If the dictionaries had illustrations, when looking for the word “paradise”, next to its definition the image of one of those Minorcan corners where the senses are enhanced and time seems to stop should appear. Although we could prepare a very long list, we wanted to select 10 idyllic places in Menorca that made it possible for the island to be chosen by the prestigious magazine Conde Nast Traveler in 2017 as one of the 25 most incredible places in the world. Do you want to know what those 10 paradises are?
A bay: Cala Macarella
Imagine a small heavenly bay with crystal clear waters, fine white sand, surrounded by a pine forest whose trees are part of a natural park … Do not rub your eyes : you have arrived at Cala Macarella which, together with its little sister, Cala Macarelleta, can boast of being one of those idyllic places in Menorca that you will never forget.
A bar: Cova d’en Xoroi
Nature still offers the most incredible corners. In a cave located on the south coast of the island, full of small and magical nooks and crannies, we find a unique place of leisure where you can enjoy an aperitif in the morning or a drink in the evening, and also appreciate one of the best views of the Mediterranean of all the Balearic Islands…
A good breakfast: Imperi Bar
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day; Well there is no better place to enjoy it if you are in Menorca than in the Bar Imperi. If you pass through Ciutadella, it is essential to take an ensaimada or a warm llonguet (varied sandwiches, amongst which those filled with cheese and sobrasada with honey stand out), accompanying your coffee or your morning orange juice, in a place that retains all the charm of the old coffee shops.
A lighthouse: Favaritx
The spectacular lunar landscape that surrounds it -completely different from the rest of the island-, makes this centennial lighthouse one of the most emblematic places in the entire island of Menorca. Like a solitary giant located in the homonymous Cape, this lighthouse was built in 1922 with rock of the place, and it is a place with a special magic, where the sea and its waves, the sunlight and the blue of the sky seem as if they were postcards.
A village: Binibeca Vell
If there is a villa that meets all the characteristics to appear among the most beautiful villages of the Balearic Islands, it is no other than Binibeca Vell. Built in the late 60s as a replica of a small fishing village, its charm lies in its labyrinthine network of alleys and immaculate white houses, which make it, without a doubt, one of the most idyllic places in Menorca.
A winery: Binifadet
Love for the earth through wine: that is the maxim of Binifadet, a winery where the passion for the countryside and Menorcan life is felt in every breath and everystep that is taken. One of the experiences that you will get from there (besides the visit to the winery, the tasting and the possibility of eating in its restaurant) will consist of a walk through beautiful vineyards with which you can feel the essence of the Mediterranean culture.
A house: Casa Venecia
Located in the port of Mahón -one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean-, Venecia is definitely a unique house. It is a ‘caseta de vorera’ (house on the edge of the sea) where you can have a very special drink on its terrace-jetty while listening to the swaying of the sea. They also offer the possibility of holding private events in small format (weddings, meetings and all kinds of informal meetings) in one of those idyllic places in Menorca that you will fall head over heels in love with.
A natural park: S’albufera des Grau
With more than 5,000 hectares, it is one of the key points of the Biosphere Reserve. Located in the northeast of the island, it is the wettest area of Menorca, and its natural and landscape values have made it worthy of the declaration of a Natural Park. Its space represents the diversity of the island’s natural habitats: humid zones, forests, ponds, dunes, meadows of marine phanerogams and coastal islets. A paradise for nature lovers!
One store: La Cerería
And why not a store to complete this list? On any trip, it is worth it to take a memory of the place visited with you, we could almost call it a duty. At La Cerería, a cozy and elegant white and mahogany place in the center of Mahon, you will find a selection of objects that reflect a way of doing, living and feeling the island: designer clothes, candles, furniture, stationery and even watercolours, ceramics and photographs.
A sunset: Cavalleria Lighthouse
And we could not finish this unmissable list without mentioning a sunset. Each point of the coast that bathes the Mediterranean in Menorca is a good place to contemplate the fall of the star king (it is the first place in all of Spain where it takes place, because of its position in the easternmost point of the country); but from the lighthouse of Cavalleira, surrounded by spectacular cliffs and islets where the orange sun is reflected, the moment when the sun sets can become a real spectacle.
Do you know any of these 10 idyllic places in Menorca? Would you add any more to the list? Sure you have your own 10 favourite spots, but if you travel to Menorca for the first time, this list can for sure be a good starting point.
