Vacation Inspirations: Menorca


While most people have heard of Mallorca (or Majorca), the smaller, lesser known Spanish isle of Menorca seems to be off the radar. Menorca is not far from it’s slightly bigger neighbor in the Mediterranean, but in many ways it feels like it’s in a world all its own. Flights from Madrid go daily during summer and only twice per week during the fall, winter, and spring. There’s also an overnight ferry that leaves from Barcelona, to Mahon, the capital.

When you arrive in the morning, the first thing you’ll see is the bay’s inlet and then the towering walls of Mahon in the light of the rising sun. Bleached white walls and tiny cobblestone streets await, as well as beaches, walking and hiking trails, and some dramatically carved river canyons in the interior.

Menorca is a small island with a lot to offer. It’s best in the spring and fall, before the busy summer season of July and August, when Europeans are on vacation and the island gets a bit busier. But the truth is that it’s relatively quiet, especially when compared with Mallorca. There are many small sandy beaches where the crystalline turquoise waters of the Mediterranean will welcome you warmly.

Thanks to no shortage of activities, you can let your vacation inspirations turn you toward horseback rides, kayaking, snorkeling (although the snorkeling isn’t spectacular, much like other locations in the Mediterranean), hiking, or bicycle riding. To that end, there are paths that take you around the entire island, either on foot, horseback, or bicycle, although the bicycle path is not paved entirely. Resorts, cabanas, and bed and breakfasts await tourists, ready to treat you with the friendliness and relaxed attitude of the island. Relaxing island life at it’s best is what Menorca offers, and without the crazy crowds of its neighbors.

Menorca is indeed one vacation inspiration worth having.