Menorca - Plan your Perfect Holiday
The beautiful island of Menorca is very different to its neighbor Mallorca. It has been bypassed by large-scale package tourism, leaving it a place loved for its charm and relaxed way of life. It has magical landscapes and deserted beaches, many of which can only be reached on foot or by sea.
Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993, it is protected against major development and is instead home to untouched coastlines and deep gorges where you can still find rare flowers and orchids.
It is an island rich in history with strong ties to the UK throughout the 18th Century. There is also a fascinating prehistoric past and culture which is unique to the island.
Mahón
The fantastic Port of Mahón is home to Menorca Cruising and it is where you will start your holiday. You will be spoilt for choice by the superb restaurants and bars lining the water and as you sail peacefully along its length you can admire the historic city of Mahón which rises high above the harbour. You will pass Isla del Rey, the oldest British military hospital in the World built in 1711, and at the north end you will see the C19th Fortress of La Mola
Moorings in Menorca
One of the many views of Mahón
Comfortable sailing all year, just two hour flying time from most UK airports. Transfer of 10 mins from Mahón airport to our hotels and yachts.
Low cost flights for early bookings.
Es Port de Fornells
Fornells is a small fishing village with a high concentration of top quality restaurants. It is renowned throughout Spain for its mediterranean seafood. King Juan Carlos I of Spain has anchored his yacht here many times to partake of the speciality Caldereta de langosta (lobster stew).
There are two companies offering moorings in Fornells. Ports IB have pontoons and moorings along the harbour wall.
Posidonia Life Project has installed free mooring buoys in the harbour of Fornells and around Isla Colom. These have been put there to protect the fields of Posidonia seaweed which are damaged by anchoring. The buoys can be booked in advance on the internet from 1st June to 30th September. However if one is free after 18.30 in the evening it is OK to go ahead and use it for up to 3 nights. The white buoys are for yachts of between 8-15m in length. You should be aware that there are also some private mooring buoys which must not be used.
Es Port de Fornells
Ciutadella Harbour Ciutadella
Ciutadella was the island's capital from the Moorish epoch until the 18th century when the British moved it to Mahón. It mixes the medieval charm of narrow cobbled streets with the splendour of 18th century palaces.
Ciutadella's port is smaller and less commercialised than Mahón, and it offers an alternative, yet impressive, glimpse of the past through its diverse and perfectly preserved architecture.
Ciutadella is home to one of the largest Fiestas in Spain, the Fiesta de Sant Joan. It will be impossible to find a berth anywhere near the town around June 24th when vast crowds will gather in the port for the traditional equestrian games. The ferries, which have dominated the harbour in recent years, moved out to the new ferry terminal outside the harbour in 2011.
Port Addaia
We can also now offer courses and charters from our Bavaria 36 based in Port Addaya. Addaya (or Addaia) is a pretty, quiet yacht marina with a waterside bar and some beautiful views. It is ideally suited to those wanting to get away from it all.
John Armstrong was posted to Menorca in 1738. In 1756 he published the results of his research and his experiences in his book, 'The history of the Island of Menorca'. His favorite place was Addaia as can be seen in the passage below.
It lies in the form of a theater open to port on the Eastern side, but surrounded on every other quarter by a chain of hills, rising with a gradual ascent to a great height. They are mostly naked of greensward to protect the earth and that which has been constantly washed down from thence by the rains has considerably enriched the soil. The hills likewise afford Adaia a useful shelter from the bleak, northwesterly winds of this climate. The air derives a Temper from these advantages which gives it, in my Opinion, an indisputable Preference to that of any other spot on Minorca.
The gardens too are laid out in a tolerable taste for this country, and produce every kind of vegetable, which these people cultivate, in the greatest perfection and abundance. Here are delightful shady walks, with others that are more airy, when the sun is retured behind the western mountains. The grape, the orange and the pomegranite, present their cooling juices in profusion; and the water-melons which the Minorquins esteem the Almighty's blessing on a hot country, offer their delicious store. Hither a pure stream of living water is conducted from a neighbouring spring, and throws itself from a height into a large bason, from whence it glides gently through several canals, and waters every part of the gardens.
Besides the charms of the gardens, the harbour itself is extremely pleasing to the eye. As its entrance is covered from our view by the interposition of high grounds to the northward, it appears like a great river, bordered by a variety of evergreen shrubs, that yield to the impression of every breeze, and slope their tops as if they delighted to view their pride of foliage in its glassy botom. The exquisite polish of its surface is sometimes broke by the leaping of the little fishes at their living prey, spread by the bounteous hand of heaven in infinite numbers for their sustinence. But its gloss returns as their spreading circles die away.
You will say I wrote this in a romantick humour: I confess it freely; and I shall ever think of Adaia, and of the company I enjoyed at that charming little retirement with the utmost complacency and satisfaction.
This harbour, although one of the most principal ornaments of Adaia, is of no sort of use to the navigation of the island, on account of its rocks and shelves.Prehistoric Past
For those interested in ancient ruins, Menorca has a greater quantity than probably any other Mediterranean island. It has been described as a huge open-air museum. The taulas - massive T-shaped rock monoliths, the talyots - prehistoric watchtowers on the top of hills, and the navetas - prehistoric burial chambers, abound all over the island.
Naveta des Tudons is one of the oldest buildings in europe.
Just one of the many prehistoric taula
Cala Trebaluger
Cala Mitjana
Fiestas throughout the summer
The beautiful island of Menorca is very different to its neighbor Mallorca. It has been bypassed by large-scale package tourism, leaving it a place loved for its charm and relaxed way of life. It has magical landscapes and deserted beaches, many of which can only be reached on foot or by sea.
Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993, it is protected against major development and is instead home to untouched coastlines and deep gorges where you can still find rare flowers and orchids.
It is an island rich in history with strong ties to the UK throughout the 18th Century. There is also a fascinating prehistoric past and culture which is unique to the island.
Mahón
The fantastic Port of Mahón is home to Menorca Cruising and it is where you will start your holiday. You will be spoilt for choice by the superb restaurants and bars lining the water and as you sail peacefully along its length you can admire the historic city of Mahón which rises high above the harbour. You will pass Isla del Rey, the oldest British military hospital in the World built in 1711, and at the north end you will see the C19th Fortress of La Mola
Moorings in MenorcaOne of the many views of Mahón
Comfortable sailing all year, just two hour flying time from most UK airports. Transfer of 10 mins from Mahón airport to our hotels and yachts.
Low cost flights for early bookings.
Es Port de Fornells
Fornells is a small fishing village with a high concentration of top quality restaurants. It is renowned throughout Spain for its mediterranean seafood. King Juan Carlos I of Spain has anchored his yacht here many times to partake of the speciality Caldereta de langosta (lobster stew).
There are two companies offering moorings in Fornells. Ports IB have pontoons and moorings along the harbour wall.
Posidonia Life Project has installed free mooring buoys in the harbour of Fornells and around Isla Colom. These have been put there to protect the fields of Posidonia seaweed which are damaged by anchoring. The buoys can be booked in advance on the internet from 1st June to 30th September. However if one is free after 18.30 in the evening it is OK to go ahead and use it for up to 3 nights. The white buoys are for yachts of between 8-15m in length. You should be aware that there are also some private mooring buoys which must not be used.
Es Port de FornellsCiutadella Harbour CiutadellaCiutadella was the island's capital from the Moorish epoch until the 18th century when the British moved it to Mahón. It mixes the medieval charm of narrow cobbled streets with the splendour of 18th century palaces.
Ciutadella's port is smaller and less commercialised than Mahón, and it offers an alternative, yet impressive, glimpse of the past through its diverse and perfectly preserved architecture.
Ciutadella is home to one of the largest Fiestas in Spain, the Fiesta de Sant Joan. It will be impossible to find a berth anywhere near the town around June 24th when vast crowds will gather in the port for the traditional equestrian games. The ferries, which have dominated the harbour in recent years, moved out to the new ferry terminal outside the harbour in 2011.
Port AddaiaWe can also now offer courses and charters from our Bavaria 36 based in Port Addaya. Addaya (or Addaia) is a pretty, quiet yacht marina with a waterside bar and some beautiful views. It is ideally suited to those wanting to get away from it all.
John Armstrong was posted to Menorca in 1738. In 1756 he published the results of his research and his experiences in his book, 'The history of the Island of Menorca'. His favorite place was Addaia as can be seen in the passage below.
It lies in the form of a theater open to port on the Eastern side, but surrounded on every other quarter by a chain of hills, rising with a gradual ascent to a great height. They are mostly naked of greensward to protect the earth and that which has been constantly washed down from thence by the rains has considerably enriched the soil. The hills likewise afford Adaia a useful shelter from the bleak, northwesterly winds of this climate. The air derives a Temper from these advantages which gives it, in my Opinion, an indisputable Preference to that of any other spot on Minorca.
The gardens too are laid out in a tolerable taste for this country, and produce every kind of vegetable, which these people cultivate, in the greatest perfection and abundance. Here are delightful shady walks, with others that are more airy, when the sun is retured behind the western mountains. The grape, the orange and the pomegranite, present their cooling juices in profusion; and the water-melons which the Minorquins esteem the Almighty's blessing on a hot country, offer their delicious store. Hither a pure stream of living water is conducted from a neighbouring spring, and throws itself from a height into a large bason, from whence it glides gently through several canals, and waters every part of the gardens.
Besides the charms of the gardens, the harbour itself is extremely pleasing to the eye. As its entrance is covered from our view by the interposition of high grounds to the northward, it appears like a great river, bordered by a variety of evergreen shrubs, that yield to the impression of every breeze, and slope their tops as if they delighted to view their pride of foliage in its glassy botom. The exquisite polish of its surface is sometimes broke by the leaping of the little fishes at their living prey, spread by the bounteous hand of heaven in infinite numbers for their sustinence. But its gloss returns as their spreading circles die away.
You will say I wrote this in a romantick humour: I confess it freely; and I shall ever think of Adaia, and of the company I enjoyed at that charming little retirement with the utmost complacency and satisfaction.
This harbour, although one of the most principal ornaments of Adaia, is of no sort of use to the navigation of the island, on account of its rocks and shelves.Prehistoric Past
For those interested in ancient ruins, Menorca has a greater quantity than probably any other Mediterranean island. It has been described as a huge open-air museum. The taulas - massive T-shaped rock monoliths, the talyots - prehistoric watchtowers on the top of hills, and the navetas - prehistoric burial chambers, abound all over the island.
Naveta des Tudons is one of the oldest buildings in europe.
Just one of the many prehistoric taula
Cala Trebaluger
Cala Mitjana
Fiestas throughout the summer
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