Alaior’s terrain and the flora and fauna within it are distinguished by magnificent ravines and wetlands. With the majority of the geology in the southern section of Menorca made up of white limestone, the tapestry of extinct streams and descents dipping down from north to south of the island make Alaior and its surroundings one of the most attractive places to enjoy nature. The island being declared a Bisophere Reserve in 1993 has conserved these stunning areas as natural and non-residential.
Nature in Alaior
Ravines, dunes and Mediterranean woods
Cala en Porter Ravine
The town’s fruit orchards
Cala en Porter has the second longest ravine on the island. It starts very close to the Plans de Alaior and continues until it reaches the beach of Cala en Porter, where it begins with a small depression (known as the Barranc d’en Rellotge), getting deeper and deeper as it heads towards the sea. Like the Sa Vall ravine, its shape or section is open, with slopes or walls that are not very vertical. These factors have promoted a more intensive agricultural use, especially for the cultivation of fruit trees. This ravine has suffered from intense human pressure, with the construction of terraces for the planting of fruit trees and other vegetables.
Llucalari Ravine
A small ravine with many secrets
Llucalari is a ravine that lies east of Son Bou beach, hidden behind a rugged outcrop of limestone cliffs. Although the track within it is quite short, this ravine stands out with its deep drops hemmed in by soaring rock faces, allowing for the growth of many indigenous rock-dwelling species. The entire bed of the ravine is a mass of thick vegetation such as wild olive and weeds. The path eventually descends to the pebbly bay of Llucalari.
Son Boter Ravine
Enjoy an idyllic landscape
This ravine is one of the most important in the southern part of Menorca. It collects the water from part of the Granada range of hills in the island’s interior. It is a more open ravine, with not many vertical walls, which has allowed for much more agriculture and livestock farming. In the lower section, the stream runs constantly as it is fed by water sources in the S'Aigua and Son Boter caves. The ravine finally opens out in the Ses Canessies meadow, allowing the water to flow into one of the island’s most important wetlands.
D'en Rellotge Ravine
A floral kingdom in Alaior
The D’en Rellotge ravine is an inland section that links to the larger ravine of Cala en Porter. Thanks to its configuration and orientation, it boasts a great diversity of natural environments with a stunning range of flora. You will also come across evidence of human intervention in the shape of military buildings, including an old powder keg.
The Eularieta temporary reservoir
A creation to attract new life
This temporary reservoir was created artificially as part of the awareness actions within the LIFE BASSES project. It has a waterproof substrate in a setting with aquatic environments of different types that have boosted the colonisation of other associated organisms.
Cala en Porter mouth
Where fresh water meets the sea
Embalse litoral permanente de agua dulce, excavada en la desembocadura del torrente de Cala en Porter, que recoge las aguas de la cuenca más extensa de Menorca. La balsa se encuentra encajada por las paredes del barranco y presenta una forma longitudinal, marcada por la sinuosidad de la parte terminal del barranco. La laguna también recibe aportaciones de agua marina, ya que se comunica con el mar por un canal. En el margen oeste del último tramo del barranco se localizan cultivos de regadío, sobre terrenos ganados a las marismas. El margen oriental se encuentra totalmente artificializado.
Prat de Son Bou
The second most important wetland in Menorca
A semi-permanent coastal lagoon fed by the fresh waters of the Sa Vall and Es Bec ravines located to the west, and the Son Bou ravine located to the east. There is a small inlet of seawater seeping in through the dune cordon that separates it from the sea and also during storms, when the waves reach the marsh area through two gorges located in the central part of the beach. But most of the water that feeds the wetland is freshwater and comes from the Es Migjorn Gran aquifer, the most important one in Menorca. The Son Bou meadow covers an area of 80 hectares and does not reach an average depth of 50cm, with uniform vegetation and scarce free water. Rice was cultivated there between 1946 and 1963.
Dune system at Son Bou
A unique dune system on the island
This dune system stands out for two reasons: its great length and the fact that it is one of the few on the island with the lie of the dunes running parallel to the coast while being transversal to the dominant wind direction.