Places to See in Menorca

You are certain to enjoy visiting Minorca, both for its historical importance and magnificent landscape. Start with Mahón whose large natural harbour gave rise to it becoming the island’s capital. This city is made up of winding streets with walls in ruins, beautiful churches, colourful mansions and Georgian-style houses. Local highlights include the town hall, an unavoidable landmark in the city centre, and the grandiose Baroque Santa María church. Finally, La Mola, the Fortress of Isobella II at the harbour entrance: although it was obsolete before it was completed and never fired a gun in anger, it remains a fine example of 19th century military architecture and is well worth a visit for the fine views it offers of Mahon and the coastline.

Once the capital of Minorca, Ciutadella has plenty of attractions. You cannot miss the gothic-style Minorca Cathedral, built on the ruins of a Mosque in the 14th Century. Walk through the old part of the city and appreciate the Moorish and Medieval ruins, within what was once a walled city. Visit the Castell de Sant Nicolau, surrounded by a moat and built in the 17th century to protect the access to the city’s port. What you certainly can’t miss in Ciutadella is the Plaça d’es Born, considered one of the most beautiful squares in Spain.

To discover Minorca fully, visit the Megalithic ruins, most of them dating from the Talayotic period from 2000 BC to 1000 BC. With its great wealth of archaeological sites this island has long been considered a fantastic “open-air” museum. Well worth a visit are the T-shaped stone monuments, known as Taulas, and the Navetas, in the form of an upturned boat, found in former villages or dotted around the island. Their former utility is still a mystery, though they could have been defensive towers, tombs or warehouses. Start with Torre d'en Galmés, a prehistoric village that existed from pre-Talayotic to Roman times. The village of Trepucó, dating from around 1500 BC, found close to Mahón, is enchanting. During summer make sure to go early in the morning or later in the evening, to avoid the hottest hours out in the sun.

The rest of the island offers fantastic views and romantic scenery. On the northern part of the island, lie the remains of Sanitja, a Phoenician colony that can be visited by boat from Fornells. This is the site of the Tower of Sanitja, built by the English to protect the access to this natural harbour. Contemplate the breathtaking sunset and the pretty marina below. In Sant Lluís, a village built by the French in 1756, get to know the beautiful Neoclassical church and a large corn windmill – Molí de Dalt – now an ethnological museum.