{"id":6045,"date":"2019-04-09T19:06:10","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T19:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewanders.eu\/?p=6045"},"modified":"2020-02-11T09:01:15","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T09:01:15","slug":"menorca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewanders.eu\/menorca\/","title":{"rendered":"Menorca"},"content":{"rendered":"
Menorca (Minorca) is the second largest of the \u00a0Spain\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0 Balearic Islands<\/a>, located to the northeast of Mallorca and is the least overrun and most tranquil of the Balearics. <\/span><\/h5>\n

With a population of around 92,000, the island is dominated by tourists, particularly during the summer tourist season of May – October. Due to its unspoilt beauty, it allows the more adventurous the opportunity to discover new charms and experiences. Despite its smaller size among other Spanish islands, being just around 30 miles long and around 10 miles wide, the number of beaches that Menorca has equals the number of beaches that can be found in Mallorca and Ibiza combined.<\/p>\n

Regions
\nThe island is split into eight administrative divisions: Mao, Es Castell, Sant Lluis, Alaior, Es Mercadal, Es Migjorn Gran, Ferreries and Ciutadella. Each division is responsible for the beaches and resorts within it.<\/p>\n

Mao (1 )
\nAlso known as Mahon, Mao is the capital city notable for bars, restaurants and its port. Mao’s harbor is its most impressive feature and is a strong drawcard for visitors, especially the British, who today flock to the island in droves. The town is built atop cliffs that line the harbor’s southern shore, with the majority of the architecture in the 18th century Georgian style. Some nearby resorts include:
\n1 Es Castell,an example of a fine Mediterranean resort very close to the Island’s capital.<\/p>\n

2 Punta Prima is a resort with an exceptional family resort and lots of space for everyone in its many apartments and villas.<\/p>\n

Ciutadella (2 )
\nAlso known as Ciutadella de Menorca, this was the former capital city until the first British occupation, where it was transferred to Mao. Full of beautiful Italian architecture due to 17th Century rebuilding, with one exception being the Cathedral de Menorca which was built in the 14th Century Gothic style. There are a few resorts on this western end of the island, including:
\n3 Cala en Bosc, a huge resort south of Ciutadella with lots to keep families occupied, including a surf school and water park. There’s plenty for adults too, with adult-only hotels and spas throughout. The western end of the resort in particular is popular with all-inclusive hotels<\/p>\n

4 Cala en Blaines is a resort just north of Ciutadella with a vibrant mix of family-friendly hotels, bars and restaurants, and private villas. Lots for everyone.<\/p>\n

Alaior (3 )
\nAn authentic Menorcan town, home to the local cheese and shoe industries, as well as some great family resorts:
\n5 Son Bou, favored by many for its many holiday villas and the longest beach on Menorca.<\/p>\n

6 Cala en Porter, with villas to rival Son Bou and dramatic coastline and cliffs perfect for evening walks.<\/p>\n

Es Mercadal (4 )
\nA town and municipality is located right in the center of the island, close to the highest point on the island El Toro, and home to a bustling open-air market. Home to the resorts of:
\n7 Fornells, a fishing resort built on the seafront with a small port and lots of seafood restaurants. No real beach here, so popular with adults looking to avoid kids.<\/p>\n

8 Arenal d’en Castell, another horseshoe bay this time on the north coast. There’s plenty of space on this gorgeous beach for everyone.<\/p>\n

Ferreries (5 )
\nA town nestled within some rolling hills, home to lots of local industry, including the main Avarca (Menorcan Shoe) stores.
\n9 Cala Galdana, a perfect turquoise horseshoe bay popular with adults due to a wide variety of adults-only hotels.<\/p>\n

Es Migjorn Gran (6 )
\nA quiet town, with the only landmark being a small church. There are lots of narrow streets and a collection of tapas bars, as well as some great nearby calas (beaches) that are rarely busy as most can only be accessed on foot.
\n10 Santo Tomas, a popular sleepy family resort with many hotels, villas and apartments coupled with attractive restaurants and long beaches.<\/p>\n

Understand<\/em><\/span> :\u00a0 One of the many ‘Taulas’ across the island. Historians are still unsure of their significance.
\nThe harbour at Mao, the island capital, is the second largest natural deep water port in the world – the largest being Pearl Harbour. The whole island is a European Biological Reserve and Unesco Biosphere Reserve aiming to preserve environmental areas. More than a 75% of the territory is protected. You can watch some of the last turtles of the Mediterranean, birds and protected species.<\/p>\n

The main tourist area is along the south coast and includes the resorts of Santo Tomas, Son Bou, Cala en Porter, Binibeca, Punta Prima and S’Algar. Menorca is a relatively quiet island, which means more wholesome, family fun holidays. If you prefer a more vibrant night scene, head to nearby Ibiza or Mallorca for a bustling city atmosphere.<\/p>\n

An identifying sign of Menorca is its fascination with horses. All things centre around horses and the people love them. Menorca has its own race of black horses. In all the festivities the horses and their “caixers” (riders) are the centrepieces. The “Cami de Cavalls” is a pathway surrounding the island for horse riding and it was used in the past for defense of the coast by horse, literally translating to horse path.<\/p>\n

If you do take time to explore the interior you will discover a wealth of interesting and historic landmarks from El Toro (the highest point on the island) to the most significant prehistoric sites at Trepuco and Torre d\u2019en Galmes.<\/p>\n

To this day no one is certain of the significance of these prehistoric monuments in the form of Taules, T-shaped stone formations thought to be spiritual sanctuaries; Talayots which are stone towers that local people believe were once used as look-out points. There is little evidence to support these theories about Menorca\u2019s prehistoric past nor the original function of these breathtaking creations . Taules are named after the Menorqui word for table. (Menorqui is the local dialect of Catalan which is widely spoken on the Island). Menorca is by far the richest place in Europe for sites of prehistoric settlements, mostly dating from the Talaiotic Period, which was the period of civilisation between 2000 and 1000 BC. The term Talayot is believed to originate from the Arabic atalaya meaning \u201cwatch tower\u201d<\/p>\n

History<\/em><\/span> : Since prehistoric times, the Island has been controlled by the Romans, Moors, Catalans, Spanish, French and English. All these nations have left their mark on the Island and monuments to visit from Sanisera, the archaeological site close the port of Sanitja on the north coast of the island to the ruins of the 5th century Bascilica on the beach at Son Bou.<\/p>\n

During the 18th century, Menorca was a bone of contention among the British, French and Spanish powers. This was due to the Port of Mao, the finest natural harbour in the Mediterranean, and one of the best in the world, which could protect the largest fleets of the time in their entirety. The Utrecht Treaty, signed in 1713, gave place to the first British presence on Menorca, which lasted until 1755. The first British Governor was John Campbell (Argyll) nominated by the Queen Anne. Richard Kane, from County Antrim in Ireland, the second British Governor, is still fondly remembered for his effective support of agriculture on the island; he introduced the cultivation of the apple, promoted cattle breeding and built roads and reservoirs which are still in use today. The Scottish Col.Patrick Mackellar (Argyll) was the chief engineer of Menorca and responsible for the main constructions of the British legacy. The main contribution of Mackellar was the design and construction of Georgestown (Es Castell) near to Sant Felip fortress at the entry of Mahon harbour.<\/p>\n

There were two later periods of British presence on Menorca, from 1763 till 1781 and 1798 to 1808. The British left more than their earthworks and ramparts behind. Things as varied as the growth of Mao, which enthusiastically accepted the opportunities for trade and the abolition of the Inquisition, the traditional woodworking and boat building techniques and designs and Menorca’s most popular drink, gin.<\/p>\n

Access : Coordinates<\/em><\/span> :39.966667, 4.083333 \/ Menorca is a member of the Schengen Agreement.<\/p>\n

There are normally no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and a few other countries.
\nThere are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
\nLikewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
\nPlease see Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, which countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality.
\nBy plane
\n1 Menorca Airport (Mahon Airport MAH IATA), Carretera de Sant Climent, s\/n, 07712 Mao, Illes Balears, Spain (Drive down the ME-14, where you’ll reach the dual layered arrivals\/departures roads.). There are regular flights available to Menorca Airport (sometimes known as Mahon Airport) from mainland Spain and the sister islands of Ibiza and Mallorca through Iberia and their subsidiary Air Nostrum. Flights from Spain are also available from Barcelona with Vueling. If travelling from the UK, various airlines offer regular scheduled services during the summer tourist season. Airlines Jet2, TUI Airways, EasyJet and Thomas Cook all fly from various regional and main UK airports direct to Menorca. British Airways offer services from London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports.
\nTo get to your resort, Menorca’s airport is served by buses to Mao (\u20ac1.50, 15 min) every half hour from around 06:00 to 22:00 and then hourly to midnight. The bus stops at the bus station, the Estacio Maritima and a couple of other intermediate points. Buses are then available to various resorts and towns across the island from the bus station.
\nTaxis are available directly in front of the airport terminal and there is a range of car hire options to get to your resort. There are also various services (bookable online) that allow direct coach transfers to resorts across the island.<\/p>\n

By ferry<\/p>\n

2 Mao Harbour (Mahon Harbour), Moll De Ponent, 0 S N, 07701 Mahon. Regular ferries from both mainland Spain and Majorca are also available to Mao from Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, and Barcelona. Modest-sized cruise ships occasionally visit. They use Mao’s deep harbour, which offers highly scenic views of homes, hotels\/resorts and historic structures and fortifications.<\/p>\n

3 Ciutadella Harbour, Via Mestre Vives 07769 Ciutadella de Menorca (If in Ciutadella, head down the ME-24, then turn right onto the RC2 which takes you directly to the port.). Regular car ferries from Alcudia and Barcelona are also available to Ciutadella. Some cruise ships also do visit Ciutadella, but most use the port of Mahon.<\/p>\n

Get around :\u00a0<\/span> By taxi<\/em> :\u00a0 Taxis are a popular form of transport for those not looking to move as much. They can be somewhat expensive if using them a lot, so be careful! A taxi can be booked using Radio Taxis, which is an English speaking service.<\/p>\n

By car :<\/span> Companies<\/em> :\u00a0 There are numerous agents and companies, both international and local, specialising in car hire in Menorca – both at the airport and in resorts – although it may be important to organise it from home before you arrive to avoid disappointment during peak periods. Scooter hire is also possible at some of these agencies. Car Hire companies include the International Firms, that usually cost a little more but have dedicated desks and a separate pickup facility directly at the airport, which means there’s no shuttle bus and you can just drive away. Companies based at the airport are: Hertz, Avis, Europcar, and Enterprise. There are other firms dedicated to Menorca, which will often be cheaper than the main firms, but have no dedicated desk at the airport and require a shuttle bus to their offsite destinations.<\/p>\n

A word of warning on Car Hire: If possible, do not get a ‘full to empty’ fuel policy; there is no way that you will use a full tank of fuel on the tiny island of Menorca. Instead, opt for a ‘full to full’ policy wherever possible. It does mean you’ll have to use a petrol station before your return, but you’ll save the over-the-top cost of a full tank of fuel from the rental agency.<\/p>\n

Roads
\nThe roads on Menorca are very simple: there is one main road, the ME-1. It connects Ciutadella and Mahon and every other major road on the island branches off it.<\/p>\n

By bus
\nIf you’re planning to travel around by bus, then there are three main public bus companies in Menorca: TMSA, Torres, and Autos Fornells.<\/p>\n

Transportes Menorca (TMSA), who run buses throughout the island, including to Ciutadella, but operate mainly around the east coast (including Mao and the Airport), as well as to many of the southern resorts. Their buses leave from the Bus Station in Mao and from Placa de Menorca in Ciutadella.
\nTorres run buses from Ciutadella to locations and resorts on the west coast. Their buses leave from the main plaza (Placa des Pins) in Ciutadella.
\nAutos Fornells run buses from the major towns to the northern resorts, including Fornells.
\nThe main bus route which serves Mao, Alaior, Es Mercadal, Ferreries and Ciutadella runs along the centre of the island. Most buses leave hourly and are very inexpensive, at around \u20ac4 to \u20ac5 to travel between Ciutadella and Mao.<\/p>\n

You can always find the latest timetables for every route on each operators’ website.<\/p>\n

On foot
\nThe Cami de Cavalls footpath encompasses the entire island, and is a popular walking route along the coastline. It is a fully signposted long distance Spanish walking route around the edge of the island, and is a part of Spain’s network of paths, the Gran Recorrido (GR) Network. If you’re planning to visit a nearby beach or resort, it’s often quicker to use the Cami de Cavalls due to the island’s road structure; you can walk directly to your destination instead of travelling all the way inland only to head back down to the coast again.<\/p>\n