Menorca is "the island of a thousand attractions." There is no such noisy nightlife as in Ibiza (although there are enough discos and nightclubs), but there is really a lot that is worthy of a thoughtful inspection. These are ancient megaliths and necropolises, medieval temples and castles, ultra-modern art objects, ecological trails, miraculous Madonnas, museums, embankments, and, of course, beautiful beaches.
Top 10 attractions in Menorca
Mount Monte Toro
In the center of the island is its highest peak - 350 m above sea level. A comfortable well-groomed road leads up from the parking lot. And above, in addition to the observation deck, is the main shrine of Menorca - Sanctuary de Toro. A watchtower from 1558 has been preserved here, and the temple was built in 1670. There you can see a wooden carved altar in the Baroque style, but the main thing for which pilgrims flock here is the miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary. It is with her that the name of the mountain and the monastery is associated.
Toro is a bull. Tradition says that in time immemorial an angry bull drove a religious procession passing by to the top of this mountain. Above they found a cave, and in the cave there is a wonderful wooden statue of the Mother of God - this is the place where the monastery now stands. The statue was recently investigated - it dates back to the 13th century.
Near the monastery there is a monument to the inhabitants of the island who died in the Second World War.
Fortress La Mola
The La Mola fortress, built in 1848-1878, is sometimes called the fortress of Isabella II - it was this queen who ruled Spain in those years and herself came to inspect the construction.
It is a powerful coastal fortification with 10 forts, several levels, thick walls and underground galleries - it was built to withstand and conduct artillery fire. Now there is a museum, you can walk along the walls and enjoy views of the bay and the fortress of San Felipe, which is located on the opposite shore of the bay. The guns of the coastal battery have been preserved. One of the cannons has a specially opened barrel, so you can examine its mechanism from the inside. Gunpowder depots are located next to the cannons. There is a small tourist car walking around the fortress, there are information posters in Spanish and English.
Disco club Sa Cova d'en Xoroi
A unique disco club located right in a natural cave. For adults only, persons under 18 are not allowed. But from 18 you can have fun even all night. However, if you want not so much to dance as to look at the magnificent views and walk through the cave, it is better to come not too late: the most beautiful sunsets in Menorca are right here. The entrance fee includes one free drink, so while the youngsters are dancing, many come here simply to sip a cocktail while admiring the evening sea. But dancing is also possible - this is the most popular place on the island, and all the most famous DJs perform here.
In summer, the club is open from 11:30 am to 6:00 am. There is a club bus that runs all over the island, and you can get here for less than a taxi.
S'Hostal careers
Former quarries where snow-white limestone was mined for construction. Since 1994, work has been stopped here, the place has fallen into disrepair and began to overgrow. It was recently bought out by sculptors' associations. It was turned into a natural landmark and at the same time an art object: a botanical garden-labyrinth. It is at the same time a botanical garden, an observation deck with views of limestone cliffs, a labyrinth of passages-caves, once cut down at a depth of almost 40 meters, and a work of modern art. Olives now grow in one of the former quarries, almonds in another, lemons and herbs in the third. Around the fountain there is a medieval "monastery" garden of medicinal plants, there is a pond with water plants. During the season, this place is used for concerts and performances.
Bodegas Binifadet Winery
The largest winery in Menorca, producing primarily sparkling wines, 44 types of wine and 47,000 bottles a year. Everything is as usual in such places: they tell you about the local grape varieties (Malvasia, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscatel grows here), show you how to grow and care for the vine, demonstrate the stages of production. There is a museum in the basement - they show modern and ancient equipment, oak barrels in which wine is aged, old bottles, labels and much more. Wine tasting and lunch are usually offered in a restaurant overlooking the vineyards.
For wine tourism lovers, this is the best option in Menorca: both informative and tasty and really high-quality interesting wine.
Albufera Park Natural Park
Albufera is a large natural park in the northeast of the island next to the Es Grau beach. It was created in 1985, and in 1993 it was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. The main part of the park is a swampy lagoon, in fact, a swamp where birds nest. More than 400 species of plants, 66 species of mushrooms grow here, 8 species of bats and 271 species of birds live. You can see Mediterranean petrels, predatory ospreys, eagles, herons, storks and many other representatives of the feathered kingdom.
There are four eco-trails in the park, the longest of which is 14 km. The trails are comfortable and well-groomed, in several places above the marshes and nesting places of birds there are observation platforms, in addition, there is a special information center where you can get a booklet and listen to audio recordings of bird voices
Megaliths of Torre d'en Galmes
Even before the arrival of the Phoenicians, from the 2nd millennium BC. in Menorca, there was a civilization that left behind giant megalithic structures - taula, consisting of two plates, set with the letter T, as well as artificial residential caves with whole systems of internal passages - talayots. There are many such structures left on the island, but most of them are in Torre d'en Galmes.
It is an ancient settlement listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three talayots have survived here, and the remains of some large structure with columns, inside of which there is a taul - perhaps it was a palace or a temple. Part of the fortifications of this city dates back to the Carthaginian period - the Carthaginians used the remains of the fortresses of their predecessors.
Torre d'en Galmes is an archaeological museum-reserve: an area of open excavations and a small closed museum, where objects found here are exhibited, and you can see a reconstruction film about this settlement.
Naveta des Tudons
The largest libel is a tomb in the form of a stone ship, preserved in Menorca. This is not a tomb of any one person, it was a necropolis for storing human remains for several hundred years - from 1200 BC. NS. to 700 BC NS. Its length is 14 meters, and its height is 4.4 m. Such libels were built not far from the settlements. They were two-story. The upper chamber was low and, apparently, was intended in order to dry bodies, which were then folded into the lower chamber. The dead were not undressed, but, on the contrary, were dressed in the best clothes and supplied with decorations and utensils - all this is found in such cells during archaeological excavations. This libel was explored in 1959-1960, and now it is completely open to tourists, you can get inside.
Museum of Menorca in Mahon
The Museum of Menorca was founded in 1889, originally as the municipal Museum of Archeology and Natural History, and in the middle of the 20th century it was merged with the Museum of Fine Arts. He occupied various buildings until at the end of the 20th century the premises of the former monastery of St. Francis. This is not a temple, but a monastery building, built in the 17th-18th centuries, where there were cells, a refectory, a kitchen, a school, etc. The cathedral is also owned by the museum, it is being restored, but museum events and concerts are held in its premises. It received materials from the excavations of libel and ancient basilicas on the island's territory and natural science collections, so now it is the most interesting museum in Menorca: exhibits from the 2nd millennium BC are collected here. and ending with contemporary art.
Lighthouse at Cape Favaritx
There are several beautiful lighthouses in Menorca, and at least one of them is a must-see. For example, the lighthouse at Cape Favaritx. This lighthouse was built in 1922 on a black slate rock - the only one on the island. The black and white tower above a black rock in white sea foam looks amazingly beautiful and romantic. The height of the lighthouse is 28 meters.
The caretaker's house has been converted into a small museum that tells about the island's lighthouses, the naval signaling system and the history of the place itself. There are many interesting things in the shale rocks - for example, fossils, which are several million years old. You can take a guided tour or just look at the exposition yourself.
Castle of Santa Agueda
The medieval castle of Santa Agueda was built by the Arabs - it was first mentioned in the 13th century. The capture of this particular castle ended the conquest of the island by the Aragonese rulers.
It was a huge structure with several dozen towers and powerful walls. Most likely, the fortress was here before: the road leading to the castle is even older - it was created by the Romans. After the expulsion of the Muslims, the church of St. Agatha, which gave the name to the area.
Now the castle is under state protection, but the fortress is only mothballed: it is not destroyed, but not restored, it remains a picturesque ruin. But this ruin is immense, and for those who like to climb the medieval stones, this place is irreplaceable.
