MENORCA

The second largest of the Balearics, Menorca still remains unspoilt despite being a popular tourist destination. For sun-worshippers, it has the best selection of un-crowded beaches in Spain, mostly on the south coast. For walkers, it has lovely countryside second to none and is rich in wild flowers including a large selection of orchids. The interior of the island has a wealth of historic and interesting features such as El Torro, the hignest point on the island, and prehistoric sites at Torre d`en Galmes and Trepuco. The entire island is a Unesco Biosphere Reserve which offers environmental protection to 75% of its territory.

Locals speak Menorquina, type of Catalan which even Spanish speakers find difficult to understand. Fortunately they also speak Spanish, and many in the tourist areas speak English.

There are eight regions, but the capital city now is Mao or Mahon, which has one of the best deep water harbours in the world.The main part of the town is situated on top of the cliffs on the southern shoreline. Over the years, this impressive port has been fought over by many nations seeking a strategic naval base in the Mediterranean. This central location was also a focus of a range of cultures throughout history.

Good places to see:

Visit the Museu de Minorca, housed in an old Monastery, which has exhibits from the whole history of the island going back to Roman and Byzantine periods through to more recent Muslim occupation.

Find the Placa Alfons III near to the Avenida de la Constitucio for the Tourist Office in a windmill. The Placa has a good selection of cafes, bars and restaurants, for sitting and watching the world go by.

A trip well worth taking, if only for the view, is to Monte Toro. The panorama from the highest part of the island is fantastic.

Good beaches:

The southern resorts are the main tourist areas and the more popular towns include: Santo Tomas, Cala en Porter, Binibeca, Punta Prima and S`Algar. At 2.5 km long, Son Bou is the largest beach on the island. Walk just a few minutes from the parking and you will have the beach to yourself.

Prehistoric times

For a small island, there are some very important prehistoric sites dating back to the Talaiotic Period between 1000 and 2000 BC. The spectacular monuments are often in T shaped stone called Taulas believed to be old holy sanctuaries. There are also Talayots which were thought to be stone watch towers, as the word originates from the Arabic atalaya which means watch tower.

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