Ciutadella

Late May to June and September are the best times, with warm weather and fewer visitors. July and August are hot and busy, and the most popular coves are crowded. From November to March many hotels and restaurants close, but the island is quiet and green.

The Festes de Sant Joan on 23 and 24 June is the main festival, with riders on horses leaping and parading through the streets.

• Catedral de Santa María de Ciudadela is the Gothic cathedral on the main square, built in the 14th century on the site of a mosque.
• The Plaça des Born is the main square, with the town hall (Ajuntament), the obelisk and old palaces.
• The Puerto de Ciudadela is a narrow natural harbour with cafés and restaurants.
• The Castell de Sant Nicolau is a small 17th-century fort at the harbour mouth.
• Naveta des Tudons is a funerary monument from about 1000 BC, in the shape of an upturned boat, and one of the oldest roofed buildings in Europe.
• Far de Punta Nati is a lighthouse on the island's northwest tip, with dramatic cliffs.
• Far d'Artrutx is a lighthouse on the southwest tip, popular for sunsets.
• Cala Macarella is a turquoise cove with pine trees, one of the best-known beaches on the island.
• Cala en Turqueta and Cala Galdana are other beautiful beaches on the south coast.

• Walk through the old town and have dinner at the harbour.
• Spend a day at the south coast coves, such as Macarella and Turqueta.
• Take a walk along the Cami de Cavalls at sunset.
• Visit the Naveta des Tudons.
• Try a caldereta de langosta (spiny lobster stew) at the harbour.

• Maó (Mahón) (about 45 km, 1 hour by bus): the island's capital, with a deep natural harbour.
• Cami de Cavalls (the coastal path around the island): walk or cycle a section of the trail.
• Cala Morell and the north coast: rocky coves and prehistoric tombs.
• Menorca (the island): talayotic sites, farms and small villages.

Other places nearby:

• Balearic Islands: Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

• By air: Menorca airport (MAH) is near Maó, about 45 km east. A bus or taxi takes about 45 minutes to Ciutadella. There are seasonal flights from Europe and year-round flights from the mainland.
• By ferry: Ferries run to Ciutadella from Alcúdia in Mallorca, and to Maó from Barcelona and Valencia.
• By bus: Buses run along the main road between Ciutadella and Maó.

• On foot: The old town and the harbour are flat and compact.
• Bus: Buses link Ciutadella with Maó and with the nearest beaches. In summer, shuttle buses serve the busiest south coast coves.
• Rental car: The most flexible way to reach the beaches, though parking is limited in summer.
• Cycling: The island is gently rolling, with country lanes and the Cami de Cavalls.

• Is a car worth it?: Yes, if you want to visit several beaches or the north coast. The town is walkable.
• Parking: Parking is paid or limited near the old town and the busy beaches, and the car parks at the south coast coves fill up early in summer.
• Roads: The roads are good but narrow in places. The roads to the coves are unpaved in parts.

Menorcan cuisine centers on seafood and local produce. The best-known dish is caldereta de langosta, a lobster stew. Look also for Mahón-Menorca cheese, sobrassada (soft cured sausage), oliaigua (a tomato and vegetable soup) and ensaimadas (spiral pastries).

The local gin, Xoriguer, is a Menorcan specialty, often mixed with lemonade as a pomada.

Ciutadella is safe. Use strong sun protection and drink water, especially on the beaches, where there is little shade. Check the swimming flags at the beaches, and take care on the cliffs.

Menorca has prehistoric monuments from the Bronze Age, including talayots and navetas. The island was held by Phoenicians, Romans and Moors, and the Catalans took it in 1287. Ciutadella was the capital until the British moved it to Maó in 1722, in the period when they ruled the island in the 18th century.

The town has kept its medieval layout and aristocratic palaces. Menorca was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993.

Quick practical facts for Spain at a glance: