Thinking of renting a car in Menorca? Our article has all the important things to know before you book.

The island of Menorca isn't terribly big at all.

It takes less than an hour to drive from east to west, whilst it's less than that to go from the rust red north coast to the paradise white beaches of the south. Throw in the fact that it's got a public bus network which punches considerably above its weight in terms of coverage and connectivity for visitors, and it would be easy to think that there's no benefit to booking a car hire in Menorca.

Wrong.

Although the island isn't a road trip destination, it is absolutely a place where having your own wheels for a few days or a few weeks will considerably open up what you're able to do, your ability to visit some of its best beaches, as well as enabling you to base yourself in better hotels, towns and coastal villages.

We spent a month there this summer and rented a car for three-quarters of that stay; we therefore feel like we're in a pretty decent position to give you honest insights and advice about whether you will really need to hire a car in Menorca for your own travel style and itinerary, as well as tips to save you quite a lot of money if / when you do rent a car in Menorca.

Alongside that, we also wanted to share some essential tips about the driving experience overall which, you'll be happy to know, isn't anywhere nearly as challenging as on other Mediterranean islands (hello Sicily!).

These are 7 essential things to know before you hire a car in Menorca, plus driving tips for the Balearic island.

Do You Really Need To Rent A Car in Menorca?

Although Menorca is diminutive, its size is deceptive. The coastline is about 216 km, but this doesn’t a have a single joined-up tarmac road going around it - instead, it’s the car-free Cami de Cavalls, which is only accessible to walkers, horses, and cyclists.

For drivers, the island is split in two by the tarmacked Me-1 main road, and any and all journeys ultimately go via this and then branch off north or south to a town, a resort area, or down narrow country lanes to remote beaches.

This means that simply looking at a map and proximity is misleading for Menorca. For example, the coastal town of Cala Galdana is a popular option for accommodation, and really close to several of the best beaches in Menorca. However, to drive to any of them you have to go north to the interior and the Me-1, west to Ciutadella, and then join the road going back south to the coast - a journey that would take 5 minutes by car as the crow flies therefore actually takes 45!

So, what does this mean for your own holiday?

If you’re planning on a relaxing week by the pool, or not going anywhere that’s more than a 10-minute walk from your accommodation, then you’d be wasting money on renting a car.

For those planning a day trip or two to a popular beach or to the cities of Mahón and Ciutadella, then the island’s public bus network will probably be fine.

If however you’re more keen on exploring the north and south, staying in two or three bases over the course of a longer trip, and reaching some of the best, but hardest to reach, beaches on the island, then a hire car is essential. Similarly, for stays of 10-14 days, we think you’ll feel too isolated without your own transport.

Public Transport in Menorca | Pros & Cons

Good coverage generally for shorter journeys popular routes (i.e. Ciutadella to Mahón, Ciutadella and Mahon to coastal resorts).
A number of summer specific shuttle routes (June to September) added for beach and resort connections.
Excellent value tickets.
Longer / less standard routes require at least one or two connections via transport hubs of Ciutadella, Mahón, Ferreries.
Only one bus line from Menorca Airport, meaning all travellers must connect to an onward bus in Mahón.
For more on this, read our 23 Things To Know Before You Visit Menorca post.

Typical Costs of A Hire Car in Menorca

Why is car hire so expensive in Menorca? Well, the truth is it actually depends on when you look and where you book.

There will be a big difference in prices depending on the season, with really good deals possible in the ‘shoulder season’ months of May, June, and October; the supply and demand of summer sees prices rise and fewer cars available for last-minute rentals.

In the high season (July to September) you should budget €50-€85 per day for short-term (one to three days) car hire in Menorca.

For long-term rentals (7+days), the cost reduces to €30-€65 per day.

Higher prices than the above may be quoted, but it would be foolish to pay them.

The above rates are based on our own experiences and data from 10 rental car companies in Menorca for the advance booking online of a small basic/economy car with standard insurance and unlimited mileage included.

Costs are obviously higher for larger, fancier vehicles and it’s important to also factor in the extortionate costs they add on for better insurance and reduced excess. You may also pay extra for items such as child-seats, whilst drivers under the age of 25 always subject to higher rates.

Further, if you pick-up/drop-off in different locations, you can expect to be charged an additional fee for this.

Note that any reduction in the day rate generally only kicks in for rentals of 3+ days, with the difference in the total price sometimes making it more economic overall to rent a car for longer periods - even if you’re only using it for half the days!

Where To Hire A Car in Menorca

Menorca Airport is the best choice, but coverage is pretty excellent across the island. If you choose to rent a car or scooter at short notice, there will always be at least one company (usually several) with an office outpost in the popular tourist zones like Binibeca, Son Bou, Cala Galdana, Cala en Bosc, Punta Prima, as well as the cities of Ciutadella and Mahon.

Resort or Town/City Hire

In this scenario, you may have already had a few days R&R at the local beach or hotel pool but decide that you would actually like to go out further afield and get to know Menorca’s coast & countryside a little better (a decision we 100% endorse!). You can simply turn up to these local offices and hire a car for the next day, or even turn up the same morning to pick it up and go straight away.

This is ideal for the spontaneous decision, but in summer months you’ll either be faced with a) no availability or b) anything available is horrendously over-priced.

Similarly, it means you're beholden to only one or two companies and the stock they have at that very moment, and may be left with no option but to pay their rate if you've left it too late.

Renting only for a few days is also going to increase the cost per day by quite a bit, in comparison to a longer-term rental. This isn’t something unique to Menorca car rental, but is worth bearing in mind if you think that you only need a car for two days rather than a week.

We paid €32 per day for our 19-day rental in September, but we had originally planned to pick up a scooter for a fun two days riding along the southern coast and rent a car for our final 10 days. However, turning up that morning to the only rental office open in Son Bou saw the prices jacked up to €55 for a scooter and €150 for a car!

After a coffee and a planning session, we booked online and jumped on the next bus toward Menorca Airport to pick up our car for the significantly cheaper rate of €32 per day.

In short, hiring a car in-person at last minute from tourist hub offices may be convenient for spontaneous hires of a day or two, but you will generally pay over the odds, increasing exponentially in the high season months when many others will be making a similar last-minute decision that it would actually be rather nice to drive around the island.

The same goes for scooter rental, with the same companies usually offering both vehicle types, but there are a few small, independent operators in these places just focussing on scooter rental so better deals can be found.

Car Hire in Menorca Airport

The best value for money Menorca car rental will always be found by collecting and dropping off at Menorca Airport.

The only airport on the island, and home to a number of international and local car firms, the range and choice is much greater than you’ll find in a resort town.

It’s worth knowing in advance that only a handful of the firms are actually based within the grounds of the airport, with offices either inside or a 2-minute walk from arrivals.

The local and cheaper companies are a short shuttle ride away, and they will meet you in the signposted car park meeting point (punto de encuentro aparcamiento), a 1-minute walk from arrivals. The private shuttles are free and regular, and the driver or car rental representatives have signs saying the company.

From there, you’re a 3 to 7-minute drive from their offices, depending on the company. For dropping off their cars, you simply return it to their offices and they’ll transfer you and your luggage to the airport for free.

A Smaller Car Is A Better Car

The 10-year old navy blue Fiat Panda we got certainly wasn’t the sexiest set of wheels.

Beaten up and scratched to hell, with not even a USB slot inside, it was however perfect for going down narrow countryside roads, nipping north to south, always finding a space in packed dustbowl car parks by the remote paradise beaches, and navigating the centres of towns and cities.

Renting a smaller car isn’t therefore just the cheapest option - it’s the best option.

Of course, if you’re a group or family with a lot of luggage, it may not be practical. However, for couples or small families travelling light, there’s no reason to get an SUV or a big vehicle; it will present more inconveniences on the island than benefits.

A FIAT Panda may not necessarily be what you want but it’s worth bearing in mind if a monster truck looks tempting.

Book in Your Menorca Car Hire In Advance & Get It Delivered

We can’t emphasise enough just how much more likely you are to find a better deal if you book your car in advance online; not only will this guarantee you cheaper price, but the availability will be much improved during the busy summer months.

This is particularly pertinent if you only really require a car for a couple of days during your trip, and would prefer to pick it up from the car hire office closest to your accommodation rather than trek all the way back to the airport. In this scenario, it’s possible to make a booking in advance, and the company will arrange to have a car delivered to a satellite office in one of the tourist hubs.

Although this can attract a fee, the base rental cost is usually the same as picking it up from the airport and is far more convenient.

It’s possible to do this with most of the local companies as well as the well-known international brands - we’ve shared recommendations at the end of the article.

Buy Your Own Excess Insurance

This is one way sure-fire way to reduce stress and save money when you hire car in Menorca.

The majority of car rental companies will include standard insurance within the total cost, which is subject to a large deductible / excess in the range of £700-£1,500 depending on the company.

That means, in the event of an insured claim, you have to cover (i.e. pay or absorb) that amount.

If an unfortunate bump or scrape occurs, or you get into an accident and damage the vehicle, you end up out of pocket for quite a considerable sum.

This is why all car rental companies always offer additional or better insurance during the booking and collection process. This will either reduce the deductible / excess to a more palatable amount (i.e. £150-£250) or zero.

We always recommend taking this option to save on unnecessary stress and give certainty on your exposure.

However, we do not recommend buying this extra insurance direct from the car rental company. Without going into too much detail, the insurance is priced per day of the rental, and the cost of this is always inflated as it’s an additional source of revenue. Some of the cheaper firms also insist you buy them with quite unpleasant pressure sales tactics.

As we rent cars a lot on our travels, we instead purchase our additional insurance independently in the form of this 12-month worldwide Car Hire Excess Insurance policy from insurance4carhire. This applies to all our car rentals in the year, and will reimburse us for the excess costs in the event of a valid claim for damage or theft.

That policy is £59.99, but they offer a UK & Europe car rental specific one for £44.99 (see more information here).

If you’re only renting for a couple of days in the year, it’s probably not worth it. However, if you’re doing just a one-week road trip or holiday rental per year, it still works out cheaper than what’s offered at the rental desk and when booking online.

We’ve shared more on this - plus other things to do whenever you collect a rental car to save and reduce stress - in our essential car rental tips for travellers.

reflection-wing-mirror-rental-car-menorca

Bring The Right Documents & Understand Deposits

One final general point to note, especially for British travellers, is to bring the right documents and understand how deposits work for car rental.

In the post-Brexit world, it’s important to double-check any changes or conditions for British driving licence holders. Presently, you can drive in Menorca on your full UK driving licence (provisional licences are not valid), and do not need an International Driving Permit to rent a car or drive in Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles).

However, it’s always worth double-checking this before you go - do it here on the government website.

One final area which confuses a lot of renters is how deposits work when collecting your car. Go to any Menorca car rental company reviews on Google, especially for the cheaper companies, and you’ll find people confusing the requirement to have a chunky deposit taken when you collect your car and their insurance coverage.

In short, to rent any car you’re going to be required to have a deposit ‘held’ or ‘blocked’ on your bank card. This is to cover various rental risks (i.e. you nicking the car) as well as give the company certainty that you’ve got the funds to cover the excess or any other charges. The amount is often quite large but varies from company to company, but you should expect it to be around €750 - €950.

This amount is ‘blocked off’, not taken, from your bank account and will be returned in full if the car is returned with no damage or disputes; in that event, the amount is ‘released’ several after working days. If there is a charge (for example, you return the tank empty), the charge is taken off the amount before it’s returned to you.

We’ve explained this in more detail in our essential car rental tips for travellers post, but it’s such a common area of dispute and misunderstanding, that we wanted to bring it to your attention here too.

The best advice? Always have a credit card to cover this as many companies will not accept debit cards for the deposit, and check your bank statement a week after collection to make sure the money has been unblocked.

Menorca Car Rental Companies

The following operate on the island, and are worth checking out:

Airport | Most of the international car rental companies only operate out of the airport, meaning you have to collect and drop-off there. We recommend searching and booking via AutoEurope to get the best overview and rate.

Island-Wide | AutoValls, Ownerscars, AutosMenorca are local companies with a network of offices across the island, including at the airport. They offer a delivery option to most tourist hubs and resorts, as well as the

MenorcaGO! covers a smaller area.

Note that some of these satellite offices, and smaller rental companies, close down for the winter season.

Our Tips For Driving in Menorca

1. Drive on the right hand side!

2. Generally, it’s a pretty laid back environment and attitude on the roads, making it a pleasant and stress-free driving experience. Rules are followed by and large, but indicators often neglected.

3. The smaller the car, the better. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a 10-year-old beaten up Fiat Panda with 73,000 kms on the clock like ours, but you will appreciate the compactness on some of the very narrow countryside roads you have to drive to sections of the coast. Also, some people aren’t fans of passing places, so a little car makes this a lot easier. Larger models and SUVs often go over the white line and leave little room to spare, worse when you come face to face with a bus

4. Parking is generally free for beaches, but all see high demand in summer. The majority of these are unpaved, uneven, and unmarked dusty car parks. If driving to the most popular beaches on the south or north coast (like Cala Mitjana or Cala Pregonda), it DOES fill up - we recommend trying to arrive for the beaches before 10 am in summer, possibly earlier on weekends. Try to park tightly to maximise spaces available for everyone.

5. Blue lines mean it’s paid parking (get your ticket from the nearby machine), and you can’t park in orange line spaces. All interior towns and popular coastal hubs have free, modern car parks just a few minute’s walk (search parking or aparcameinto) from the centre. On-street parking is usually not possible for your accommodation or hotel in Ciutadella or Mahon. Disabled parking is very, very limited, especially at the beach car parks.

6. You cannot drive to Cala Macarella outside the high season summer months. At present, it is not permitted to use the official car park between 1st June and 30th September, meaning you have to take the bus from Ciutadella or arrive by foot via the Cami de Cavalls.

7. There are residents-only driving areas in Mahón and Ciutadella as well as a residents-only parking zones. These are signposted, but it may not be immediately clear. There are also a lot of one-way streets and no entry signs, so pay attention.

8. Watch out for cyclists, horses and walkers - the popular Camí de Cavalls circumnavigates the whole island, but does pass along or by roads at several points. Also, there will be lots of tourists and locals on scooters sharing the road with you.

9. Much of your time will be spent on the Me-1, the main road which runs east from the capital of Mahón to the old capital of Ciutadella in the west. To reach anywhere you generally have to arrive on it to connect to a sideroad toward the coast or countryside.

It’s easy to navigate, but note that it goes from two lanes to three at various points, which can be a little disconcerting the first few times. The outside lane of the two is the slow one, in order to let people overtake on the inside.

10. Distances for will pretty much always be either 20 minutes or an hour.

11. There are some very, very narrow country roads when you turn off toward the coast - some you absolutely shouldn't go down and Google Maps doesn't perform well in this regard, having often sent us down a road which led to nowhere or only to private farmland near a beach.

If you see a sign saying ' no access to platjas' or similar, then it's to be trusted.

12. There’s a few weird-ass junctions in operation, which are accidents waiting to happen (particularly the one outside Es Mercadal).

13. Always respect the speed limits and local drink-driving laws, and note that there are a few speed cameras in specific spots dotted around the island.

14. Having a car opens up the island to you a lot, but may limit you slightly on accommodation options as parking may not always be included on site, but there will be free and secure places a walk away - it’s best to confirm / ask this with your host and ask them for a recommendation.

15. There’s one tunnel to go through between Ferries and Es Mercadal - switch your lights on.

16. Roundabouts work differently in Spain to the UK, and negotiating them takes a bit of getting used to. Approach cautiously until you’ve got the hang of it - give way to traffic on the left.

17. Fuel is cheapest in or around Mahón and Ciutadella, and you’ll find a handful of petrol stations along the Me-1. If dropping off your rental car at the airport, you’ll find several options nearby to refill and refuel options before drop off.