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About the Island of
Menorca |
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Ever
since the Romans, upon conquering the Balearic Islands in 123 BC, christened the
easternmost isle in the archipelago 'the minor one', Menorca has suffered (or
enjoyed, depending on your viewpoint) a considerably lower profile than her
larger and more famous neighbour, Majorca.
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Perhaps the main reason to visit Menorca, has to be the beautiful beaches - Menorca has more beaches than the other Balearic islands
put together, and most of the coastline is made up of picturesque sandy coves
separated by rocky headlands.
Menorca is
approx 30 miles by 15 miles, making sightseeing a real pleasure as
everywhere is within easy reach. Add to that the fact that travelling time
from the UK is only two hours, a visit to this wonderfully unspoilt island
becomes a real must.
Menorca has been inhabited since prehistoric times and boasts over a thousand
Bronze Age monuments scattered throughout the island. Situated in the midst of
farmland these ancient 'talaiots' (watch towers) 'navetas' (burial chambers)
and 'taulas' (intriguing T-shaped structures) can be accessed freely. |
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Thanks to ample rainfall during the winter, Menorca is the greenest island in
the Balearics, and the gently rolling hills and lush pastures of the interior
are quite reminiscent of a rural corner of Britain, were it not for the
Mediterranean sunshine and the whitewashed villages. With its gentle
countryside, its strikingly beautiful coast, its fascinating prehistoric sites,
its enchanting cities, its wonderfully relaxed, contented atmosphere - and not
forgetting such picturesque fishing villages as Fornells, which is so renowned
for its lobster that King Juan Carlos regularly pops over on his private yacht
from his summer palace on Majorca - Menorca may be minor by name, but is
certainly a major attraction in its own right.
| Towns
near by
The resort of Cala 'N' Forcat is the biggest resort on the island and only
five minutes walk from the villa. Catering for all age groups, from a small
aqua park to restaurants, shops and bars.
Most bars and restaurants close at
midnight although four or five stay open until 4am for the night owls.
5 minutes
in the other direction is the resort of Cala 'N' Blanes |
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The Port of Ciudadela is a
picturesque natural port, An obelisk in the nearby park reminds of the
Turkish attack in 1558.
The National Museum has an
interesting collection of archaeological findings as well as objects of
medieval and Moorish epochs.
Here you'll find a 14th century Cathedral
which was built over a Moorish Mezquita. And discover the
Naveta des Tudoms, the prehistoric tomb which is one of the island's most
important monuments. |
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