Best Of Menorca

Usually overlooked in favour of its larger, rowdier neighbours, Menorca is a small island with a lot on offer. The island's unbridled natural beauty is speckled with historical sites, remote fishing villages and and of course, pristine white sand beaches. Menorca is an ideal choice for young families and couples looking for a culturally rife seaside holiday, where the only thing that's missing is hoards of tourists.

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Stay

Cami de Binissaida, 108, Es Castell, 07720, Menorca, Spain.This restored 18^th-century farmhouse-has been converted into a striking hotel. Located in Menorca’s beautiful countryside just outside of Platja de Punta Prima beach, the hotel is also home to a working sheep and horse farm. Decked in traditional Spanish decor the twelve here rooms are spacious, comfortable and boast plasma TVs and WIFI. Guests can enjoy a dip in the stunning 18-metre pool, take advantage of the hotel’s kids club and wine and dine in the hotel’s excellent bar and restaurantCarretera Alcalfar, Km 8, Sant Lluis, 07710, Menorca.Set inside a peach coloured mansion that is believed to date back to the 14^th-century, this is an elegant choice for holidaymakers want a taste of lucury and old-world ambiance. The hotel is light and breezy thanks to its proximity to the sea and the hospitality here is excellent. The restaurant serves up local specialities and Mediterranean favourites that showcase the freshest seafood and produce grown on the estate.Paseo de Santa Agueda, 6, Es Castell, 07720, Menorca, Spain.Who wouldn’t love a rooftop pool deck and six hot tubs with views to boot? Well, at this adults-only, super chic hotel that’s exactly what you’ll get. This sleek and modern hotel boast 155 and luxurious amenities like relaxing spa services, superb dining, indoor and outdoor pools all within a compact city setting. You know you’ve arrived when your sipping cocktails at the hotel’s Sky Bar while you soak up the Mediterranean scenery and rub elbows with Menorca’s most stylish citizens.

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Do

To fully appreciate and explore the azure coasts that grip Menorca, there are dozens of boat hire companies that offer daily excursions. Of all the types of boats on offer, a catamaran is the most exciting way to tour the island’s coves and watery depths. They give you the option of booking a privately, so it’s only you and your family or friends on board soaking up the fun. Catamarans also provide ample deck space to sunbath and dive straight into the sea, it’s the perfect way to spend the day out on the water.Cami De Ses Barraques, S/N, 07710 Sant Lluis (Menorca), Illes Balears, SpainLocated in the picturesque countryside outside of Sant Luis, the Binifadet winery is a pleasurably place to spend an afternoon learning and of course, sampling some of the island’s finest wine. Binifadet is open year round, though tours during the winter months are only held daily. After the guided tour, visitors are welcome to dine at the vineyards relaxed, Spanish-focused restaurant. Carefully cultivated and nurtured from vine to bottle, Binifadet represents a new age of Spanish wine making that blends innovative practices and sustainable values.Placa del Carme, 16, 07702 Mao, Illes Balears, SpainWhen the British took control of Menorca in 1713 they brought their control appreciation for fine gin. After the importation of juniper berries, local Menorca families like the Pons, began to distill their own brand of gin as the liquor swelled in popularity. Today, the business is still a family run affair and members carefully guard their trade secret, which is the special herb bouquet that sets their gin apart. Visitors can tour through the Xoriguer factory and learn about the distillery process, sample its varieties of gin and buy some to bring home at the factory store.

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Eat

Av de la Constitucion, 22, 07760 Ciutadella, Balearic IslandsInside of the whitewashed walls of the former windmill, Moli is where locals and tourists find common ground. The high cloistered ceilings pay homage to the building’s history while the modern decor makes the space fresh and bright. Expect to find sumptuous plates of oxtail, pork belly and paella, as it should be cooked. The menu is hearty home-style cooking that has been finessed just enough to let you know you’re in the culinary hands of masters. Best of all, the attentive service and fantastic food comes at a very reasonable bill. For romantic dinners over sangria and candlelight equally or leisurely family lunches, Moli is perfect for all occasions.Cost: $$Moll de Llevant 157, 07701 Mahon, Minorca, SpainHonest and uncomplicated food and cheerful hospitality are the highlights of this modest tapas bar. The menu items are listed on a handwritten board and give the impression that the kitchen shares in the same half-heartedness. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Unlike many of the other establishments that ring the harbour, Sa Gavina is a culinary gift. Bring enough people to share in the parade of garlic snails, homemade meatballs, mussels, calamari, and stuffed peppers that are sure to have you reaching for more and more….and more. Add a cold jug of sangria to the equation and revel in the simple joys of good food and drink.Cost:$Carrer Gran de Sa Mesquida 13, Sa Mesquida Cap Roig is well-loved Menorcan institution perched atop a cliff outside of Mao. Locals trust Cap Roif to deliver exquisitely prepared seafood and classic dishes time after time. Go for show-stopping views for the Mediterranean and some of the island’s most mouth-watering fare.Cost:$$$Cami Coixa 3, Sant Lluis, MenorcaFrench ex-pats Patrick and Noelia are to thank for this decadent French-Spanish fusion restaurant. In the kitchen the couple artistically meld local flavours with dishes inspired from home. The menu is brief and includes both a set and a la carte menu, both of which are works of culinary art. Set away from the busy streets of Sant Lluis, it’s a delicious escape in both the summer and winter thanks to the elegant indoor-outdoor dining room. New and innovative dishes are perpetually added to the already stunning menu, so you will always have something new to delight in.Cost:$$$

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See

Perhaps surprisingly, Menorca is home to more beaches than both Majorca and Ibiza. So despite its small package, the island spoils visitors with some of the best beaches in the Balearics. Some of our favourites include: Cala Mitjana and MitjanetaCala Mitjaneta, for its graceful horseshoe cove and shimming turquoise waters.Cala Turqueta, for its proximity to Ciutadella and natural white sand beach.San Bou-San Jaime, for being the longest stretch of beach in Menorca and havig wonderful facilities including, beach bars, lifeguards, sun bed and water sports.Parc Natural S’Albufera d’es Grau is the heart of Menorca’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The protected wetlands and wild olive groves are home-base for a variety of endemic bird and animal species such as fish eagles and Hermann’s tortoises. There are three trails that meander through the scenic park with ease. It’s the perfect 1-2 hour escape for nature lovers and bird-watchers. Old Santa Maria Cathedral in Ciutadella.Once the capital of Menorca under Carpathian rule, Ciutadella is now a beautiful port city and religious capital of the island. The city’s pretty old town is called Es Born and is the site for many historical churches, museums, fortresses and palaces like the Palace of Vivo with its striking red facade. The medieval city is easy to explore on foot and the centre of many cultural and religious celebrations and festivals. A stone monument in Talati de Dalt.Harking back to the Bronze Age, these ancient stone ruins are the remnants of the Talayotic settlements. Assembled into T-shaped altars and other timeworn shapes, these megalithic sites are both strange and quietly at peace within Menorca’s rolling landscapes. The island is home to over two hundred of these mysterious sites, but Talati de Dalt, Torre d'en Galmes and Trepuco are some of the most intact and interesting.