Destination overview

Menorca

With a population 92,000, Menorca is the least over-run and most tranquil of the Balearic Islands. In 1993 UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve, aiming to preserve environmental areas such as the Parc Natural S’Albufera d’es Grau wetlands and the island’s unique archaeological sites.

Its 216-kilometre coastline is fretted with relatively untouched beaches, coves and ravines. Inland, crossing its fields and green, rolling hills are an estimated 70,000 kilometres of dry stone walls. Some say the island owes much to Franco for not being over-run with tourist development. While neighbouring Mallorca went over to the Nationalists almost at the outset of the civil war, Menorca resisted. Franco later rewarded Mallorca with a construction free-for-all and penalised Menorca by blocking development.

The second-largest and northern-most of the Balearics, Menorca has a wetter climate and is usually a few degrees cooler than the other islands. Particularly in the low season, the ‘windy island’ is buffeted by tramuntana winds from the north.