Slow Down

The Spanish island of Menorca is famous for it's laid back approach to life. On the island no-one is in a rush to do anything. Probably sensing an uptight Mancunian who hadn't been out of the UK for a year, the waitress at the restaurant in the old capital reminded me of this when I asked the the bill. She smiled and said "There is no hurry."

And she was absolutely right. The sun was shining, I had a cold beer to finish, and I was sat at table which was perfectly placed to sit back and watch the passing folk enjoying the pretty, cobbled streets of  Ciutadella, the first stop on our exploration of Menorca.

Far de Favàritx, Menorca.

Ciutadella is in the west of the Menorca and the drive from the airport takes less than a hour which is pretty much the full length of the island. But despite the small proportions there is a lot to explore, so a hire car is useful for getting to those quieter seaside villages and deserted beach coves, and of course the lighthouses, of which there are five major ones. 

Sa Farola lighthouse, Menorca

Ciutadella is based around a stunning looking port. The long picturesque harbour inlet stretches out almost a mile before it reaches the sea. A point marked by the Castell de Sant Nicolau to the south and Sa Farola lighthouse keeping watch on the northern side.

The lighthouse sits next to a small white-washed chapel and as you would expect enjoys some great views of the city and it's shoreline. On the walk to the lighthouse you'll pass a charming hidden cove that are typical of the island and are very popular with locals and tourists alike. These are the perfect spots should you require a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Balearic sea to cool down. Carry on a short distance past the lighthouse and you reach a mirador from which you can see the adjacent island of Mallorca.

Sa Farola lighthouse, Menorca

The harbour of Ciutadella boasts a fantastic selection of sea food restaurants such as the popular Restaurant S'Amarador. Top tip, get there early or book if you want a sought after outside table, although queuing for a table with an aperitif seems to be part of the evening. The streets leading down from the main town square, the Placa d'es Born to the harbour come alive after dark with market stalls and tables from bars appearing from nowhere.

Ciutadella Harbour, Menorca

By day the Placa d'es Born is a busy functional square often hosting markets. On one side the large town hall dominates and overlooks the harbour, it's also where you'll find the tourist information office.

Across the square are tapas restaurants and shops alongside myriad of streets that lead into the older areas of Ciutadella, Make sure you try a sandwich of the local speciality of Sobrasada, which is a soft cured pork sausage which is smoked with red peppers giving it a distinctive strong flavour. 

Castell de Sant Nicolau, Ciutadella, Menorca

You can easily lose yourself in the charming, narrow streets of Ciutedella and with little need for direction you'll find the cathedral and the busy Mercat de Peix with it's striking green and white tiles. The streets narrow around 'Se Voltes', a parade of shops sheltering under serene arches. Here you can pick up a pair of the local Avarca sandals, the light comfy shoes that are popular in the Balearics and originated in Menorca or pick up a bottle of the local wine.

Swimming cove, Ciutadella, Menorca

 

As with the harbour, the old town of Ciutadella  is packed with bars and restaurants, with people prepared to queue for the most popular and the not so popular. A typical old town street is transformed by night as the eateries spill out into the warm evening.

Mercat de Peix, Ciutadella, Menorca

If you fancy somewhere slightly different to eat then a short walk from the older part of Ciutedella is the impressive looking Molí des Comte Asador restaurant. You can't miss it, it's built into a large white windmill. Inside is equally dramatic, resembling a Czech beer hall with huge sandstone vaults. We had to wait outside with a beer until they opened the main restaurant at 8pm on the dot. The service was efficient and friendly, the food was wholesome and plentiful and the Vinto Tinto de las Casa was excellent. And they offered great vegetarian options. And whilst we're on the subject of good restaurants, also worth a visit is the excellent vegetarian Restaurante Vegetariano Fang i Aram which is a longer walk out of town along the seafront, but well worth the effort to search out.

Ciutadella, Menorca

Venturing further afield we were off lighthouse hunting. A twenty minute drive north from Ciutadella is the isolated Far de Punta Nati. As we found with all the lighthouses on the island, there are good places to park and often some amenities, which makes for an excellent experience. it also explains why even out of the season these pretty vantage spots are busier than you would expect.

Far de Punta Nati, Menorca

The popularity of the Menorca coast is also down the superb Cami de Cavalls, the ‘Way of Horses’, which is a path that runs the entire coastline of Menorca. Once an ancient bridleway to guard the island, it is now a well managed 185km coastal path that you can dip into at your leisure.

Next time we shift base, check out the capital of Mahon and discover more of the the famous island trail as we go in search of some more lighthouses.

Sunset, Ciutadella, Menorca