Menorca Just A Micro Mallorca

Menorca may be only 20 per cent as big as and have only ten per cent of the population of Mallorca but it still has very healthy tourist figures from a clientele who have done their research into the island and know exactly what they are looking for. Naturally there are some things that Menorca cannot offer such as extra-lively nightspots aimed at young holidaymakers who spend as much time and money on their evening entertainment as they do during the day. Menorca cannot hope to compete with Mallorca on its choice of large beaches or the choice of international nightclubs of Magaluf. It also has to concede to Mallorca when it comes to the bright lights of the city of Palma de Mallorca, its neighbour’s capital. For travellers the scale and efficiency of Palma’s airport is hard to beat. Palma airport has seen the benefit of lots of improvements over recent years and is certainly an impressive travel hub.

Given that, Menorca does hold its own in most other areas and the attractions that make rural Mallorca so alluring to more adventurous travellers and international celebrities seeking a warm weather island villa, are equally abundant on Menorca. Menorca can match Mallorca when it comes to quality beaches, secluded coves, marinas, hillside villas and fine hotels. It also manages to attract a very healthy quota of visitors, more than half of whom comes from the UK with a significant portion of the remainder coming from Germany and Spain. Unlike the older outskirts of Palma, that succumbed to the ruthless property developers during the 70’s and 80’s, Menorca has managed to avoid most high-rise hotel development and each town and village still retains a certain island charm.

The capital city, if city is the appropriate term, is Mahon and has a population similar to that of a small UK country town. As far a cities go it is one of the smaller, but has an abundance of history having been inhabited since around 200BC, that’s around 250 years before London was established. The building style of Mahon is mainly Georgian, originating from the British rule of the city for most of the eighteenth century, when the British navy established a port there and transferred the island’s administrative centre from the previous capital of Cuitadella, at the opposite side of the island.

So why do so many people, almost 1 million every year, fly to Menorca for their summer holiday? Of course weather conditions are vital and just like Mallorca, Menorca has a wonderful Mediterranean climate and around 300 sunny days every year. Visit the island between April and November and you can almost guarantee warm temperatures, little chance of rain and many hours of sunshine. To make the most of all that fantasic weather, most people choose to spend their days on the beach or by a villa pool and in Menorca you’ll find lots of those all over the island.

Family holidays are a feature of Menorca, with quieter and smaller resorts proving popular for those with kids. Safe beaches with calm waters can be found all around the island, especially in the south-west. The biggest resort is located at Cala Santa Galdana, where bigger hotels can cater for thousands of visitors, but most other areas are much smaller, offering a more peaceful and secluded holiday. The longest beach on Menorca can be found at Son Bou, where a long sweep of sand, stylish bars and a choice of water sports make it a real summer playground for those on holiday. The beach is reached via a wooden board walk which opens out onto a 2 kilometre stretch of great beach. Lifeguards watch over the waters from watchtowers which are a close resemblance to those found on Miami’s best beaches and the scene is very similar. The beach offers a choice of two styles. a more lively end close to the town centre and shops, which is easily reached and, although sometimes crowded, has space for everyone. Further along the beach, reached via a longer walk along the dune footpath or from the next beach at Sant Thomas, the beach is very quiet and unaffected by any shops or other facilities. The seclusion of this end of the beach also makes it popular with nudists. It’s unusual to find a mix of lively and quiet beach areas so near to each other.

In other parts of Menorca there are equally fine beaches such as those at Cala Mitjana, the quiet bay at Playa Son Saura and the family beach at Cala n Bosh. Walkers are also choosing a holiday on Menorca now that the municipal authorities have completed the coastal footpath, the Cami de Cavalls, which circles the entire island. Originally a way for those on horseback (Cami de Cavalls means path for horses) that was used for transport and to defend the island, the footpath was first built in the seventeenth century and after new legislation was granted in 2000, has been improved and opened for public use.

So Menorca has something for all types of tourists, from young families and older couples to active walkers and water sports fans. It may be less well known than its bigger neighbour but Menorca can compete with Mallorca on most fronts.

Take a look at flights to Menorca if you are thinking about a holiday on Mallorca. It has some fine resorts and may just be a more perfect choice for your type of holiday.

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January 4th, 2010 | by traveler |

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