GR 223 Cami des Cavalls official route

The Camí de Cavalls is an ancient path of 186 km (116 miles) that encircles the island of Menorca, Spain. This long-distance walking route is the GR 223 of the "Senderos de Gran Recorrido" network in Spain and it is also used to reach some of the most inaccessible beaches of Menorca. The path is divided in 20 different stages, each of them between 5 and 14 km. All the start and arrival points can be gained access to by road traffic, making possible to cover only one or some stages of the path at a time.

It is widely accepted that the Camí de Cavalls was built in order to connect the watchtowers, fortresses and cannons distributed along the coast of the island and to make the transport of troops and artillery easier. However, the date of its origin is not so clear. The most accepted theory attributes it is the French invaders during the different periods they lived in the island, but according to some studies, it could have been created in the 14th century.

Since its original function was the defense and the control of the island, it was patrolled by soldiers mounted on Menorquin horses, hence the word cavalls (meaning "horses" in Catalan) in the name of the path.