Menorca,experience the Mediterranean

Binibèquer

4 Menorca,nature at its purest

7 The perfect beach

11 A thousand ways to discover it

14 The magic of horses and the riddle of the stones

18 A coast full of remote spots and secrets

21 An exceptional setting for meetings and congresses

22 Geographical map of Menorca and tourist information

Menorca,experience theMediterranean

Menorca,nature at its purest

Some places seem fated to be singular. Andtheir strong personality offers those who visitthem an equally unique sensation. Essential,profound places. Menorca is one of them.

Located at the gateway to the Gulf of Leon,for centuries Menorca was considered ahighly strategic enclave. The power thatoccupied it held the key to controlling theWestern Mediterranean.

This explains its turbulent history. Theinvasions, the attacks, the long periods of Britishrule during the 18th century and the short periodof dependence on the French Crown.

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Menorcan countrysideParc Natural de s'Albufera des Grau

nature

The most important aspect, the factor thatgoverns the relationship between man andnature, lies in the proportion. When you walkin the Menorcan countryside, divided up bystone walls, with slight elevations in the formof intense green hills, the houses and villagestake part in that harmony. The “lloc” or ruralhouse, painted white or that carmine colourintroduced by the British, does not look outof place. It forms an elegant contrast to thelandscape, enhancing it.

That unity of scale factor is present in otherways. The towns, Maó to the east and Ciutadellato the west, are human, well-proportioned. Theyenter into dialogue with the seascape, showingtheir history, opening up their delightful littlecorners, and not for a single moment does oneelement impose on another.

Menorca instils one with a sense of centrality,as though you were in a place from whereyou could put the universe in order.Everything is so well-proportioned, so well-balanced, so full of content.

There is something mysterious and totalizingabout it. An island that is quite different toeverything else.

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These historical vicissitudes, in addition to avery peculiar climate and the extremely richcultural legacy it has accumulated over thecenturies, give Menorca characteristics that arequite distinct from the rest of the BalearicIslands. In addition to which there is nature, inits purest state. Menorca has conserved itsnatural environment in a truly enviable fashion.

Which is why it was declared a BiosphereReserve by UNESCO in 1993.

Cala Tortuga

sun and beach

The name Menorca immediately calls an imageto mind. An enclosed cove, with woods, cliffsand transparent, brightly-coloured waters. Aplace far from mundane noise, devoted to theblues and golds of the beach. Sun, peace,wellbeing. The perfect beach.

The beaches of Menorca are famous theworld over. The island offers a variety ofoptions. First we have the more family-orientated ones, very easy to access.

This is the case of Son Bou (Alaior) forexample, and Sant Tomàs (Es Migjorn Gran),Arenal den Castell (Es Mercadal), Es Grau(Maó) or Punta Prima (Sant Lluís). There isno overcrowding in Menorca.

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Cala Mitjana

The perfectbeach

Further west, we come to solitary coves likeCala Torreta or, near the Favàritx lighthouse,Cala Tortuga. The waters here are mineralblue, contrasting with the sand.El Arenal den Castell is another of the north-facing beaches, in this case surrounded by asmall housing estate and near the Son Parcgolf course.

Moving on from Cala Tirant, the beaches arespectacular. Modelled by the Tramontanewind, with different-coloured sands andsmall wetlands. Authentic paradises forbathing, such as Cala Tirant, Cavalleria, CalaPregonda and the spectacular beaches of CalaPilar and Algaiarens. The sand of Cala Pilar isshot through with reddish streaks, making it

almost carmine. It provides a striking contrastwith the green tones of the water, and withthe forest that surrounds it. Bathing here is anexperience in itself. And Cala Morell, too,looks like a film set, with stones sculpted bythe wind and the waves called “frares”(friars), a small housing estate and amysterious necropolis of prehistoric cavesbehind it. In general, this north coast offersopen, wild, forceful scenery. Withpronounced contrasts and great plasticity.

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Equestrian tourism Camí de CavallsPregonda

The beaches always retain their heavenly air,their components of happiness, and there isno element capable of disturbing them.

The north of the island offers a very peculiartype of island. Cala Mesquida, located closeto Maó, is a beach of dark pebbles, ascorresponds to this part of the coast.It is a retiring place, presided over by adefence tower with striking profiles made ofdark stone.

diversity

The south or Migjorn represents quite thecontrary. Here is where we find thosetypically Menorcan coves. Modelled overmillennia by the torrents, shaped like anamphitheatre. They represent that model offine, white sand, luminous water, woods.Inlets guarded by two rocky promontories.They all have a coquettish, protective,amiable, sensual character. The most famousones begin in the Ciutadella area: the beach ofSon Saura, Son Saura, Cala en Turqueta, CalaMacarella, Cala Macarelleta, Cala Galdana,Cala Mitjana, Cala Trebalúger...

No sensation can equal bathing in theseextraordinarily clean waters, feeling asthough the pine groves and the small cliffsare watching over you. Intuitng, in theestuary, that southern sea that tremblesindolently. A much clearer, much moreplacid sea than that of the north.

Two models for bathing, two states of mind.For a host of extraordinary beaches.

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Dinghy SailingBeach of Son Saura

Favàritx lighthouse

Menorca’s orography has a surprisingparticularity. The island is composed of twotypes of geological formation. One could traceout an imaginary dividing line from CalaMorell to the Port of Maó. To the north, wewould have ancient terrain. Dark, slate-likerock, worn by the wind and the storms.In many areas it forms gentle hills, preciselyas a result of its senile character. At times onemoves forward on gaunt, almost lunarpromontories that penetrate into the sea likethat of Favàritx. The green of the vegetationforms a beautiful contrast with the blackish,dark-coloured earth.

The south or Migjorn, on the other hand, iscomposed of limey soils of a much morerecent constitution. A landscape of rocks,wild olive trees, drier plains. It is a flatplatform that inclines down towards thesouth coast. This means the torrents, whichstart in the north, cross the island and rundown to meet the sea in this southern area.All along their course they carve through thelimestone platform and give rise to one of thepeculiarities of the Menorcan countryside:the gullies. They are narrow hidden gorges,sliced into the rock, where a world aparttakes refuge. Animal and plant species find

A thousandways todiscover it

reserve

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protection against the wind and abundantwater here.Some gorges are covered invegetation, with pools of freshwater in therocks, little farming plots, prehistoric caves.An authentic microcosm.

The most interesting natural zone of the islandis without doubt the Parc Natural Albufera desGrau. This natural park is a wetland located onthe coast near Maó, a system of lagoons wheremigratory birds stop over on their routes. Thelagoon has a long, narrow shape, and issurrounded by hills and connected to the seaby a small channel called Sa Gola.

Another extremely interesting natural enclaveis the Cavalleria area. It lies in the middle of

the north coast, and includes the tiny naturalport of Sanitja and the Cavalleria peninsula.The lighthouse of the same name stands onthis promontory, punished by the storms.This part of Menorca is explained in theEcomuseu del Cap de Cavalleria, anecological museum situated in the formerestate of Santa Teresa.

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Illa de l’Aire

equilibrium

During the 18th century, a peripheral path wasbuilt in order to be able to watch over thewhole of the coast of Menorca.Today this route, known as Camí de Cavalls,is one of the big attractions for hikers,because Menorca is definitely an island forwalking; and also for exploring by bike, onhorseback… The distances are never too long,the paths are prepared, and along that oldmilitary trail, which is now being restored infull, one will soon be able to walk all the wayround Menorca.

There is an extensive range of excursionsavailable. Menorca’s highest elevation isMonte Toro, which has an altitude of 358metres. From here one can contemplate a

large part of the island as though it were amodel, and see the silhouette of Mallorca onthe south-western horizon. Another elevationworth visiting is Santa Águeda, where onecan still see the remains of a medievalfortress. After a short walk one can admirethe vestiges of the towers and walls, as wellas enjoying an impressive view.

Other areas of interest are the old salt marshesof Fornells, the gaunt cliffs of Punta Nati inCiutadella, and torrents like that of Algendar.

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Punta Nati

As well as that privileged nature, Menorcahas a cultural heritage unthinkable for anisland of its size. With regard to prehistory, it is the mostinteresting of the Balearic Islands. Thefamous Naveta des Tudons, considered theoldest building in Europe, is just oneexample. It was a collective monumentalsepulchre, constructed in accordance withsymbolic rules which unfortunately have notsurvived to the present. But when the sunsets, and the stone is tinted with reddishhues, it seems to reveal part of its secret.Menorca is an island of stones that talk, thatspeak to us.

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Torralba d'en Salord Naveta des Tudons

The magic ofhorses and

the riddle ofthe stones

Menorcan prehistory is a fascinating chapter,accessible to all. All you need is sensitivity toperceive that half-barbaric, half-enigmaticmessage from the past. And you can completeyour knowledge of the monumental sites byvisiting highly-interesting museums: theMuseum of Menorca (Maó), Museu Municipaldes Bastió de sa Font (Ciutadella) or theDiocesan Museum of Menorca (Ciutadella).

Equally important, the festivals of Sant Joan,held every June in Ciutadella, occupy one ofthe top places on the traditional calendar ofthe whole country. Ciutadella is an extremelymonumental town, with churches, palaces,narrow streets and a thousand nooks andcrannies with a medieval feel to them. hat

personality, enhanced by the port thatextends to the foot of the old town wall, bythe play of white and green of the buildings,reaches its height during the fiestas. They arean ancient tradition, during which the socialclasses (nobility, craftsmen, clergy andcommoners) interact symbolically.They represent ancestral rituals in which thehorse - the elegant black Menorcan horses –always plays the leading role. No visitor canremain unmoved by the fiesta. It is a time ofpersonal communion, of shared joy, ofancient rituals, of eye-catching games and ofhospitality. And the best of all: the fiestas inCiutadella are only the first ones. Allthrough the summer one can enjoy them ineach and every one of the island’s villages,

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culture

The majesty of the prehistoric monuments isoverwhelming for modern man. The ‘taulas’,vertical slabs of stone that hold up another,horizontal one, are so steeped in magicalsignificance that they impress even thosewho know absolutely nothing about history.

Anyone can capture the hidden message ofsites such as Trepucó (Maó), Torralba d'enSalord (Alaior), Torretrencada (Ciutadella),Torre d'en Galmés (Alaior). These remoteceremonial centres, where rituals andsacrifices were performed, corresponded tolarge towns, encircled by cyclopean walls.Son Catlar (Ciutadella) is the best example.

Museum of Menorca “Jaleo” típico de las fiestasCiutadella

the last one being held in Maó, the capital,on 7th and 8th September.

Another cultural item of the first order isthe legacy left by British occupation. This isclear from certain expressions used ineveryday speech, such as “bòtil” (from“bottle”), to the manufacture of Menorcangin. A drink that is still made in exactly thesame way as in the 18th century and which,mixed with lemonade, constitutes thefamous "pomada", the Menorcan drink parexcellence. The British presence on theisland also left an interesting monumentalheritage behind, from many of the coastalwatchtowers, to military complexes likeFort Marlborough (Es Castell), a visit to

which – not to be missed – is like travellingback through time.

In this same sphere of military architecture,and as an overview of the island’s history, avisit to the Fortaleza de la Mola fortress ofIsabel II, at the entrance to the Port of Maó,gives one an idea of the significancecontrolling this port held. The castle of SantNicolau (Ciutadella) and the tower ofFornells or Alcaufar are other monumentsworth visiting.

Ethnology, in a land with so muchpersonality, must necessarily be important.Rural architecture displays an unusualcombination of Palladian and palatial

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Sant Nicolau castle Fort Marlborough

gastronomy

features and the simplest of shapes. The bestexample of that sumptuousness is the famous"Golden Farm" or Sant Antoni estate whichpresides over part of the port of Maó with itsbeautiful silhouette. In other “llocs” on theisland one can see broad honorary staircases,sumptuous façades. Very European elegance.

Maó is the capital of the island now, a townthat preserves a very 18th-century atmosphere,too. Narrow streets, low, very uniform “trast”houses. An enormous, blue sky, contrastingwith the always freshly-whitewashed walls.And in the background, the magnificentnatural port, 5 kilometres long, the best in theMediterranean and the second-largest in thewhole world. The church of Santa María,

with its valuable 19th-century organ, is one ofthe places to visit. Like the former convent ofCarme, with a market (Sa Plaça) in what wasthe cloister.

Ethnology also leads us to the mostimmediate popular inheritance. For example,one of the most highly-prized products ofMenorca are the famous "avarques". For manyyears the humblest of footwear items, they arenow an internationally-recognised fashionproduct. And the gastronomy. Menorca is theland of the lobster casserole, a dish to betasted in its ports, like Fornells, just a fewfeet from the sea. History also preserves thememory of mayonnaise, or ‘mahonesa’, saidto have been picked up by French soldiers

during their occupation of the island. Thecheese with the Mahón-Menorca Designationof Origin is another star product, rangingfrom uncured to cured cheese, historicallythe primary gastronomic fruit of the island. Itis a kind of tradition in the language of tasteof Menorcan values: green landscape,farmhouses, authenticity, vigour, tradition.

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Confectionery Cheese with D. O. Mahón - Menorca Lobster casserole

Menorca’s personality also extends along its216 kilometres of coastline. It is an island tobe experienced from the sea, as theMenorcans do. The sea can change from theabsolute calm of the coves, to the force andfierceness of the north coast when theTramontane wind blows. A coast of contrasts,so full of details and remote spots it canseem inexhaustible.

The Port of Maó itself is the best example.The town huddles on top of some cliffs,overlooking the end of the port. Opposite isthe area Maó-dwellers very sensibly call"S'altra Banda" (the other side). Hills coveredin dark vegetation and a series of privilegedhomes, on the very shore of the sea. To thepoint that you would say they could dangle afishing rod out of their window.In this way the port is split into a much morebuilt-up area to the south and another onemerely dotted with a few groups of houses tothe north. With lost, highly romantic andalmost secret nooks and crannies, like thetiny "Cementeri dels anglesos" where manyBritish and American sailors lie in repose.

After passing Illa del Rei, on which theremains of a large military hospital stand, onecan see the lazaret island. These installations,used in their day as a quarantine hospital,primordial for an island with as much navaltraffic as Menorca, were held up as a modelall over Spain in their day. In the 19thcentury they represented modernity in healthcare. Today, both the islet of Illa del Rei andthe Lazareto can be visited from the smallport of Es Castell.If you continue to leave the port you pass thepretty little inlets of Cales Fonts on the right,until reaching the mouth. On the right are theremains of what was Menorca’s mostpowerful castle: Castell de Sant Felip.Construction on it was started by Felipe II,but the British reinforced it until making it anear-impregnable stronghold. When theSpanish recovered the island, the first thingthey did was dynamite it. On the left, risingup from a small plateau, stands theimpressive fortress of La Mola, inaugurated inthe days of Isabel II.

From here on there are two very distinct routes:the north coast and the south coast. Turningsouth, a low coast appears, with many remotemarine spots, running past the pretty cove ofCala Alcaufar and the more touristy area ofPunta Prima. The most eye-catching presence isthat of Illa de l'Aire, with its monumentallighthouse. It looks like the signal that you arearriving in Maó.

Turning towards the west you travel along thewhole of the Migjorn, or south coast. Togradually discover the promontories, the caves,the coves, the torrents, the beaches likeBinibeca from the sea is an experience indeed,

A coast fullof remotespots andsecrets

Cala Galdana

nautical

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Son Bou or Binigaus. The south shore,protected from the Tramontane wind, is aperfect place for sailing, With plenty of shelterand splendorous coves where one can takedelight in bathing.

After the beach of Son Saura the western partof Menorca begins. The coast becomes rocky,low and rugged. With the silhouette of theArtrutx lighthouse marking the island’s south-western seaboard. Here we find Ciutadella, auniform, rocky coast, with a few coves likeCala Blanca or Cala Santandria. Until reachingthe mouth of the port of Ciutadella, extendedby a modern breakwater. The port of Ciutadellais smaller and narrower than that of Maó. Butas a result it affords an incredible vision. Whenyou enter on the boat from Mallorca you passby the houses that cluster on either side of itpractically at eye level. You see their windows,their gardens. As though the port were thecentral lounge of a home.

Heading northwards out of Ciutadella, thecoast rises up in the form of cliffs weathered bythe wind. Headlands like those of Bajolí orPunta Nati are spectacular. Monochromatic,bare. Cala Morell lies in this rocky area thatchanges as you move further east. The hillscovered in vegetation begin, and the sandybeaches, the landscape mellows without losingits majesty.

The most frequently visited part of the northcoast is the port of Fornells. First you pass bythe Cavalleria lighthouse, raised up on top ofa promontory. And afterwards you go inthrough the narrow mouth of this natural portwhich has a small islet inside it. The port ofFornells is one of the chosen places for

practising windsurfing. When there is a strongwind, one can put in here with no problem, asit is very sheltered.

From Fornells, you can sail out to otherextremely beautiful enclaves. The port ofAddaia, with its bends that look like lakes,the Favàritx lighthouse facing the storms,the island of Illa d'en Colom off Es Grau, theCap Negre point. The north coast is veryvaried, picturesque, with strong profiles anddeep colours.

The characteristics of the island make it anideal place for practising different sports.Because the distances are always short andone can enjoy different landscapes, the rangeavailable is extremely broad. On land, hiking,excursions on horseback or following therural trails by mountain bike or trying out thebicycle touring routes.

And at sea, there are even more possibilities.Travelling along part of the coast by kayak,diving and snorkelling, launch trips that alsoenable one to enter coves and inlets that aredifficult to access from land. Different “multiadventure” packages are operational,including these activities and others, such aswooden raft sailing, for example.

All these activities can be reserved quitesimply at the island’s three ports, Maó,Fornells and Ciutadella, and they will alsogive personal recommendations in responseto any consultation. Support is also offeredfor enjoyment of other kinds of services, suchas contacts for practising other sports,accommodation, vehicle hire, tablereservations in restaurants, etc.Illa de l’Aire

Port of Ciutadella

meetings

One activity that is becoming increasinglyimportant in Menorca is the hosting ofmeetings and congresses. The island’sapproachable dimensions, a varied range ofhotels, and above all the attraction of thebeaches, the natural spaces and the very variedoptions with regard to sports, culture andleisure activities work as powerful incentives.

In this regard, the historical Teatro Principalde Maó, the Líthica quarry (Ses Pedreres des’Hostal) or the Fortress of La Mola arespectacular and at the same time unusualsettings that can easily be combined withmodern installations, such as theMultipurpose Room in Es Mercadal.Business meetings, professional congresses,

events, conventions, incentive trips. Thepossibilities are many and varied and havegiven rise to the creation of the MenorcaConvention Bureau, an entity formed byhotels, restaurants, travel agencies, businessesrelated to congresses and centres of bothcultural and leisure activities. The goal is toturn Menorca into a meeting point, making themost of its exceptional natural potential andpossibilities in terms of heritage.

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An exceptionalsetting for

meetings andcongresses

La Mola fortress Teatro Principal in Maó (Theater) Canteras de s'Hostal (Quarries)

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HOSPITAL

CASTLE

INFORMATION

MUSEUM

CHAPEL AND SANCTUARY

LIGHTHOUSE

DEFENCE TOWER

GOLF COURSE

AIRPORT

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

NAUTICAL ACTIVITIES

ACTIVIDADES HÍPICAS

HIKING

HEALTH CENTRE

NATURAL AREA

CYCLING

OIT de Ciutadella - Ciutadella de MenorcaFundació Destí MenorcaPlaça Catedral, 5. 07760 CiutadellaTel: +34 971 382 693 - Fax: +34 971 382 667 Email: infomenorcaciutadella@menorca.eswww.menorca.es

OIT Fornells - Es Mercadal - Fundació Destí MenorcaCasa des Contramestre, C/ des Forn s/n. 07748 FornellsTel: +34 971 376 437 Email: infomenorcafornells@menorca.eswww.menorca.es

OIT Aeropuerto de Maó - Fundació Destí MenorcaTerminal d'Arribades Aeroport de Menorca Ctra. Sant Climent, s/n. 07700 Maó Tel.: +34 971 356 435 - Fax:+34 971 157 322 Email: infomenorcaeroport@menorca.eswww.menorca.es

OIT Maó Centre - Maó - Fundació Destí MenorcaPlaça Explanada s/n. 07702 MaóTel: +34 971 363 790Email: infomenorcamao@menorca.eswww.menorca.es

OIT Port de Maó - Fundació Destí MenorcaMoll de Llevant, 2. 07701 MaóTel: +34 971 355 952 - Fax: +34 971 352 674 Email: infomenorcaport@menorca.eswww.menorca.es

Port of Sanitja

Published by:ATB, Agència de Turisme de les Illes Balears ( Balearic Tourism Agency),Conselleria de Turisme i Treball (Regional Tourism and Labour Minister),Govern de les Illes Balears (Government of the Balearic Islands)

Coordinated by:ATB publicity department

Contributors: Fundació Destí Menorca

Concept, design and layout: dcp3.es

Photos© Mateu Bennàssar, Antonio Garrido, Lluís Real, Jaume Capellà,KlausSiepmann, Carles Raurich, Jordi Escandell, Juanjo Pons. ATB photo archive,Fundació Destí Menorca.

Cover photo: Binibèquer

Texts:© Carlos Garrido

Printing:Gràfiques Planisi

Legal deposit: PM - 0000 - 2010

Edition: September 2010

printed on Creator Star paper

Help us to improve our next edititon of this brochure by sending yourrecommendations to: publi@ibatur.caib.es. Thank you.

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