire and the usual resort facilities, enough to spend the day without climbing the steps for lunch. Prices are resort level rather than wild cala cheap, so the value play is a picnic from the shops up top and the bar kept for a cold drink. Hours to be confirmed.
South coast, down the cliff steps
Cala en Porter sits on the south coast, around a 20 minute drive from Mahon, in a long established resort spread along the cliffs above the cove. You park in the resort up top, then take the flight of steps down from the cliff lookout to reach the sand, with Cova d'en Xoroi a short way along the clifftop.
The steps are the only real effort, so travel light and allow time for the climb back up in the heat. Bring shade for the open sand, stock a picnic in the resort shops to keep costs down, and time a visit to the caves for the day rather than peak sunset to enjoy the view for less.
Photo: Ersi Seferiadi via GoogleNot ready to book?
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Common questions about Cala en Porter
How do you get down to Cala en Porter beach?
The beach sits at the foot of high cliffs below the resort, reached by a flight of steps down from the road, with a lookout at the top. There is parking in the resort above, and the descent is the catch, since the steps are hard work with a buggy or a lot of gear. Once down, the cove opens out into a wide, sheltered sweep of sand.
Is Cala en Porter beach good for families?
Yes, once you are down the steps. The cove is wide and enclosed by cliffs, so the water is calm, shallow and clear, which suits children and easy swimming. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed, so still supervise young ones, and factor the steps into your day, as carrying a toddler and gear up and down in the heat is the only real effort.
What is Cova d'en Xoroi at Cala en Porter?
Cova d'en Xoroi is a series of caves set high in the cliff above the cove, run as a bar and a famous sunset spot, with a separate evening club use. You pay an entry fee that typically includes a drink, and the views are the draw. The value tip is to visit by day for the lower daytime entry and the same dramatic outlook, rather than only at peak sunset.
Is Cala en Porter worth visiting?
For a calm, free family swim with a dramatic cliff setting and a famous cave bar above it, yes. The honest read is that it is a long established resort cove rather than a wild cala, so it feels more developed and a little dated, and the steps are a chore. Come for the easy water and the Xoroi view, and choose a southwest cala if you want untouched scenery.
Are there facilities at Cala en Porter?
Yes, more than the protected calas, since it is a resort cove. There is sunbed and umbrella hire typical in season, a beach bar and toilets, and shops and restaurants up in the resort above the cliffs. Opening times and prices are set by the operators and are to be confirmed, so it is easy to travel light here or to stock a picnic up top.
