Photographs of Menorca

Some information gleaned from the guide books:

The Romans conquered the Balearics in 123 B.C. They gave Menorca the origin of the present name: Balearics Minor, or Minorca, as distinct from Balearics Major, Majorca.

Menorca is 47.8 km long by 19.5 km broad at it's widest point, with a maximum height of 357.96m, with a population of 62,000 distributed mainly in the two major towns, Mahon and Ciutadella. Unusually there are no flowing rivers.

Ciutadella was the capital of the island until 1722, when the British ordered the capital to be transferred to Mahon. In 1558 Ciutadella withstood a nine-day seige against 15,000 Turks, who finally assaulted the city and in the course of the next three days, destroyed it almost completely and took what few survivors remained as captives to Constantinople. The obelisk in the centre of the square commemorates that tragic event.

Popular with British tourists is the resort of Cala'n Forcat, (Photos of Cala'n Forcat) which is most developed resort on Menorca, approximately 5km from Ciutadella and on the extreme western edge of the Island. Cala'n Forcat's growth means it has effectively merged with it's one time neighbours Los Delfines and Cala'n Blanes.

Not far from the blue arch separating Cala'n Forcat and Cala'n Blanes is a dried up watercourse, and if this is followed, it leads to a small beach and cove.

We stayed right on the coast in the Club Hotel Almirante Farragut which is a very popular hotel with the British as well as the Spanish.  (Who was Admiral Farragut?). The closest large beach is the beach at Cala'n Forcat. Also at Cala'n Forcat, not far from the bus stop outside the Almirante Farragut hotel, there is pedestrian access to two smaller beaches.

Close to the centre of Cala'n Forcat, and also about 300 metres from the largest beach in the resort, are the Binimar Apartments, which is a very popular place with the British.

Public transport in Minorca is cheap, ( one way to Ciutadella from Cala'n Forcat was €1.30, June 2006 ) and clean, which is good for exploring different resorts in the Island.   About twenty minutes by bus from Ciutadella is the popular resort of Cala'n Bosch.

Only about 5km ( 3 miles ) from Ciutadella, which is approximately half the distance to Cala'n Bosch, is one of the more modern resorts on the island, Cala Blanca which I think translates to 'white beach'.

Approximately 20 km ( 12 miles ) north west of Mahon is the quite resort of Arenal d'en Castell.