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Spain is known for its excellent shopping, and the Balearic islands and Menorca are no exception. With a full range of the usual busy shopping malls, it also has small shops catering for tourists or specialist buying, in particular those on the beach front selling espadrilles, the traditional footwear of Menorca.
Menorca Markets - Held at weekly intervals, markets and their lively buzz are an exciting and important of life in Menorca. Popular with the locals as well as tourists, the stalls at these markets sell a range of products from clothes, jewellery and leather goods, to fruit and vegetables, as well as local arts and crafts. Knowing a good thing when they see it, some of the markets are held daily over the main tourist season.
Mahon - the capital of Menorca, the smallest of the islands, is filled with buildings and reminders of its time as part of the British Empire. The port of Mahon is considered the best in the world after Pearl Harbour. Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton would probably concur, as this is where their great romance was played out. Among the impressive old buildings in the town is the Church of Santa Maria, located in the Plaza de Espana, famous for its monumental Baroque organ.
Ciudadella de Menorca - Declared a National Monument by the Spanish State, Ciudadela is proud of its glorious past as the island's capital from Moorish times until the 18th century. The magnificent cathedral in Ciudadela was built in the 14th century and has been remodelled and revamped several times over the centuries, and is today an example of Gothic and Neoclassic architectural styles.The town also has several beautiful palaces dating back to the 17th and 18th century, and lovely old churches. One of the most interesting and important monuments on the island is the Naveta des Tudoms, a prehistoric tomb.
Villacarlos - This charming village with a population of only 4,500, has architecture showing its British heritage, and some gorgeous bays where the sands are white and the water blue. Just eight kilometres from the village is the Albufera des Grau, a natural park with a lake, where there are over 150 different species of birds registered.
Mercadal - Nestling at the foot of Monte Toro, which at 357 metres is the highest mountain of the island, is Mercadal, which has an Ionic-Byzantium church, whose walls are adorned with beautiful murals. Amongst the attractions here are some prehistoric sites and some wonderful beaches. |
