Menorca

More on Menorca

There are delightful resorts all around Menorca, lying on long golden beaches in the east, next to sandy coves along the southern shores and amongst the rural tranquility of the west coast. Take a Style villa or apartment in Menorca and you will find a wonderful, warm, relaxing and truly welcoming island. Towns such as Mahon and Ciutadella have interesting shops, good quality restaurants and a lively nightlife, but on the whole Menorca enjoys a peaceful, unhurried atmosphere, which gives it a unique appeal to holidaymakers of all ages.

At its widest points Menorca is some forty kilometres long and less than thirty kilometres wide, making it the perfect size for effortless sightseeing and equally appealing to walkers, nature lovers and sun-seekers. Inland, narrow country lanes meander across gently rolling hillsides and the coastline is sprinkled with a myraid of old fishing villages and pretty harbours where the way of life has changed little for hundreds of years, despite the arrival of today's livelier holiday attractions.

The Island
At its widest points Menorca is some forty kilometres long and less than thirty kilometres wide, making it the perfect size for effortless sightseeing and equally appealing to walkers, nature lovers and sun-seekers. All around the island there are superb sandy beaches; some stretching endlessly along the coast and others no more than a few yards of golden virgin sand, hidden away beside a tranquil cove only accessible by foot - or by sea. The coastline is sprinkled with a myriad old fishing villages and pretty harbours where the way of life has changed little for hundreds of years, despite the arrival of today's livelier holiday attractions. Inland, narrow country lanes meander between intricate dry stone walls and across gently rolling hillsides whilst the countryside is dotted here and there with mysterious pagan monuments known as talayotts and taulas which are strangely reminiscent of the unexplained monoliths of Stonehenge.

The History
Amongst its other fascinating historic attractions, the island has a strong naval connection with Britain which dates back to the days when Nelson's fleet sheltered in Mahon's harbour shortly before the battle of Trafalgar. Indeed, many hotels are still named after Lord Nelson and his lady love, Emma Hamilton. History lovers will also find the island's ancient capital of Ciutadella well worth a visit. Here quaint old cobbled streets lead down to the picturesque harbour and many stylish shops can be found around the town's elegant tree-lined squares.

Eating & drinking
Excellent restaurants abound all over Menorca, many serving mouthwatering regional speciality dishes and drinks. The island's most famous culinary invention is mayonnaise, its name derived from the island's capital city, Mahon. Not content with salad dressing, Mahon also produces some very fine gin, which the locals mix with bitter lemon to produce a deliciously thirst-quenching drink called pomade. The succulent lobster dishes served in the famous restaurants of the fashionable resort of Fornells even attract royal diners, with King Juan Carlos a regular visitor.

The Nightlife
Menorca's nightlife is not the noisy, non-stop affair so beloved of its sister islands. Many resorts do have clubs, discos and lively bars of course, but others are much more subdued, with evening entertainment centering around pavement cafés, local restaurants and friendly bars.

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