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When people talk about the Balearic Islands, it’s usually Ibiza’s parties or Mallorca’s beaches that spring to mind. But tucked quietly to the northeast lies Menorca: smaller, slower, and far less touched by mass tourism. And if you’ve never been, it might just surprise you.

 

This understated island has been quietly gaining ground as a summer destination, and it’s easy to see why. From Bronze Age ruins to gin-soaked fiestas and UNESCO-protected nature, Menorca is a place of subtle charm and serious character.

 

In 1993, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) named Menorca a Biosphere Reserve, and the island has done well to live up to the title. Especially in the wild north, you’ll find untouched stretches of coastline, inland wetlands, and a rich patchwork of protected ecosystems. Sustainability is front and centre here. Menorca’s done what many destinations struggle with: keeping nature in harmony with tourism.

 

One of Menorca’s most astonishing features is its prehistoric landscape. Scattered across the island are more than 1,500 archaeological sites, including mysterious megalithic monuments like navetas, taulas and talayots. The most famous, the Naveta des Tudons, is believed to be over 3,000 years old and once served as a collective tomb. With this rich Bronze Age legacy, the island really is an open-air museum for history lovers.

 

It’s not all beaches and boulders. Menorca has a strong food culture too. The island’s most famous product is Mahón-Menorca cheese, made from local cow’s milk and matured in sea salt-swept caves. A staple of local life, the cheese comes in various stages of ageing, with some varieties crumbly and sharp, others soft and buttery.

 

And of course, there’s the gin. Thanks to periods of British occupation in the 18th century, Menorcans developed a taste for the spirit, especially Gin Xoriguer, still made in the port of Mahón. Mix it with cloudy lemonade and you’ve got a pomada - the official drink of the island’s famous patron saint festivals, including Sant Joan in Ciutadella.

 

Menorca’s architecture also holds clues to its British past. During periods of British rule in the 18th century, several enduring structures were built that remain key landmarks today. From defensive fortresses and naval hospitals to lighthouses and colonial-style houses with sash windows, these buildings left a lasting stamp on the island’s landscape. One notable example is the imposing Fort Marlborough in Es Castell, designed to guard Mahón’s strategic harbour (source).

 

For something a little different, try the Camí de Cavalls, a coastal path that loops all the way around the island for 185 kilometres. Originally a 14th-century military trail used by mounted guards, it’s now open to walkers and cyclists. You’ll pass pine forests, sea cliffs, and secret coves that feel a world away from crowded resorts.

 

Menorca might be known for its beaches, and there are certainly plenty of white-sand coves to go around, but the island’s interior has its own beauty. Deep ravines, marshes, natural parks like S’Albufera des Grau, and old stone farmhouses offer a different, quieter view of island life. For anyone with a love of nature or photography, it’s a dream setting.

Perhaps the best thing about Menorca is the feeling you get when you’re there. Life moves a little slower. The people are proud and protective of their island, and there’s a genuine warmth from the locals. Whether you’re there for a weekend or the whole summer, it’s hard not to fall into the rhythm of the place.

 

So if you’re looking for something less flashy, more grounded and still full of things to explore, Menorca just might be your ideal escape.

 

 

Image: Jörg Steffen/Pixabay