One of My Favourite Places to Visit - Menorca
Menorca is the smallest of the Balearic Islands, but has plenty to do. I have visited in May, June and September and twice in August and I have enjoyed a week and also a fortnight there.
I have experienced the north, south, east and west of the island, visiting Es Castell, Son Bou, Son Parc, Cala Galdana and Cala’n Forcat. Each area was as beautiful as the next, however my favourite so far is Cala Galdana for its beautiful curved beach.
Having stayed in hotels, self-catering and a villa, I especially loved staying at the villa in Son Bou, having the private pool and being able to eat out at the local restaurants. Son Bou has the longest stretch of beach on the island.
I have visited the capital Mahon which I would recommend going to on market day as I love visiting the markets when on holiday, having a stroll around and seeing what great souvenirs and bargains I can buy for myself, my friends and family.
One of the highlights was a boat trip on Mahon Harbour which was a fantastic way to see the port of Mahon and learn about the history. Mahon Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. Having the underwater viewing area on the boat was a real treat, a great way to see the sea life without getting wet!
I would definitely recommend a visit to the Caves of Xoroi with its bar and disco set inside a natural cave. It is open in the day for visitors as a bar and turns to a disco at night. Lots of walkways and steps but the views of the Mediterranean are well worth the walk.
Hiring a car is one of the best ways to see the island and all the little coves and beaches that the locals go to. The island is one main road across the middle with roads leading off to whichever area you would like to visit. They are well signposted, and I have driven in Menorca and would do again. I can however recommend booking your car hire before you go as it can be limited to hire at peak season on the island, though they will try to do their best to accommodate you. We couldn’t hire a car for the two weeks we were there but we able to have a car for a few days so we could go and explore the island. With it taking about 1 to 1.5 hours to drive across the island, it meant we still got to see plenty and visited a few of the coves the locals go to.
However, I do have one love above all about Menorca and this is their Menorcan sandals! I bought my first pair back in 2000 when I first visited the island, which cost me £10 at the time and I finally had to say goodbye to them 11 years later. The best £10 I ever spent on sandals! Since then I have bought many pairs and I think this year was the first time I came home without buying a pair (only because of the space!) I find that Mahon is the best place to buy these though this is personal opinion. With some trips you can visit the factories to purchase the sandals.