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Mallorca's smaller sister island in the Balearics has a different flavour. Largely untouched by a big influx of tourism, although there are a few clustered resorts on the island but these are pretty much family friendly self-contained resorts, Menorca is a rural joy with some of the best beaches in the Med. It's less an island of mixes than Majorca. Menorca is an island rich in history, with a large number of prehistoric monuments and sites to visit. It's an island of idyllic beaches, particularly along it's south west coast. Expect clear waters and beautiful white sands here, with less of the crowds. Peace and quiet is on the menu, and the self-contained low key resorts have proved to be a key attraction to families.
Central Menorca is still very much a rural setting which is largely agricultural, with some shoe making! For the inquisitive it's prime roaming territory. Move to the North for dramatic landscape, wild cliff coastlines, and hidden bays and coves all to yourself most days! The West side of Menorca around it's port Ciutadella is considered particularly attractive. Around Ciutadella you'll find plenty of old town palaces, cobbled streets and a small, charming port. Branch out on the west, especially along the coast and it becomes a little more rugged. Beaches are attractive, but small and can get a little crowded. Most holiday resorts in Menorca are on the west coast.
Menorca has had rather a few occupations through the centuries, and this has marked particularly Mao and it's port. The Moors, Catalans, British, French and Spanish have all been here, so expect a mish mash of architecture and influences, all the more so in Mao or Mahon if you go by it's Catalan name.
There's lots going on in Mao from a selection of museums, a 19th century fortress which doubled up as a political prison during the Franco era, the famous Mahon Gin distillery (not much to see here, but the gin's nice!), lots of significant architecture, churches, buildings and royal residences and palaces. There's lots of boat trips around the port as well, so you've opportunity to get a close look at the two little islands in the port.
You don't have to go far outside of Mahon to be in the heart of Menorca's beautiful natures reserves. S'Albufera des Grau Nature Park, in the northern area of the municipality around Mao, is host to a most valuable eco-systems and was declared the core area of Menorca's Biosphere Reserve.
The British ruled Menorca for just over 70 years from 1708 to 1802, and this legacy remains today as Menorca is still extremely popular with British holiday makers. Influences and touches on the architecture from this period abound, with details such as, of all things, door latches, and of course the more common Mahon gin. Production of gin came about as there wasn't too much to do for visiting sailors, so some wise tradesman organised the importation of large amounts of juniper berries from other parts of the Mediterranean and began producing the gin still available today.
Menorca has had many visitors over the centuries, in large part due to it's strategic position in the Med, but also for the particular appeal of it's natural port at Mao. Influences of a mix of cultures and civilizations gives this little Med island an edge, and a history stretching back 4000 years. A good place to start are the the various archeological collections at the Museu de Menorca, located in Mao's 'regal' looking Franciscan monastery.
Another favourite is the Museu Municipal del Bastió de sa Font in Ciutadella,set within one of the five bastions of the city walls. Other museums of real interest include the Museu Militar of Menorca, installed in the Cuartel de Cala Corp, which was a barracks erected by the British in 1771 and the Museu Diocesà de Menorca, in the Seminary of Ciutadella, as well as back in Mao the Col·lecció-Museu Hernández Mora in the Cloisters of Carme in Maó. From here branch out to the many Talayotic settlements scattered around the island, particularly in the South East!
Menorca is a tiny island in comparison to Majorca. It's only 702 km square and has 216 km of coast, but oh what a coastline. Really the island has two different characters within. The north is wild, with a rugged coastline and with beaches of reddish sand. The whole effect is spectacular and offers some of the best walking country in the Med. In the south it's much less mountainous, with a covering of pine covered cliffs, beaches of golden sand and shallower crystal clear waters.
Menorca, thank heavens, is protected and the whole island was designated a Biosphere Reserve back in 1993. UNESCO defines a Biosphere Reserve as 'a place of important natural and cultural heritage where economic development is compatible with nature conservation'. Menorca is 1 of 411 places in 96 countries that has been designated a Biosphere Reserve.
Why is Menorca so important? Well, it's importance is connected to it's landscape. This little island is hot to a diverse range of Mediterranean landscapes and the presence of indigenous animals and plants. More than 35 cliffs to the south of Menorca provide a habitat for more than 220 wildlife species, 26 of which are indigenous. These cliffs are home to many marine birds and birds of prey.
There's caves and coves in Majorca, and you'll find more in Menorca where there are over fifty land caves and tens of sub-aqua caves scattered across the north and the south of the island. These caves are home to many a small species!
The key focus for protection by the Biosphere Reserve is getting a handle on the negative impacts of tourism, typically focused around the island's beaches and their fragile ecosystems. The key problems to face are residue accumulation, marine contamination and the accompanying threat to sea species, especially the important posidonia sea plant which serves as a natural filter, as well as coastal construction and damage to flowers and plants in the dune systems. It's good to read up a little about these issues before your visit to the island, after all it's the key to the very beauty you see on the island of Menorca!
The Posidonia is a plant with leaves, flowers and fruits, but it's not just any plant, it serves as a key natural filter! This magnificent plant flourishes from the sea surface to a depth of fifty meters where photosynthesis can still occur. Tthe Posidonia plant is most definitely a crucial ecosystem in the Mediterranean and very important to marine life, as well as protecting the coastline by acting as a vast natural filter. Itis also a source of food, a habitat and a refuge for a variety of marine life.
Just north of Mao on the coast is the Parc Natural de S'Albufera des Grau, a most important wetlands reserve area in Menorca, home to many birds and superb hiking and bird watching territory. Ponds, marshes and lagoons are found all over Menorca, and a must see on your trip to Menorca is the albufera de Es Grau natural park. Discover a host of indigenous species including many prickly shrubs and the Mediterranean 'maquia', birds of prey and sea birds of course.
Menorca has eight dune systems across the island, seven of which are on the north coast and one on the south.
Menorca has built up specialisms in a number of arts and crafts, particularly footwear and jewellery and Menorca in these craft areas are world leaders in design and quality, if you didn't know. Particularly popular are the hand-made albarca shoe worn by many in the Menorca countryside. Jewellery is a key industry on Menorca, and The Sebime Group, co-ordinators of Spanish fashion jewellery are based in Mao!
The Sebime group and the Eurobijoux trade fair is held every year in Menorca, and attracts some of the best European jewellery companies to Minorca. The event is organised by Sebime which is the association of Spanish fashion jewellery and accessories manufacturers and exporters.
Their headquarters are in Mahon Menorca, which really has a reputation as the cradle of Spanish fashion jewellery industry. The annual jewellery fair is more than just a fair, it is a sales organization that serves Spanish jewellery manufacturers. Sebime manages the sales strategies of a total of 138 Spanish companies, and 53 are located in the Balearic Islands.
The big jewellery trade fair in Menorca is held in the capital Mahon in May. This year's Euro-Biijoux event is on the 5 - 8 May.
Influences on Minorca food are wide and varied, and pull considerably from tradition recipes and roots which stretch back to medieval times, and with a touch of Catalan and Arabic influence. Cakes and pastries are particular specialities on Menorca, influenced by Muslim, Catalan and British settlement over the centuries.
Key dishes include lobster stew, baked cuttlefish, squid stuffed with sweet potato or Minorcan oven-baked fish. Minorca's sea food is renowned. Try the popular boiled snails with aromatic herbs, asparagus bread - delicious, and Oliaigua with tomatoes, stuffed courgettes or red peppers. Baked lamb is also rather popular, as is Minorcan island soup.
Handmade Cheese from Mao is renowned in Europe so take the opportunity to try it. Check out the thousand leaf cake 'pasta de fulls', meringues, almond tarts, desserts made from coconut, egg yolk, chocolate and cream - superb congrets and palos. Beautiful cakes are made for Menorca's annual festival, such as greixeres for the Carnival, and formatjades during Easter. Chocolate ensaïmades are made for the patron saint days, honey and syrup doughnuts for All Saints, and tortades, nougat and couscous for Christmas. Most are available all the year round on Menorca, as well as the delctable Italian influenced ice cream.
You may have heard of the famous Mahon gin, and there are a couple of ways of drinking it. Have it as an aperitif with a little soda and a slice of lemon. This is called a pellofa. Or popular around festival time, the gin is mixed with lemonade, as a pomada. There are various liquors made on Menorca from select fruits grown on the island.
Tourist Information Centre Port de Mao Consell Insular de Menorca, Moll de Llevant, 2. 07701 - Mao, Tel: +34 971 355 952 and Tourist Information Centre, Mao Airport, Consell Insular de Menorca, Mao Airport. 07700 - Mao Tel: +34 971 157115 (open during the tourist peak season on Menorca only).
Tourist Information Centre, Municipal de Ciutadella, Placa dels pins s/n, 07760 -Ciutadella de Menorca. Tel: +34 676 999 712
Tourist Information Centre Ciutadella, Placa Catedral, 5, 07760 - Ciutadella de Menorca. Tel: +34 971 382693
Tourist Information Centre Menorca, Consell Insular de Menorca, Sa Rovellada de Dalt,24, 07703 - Mao, Tel: +34 971 363790.
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