Menorca Information (Menorca, Spain)

Menorca is the second largest of the Balearic islands and is smaller and quieter than its neighbour Mallorca. Situated just 34 km / 21 miles from Mallorca, the island of Menorca has many family-friendly resorts and almost as many beaches as Mallorca and Ibiza combined. Peaceful holiday resorts line the south coast of Menorca and sleepy fishing villages are dotted along Menorca's rockier northern shore. There are plenty of tourist information offices situated in the towns of Menorca and these provide up-to-date information about local Menorca attractions, museums, events, festivals and travel.

Menorca has escaped most of the effect of package holidays and the island's small towns and villages offer a fairly quiet and relaxed holiday, even during the peak season, with many wonderful attractions. There are plenty of tourist information offices situated in the towns of Menorca and these provide up-to-date information about Menorca attractions, museums, events, festivals and travel. More information on Menorca tourist attractions...

Largely protected from development, Menorca is a real haven for nature-lovers. Menorca is a very green island, with pinewoods and many fields for the island's 25,000 grazing cattle. Cycling tracks criss-cross the meadows and scrublands, offering some spectacular views of the island and the seafront. The north coast of Menorca is rocky and rough, whilst in contract, the south coast of Menorca is full of sandy coves, with fine, golden sand, sheltered by cliffs.

The oldest and largest towns in Menorca are Mao, the walled capital of Menorca, which is situated at the end of an enormous natural harbour, and Ciutadella, Menorca's ancient capital at the opposite end of the island. Mao is a particularly busy port and has many impressive architectural features, whilst Ciutadella is a more graceful town, full of winding streets and old buildings, including several churches.

More Menorca Information / Facts
• Country: Spain / España
• Status: one of the Balearic islands
• Area: 700 square kilometres / 270 square miles
• Population: 68,000 in Menorca, 41 million in Spain
• Language: Castilian Spanish
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Time zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
• Country dialing code: +34
• Telephone area code: 97
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hz - round two-pin plugs are used

Menorca Hotels and Accommodation
Hotels on the island of Menorca are of a high quality, although many have lower discounted rates at weekends. There are a wide variety of hotels to choose from in Menorca, which cover the price spectrum, ranging from budget lodging to luxury accommodation in Menorca.

Prices include service charges and value-added tax (IVA) is automatically added to the bill. At the bottom end of the scope are the sanitary but basic rooms of the hostales (hostels), pensiones (boarding houses) and fondas (inns).

Menorca has a large number of hotels and this popular city can get busy at peak seasons, so advance reservations, as far ahead as possible, are advisable.

Menorca Weather and General Information
Menorca is one of Spain's great islands and the Spanish are cheerful, friendly and generally very helpful. Good manners in Menorca are welcome everywhere and expected by most people. Menorca, with its beautiful beaches, is undeniably a major-league cultural, lively and historic city, and worth a visit, whatever the time of year.

Menorca Weather
Menorca enjoys Mediterranean weather, with mild winters and hot summers and each season has something unique to offer visitors to the island. During July and August, the weather is both hot and sunny and there are nearly 11 hours of sun each day in Menorca. These sunny, hot months and generally wonderful weather tend to be the peak of the tourist season in Menorca. Fewer sunny days occur in November, December and January, when Menorca is at its most quiet, although the island is still attractive at this time of the year, with fine, mild weather on most days.

The lowest rainfall tends to be in July and the highest amount of rain falls in October, November and December. In the summer months, storms on Menorca are quite unusual, although in the mountainous regions, the clouds may be thicker and rain more frequent than in the lower, coastal areas of Menorca. Temperatures in Menorca rarely fall below zero and for this reason, many people enjoy visiting Menorca out of season.

Language in Menorca
Spanish is the third most widely spoken language in the world, after Chinese and English. Although Spanish is the language of the land, English, French and German are generally understood at most attractions, museums, hotels and restaurants that cater for visitors. Castilian Spanish is the official language but in the regions, Basque, Catalan and Galician are spoken. In smaller towns and villages a phrase book is a useful item to carry.

Menorca Tipping
Tipping is quite discretionary, with taxi drivers usually being given a 5 to 10% gratuity or thereabouts, although this is by no means obligatory. Restaurants always include service charges by law, and these should be clearly stated on the menus, although a small tip will still be expected and very much appreciated. Hotel staff, such as luggage handlers, happily accept a small tip. Generally, no other public service workers expect tips. You should always pay tips in cash, as this way you can be sure that the person it is intended for receives it fully.

Menorca Places of Worship
The national religion of Spain is Roman Catholic, although many other faiths and major religions are also represented. There are an enormous number of churches that welcome visitors and these have a fairly formal dress code, i.e. no shorts.

Tips for Using the Euro in Menorca
The Euro is made up of eight coins and seven paper notes and was introduced on January 1, 2002. The 12 original members of the European Union - Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain - planned the event for more than a decade, determining a conversion rate for each country's national currency. The colourful Euro bills, which include holograms and shades of green, yellow, blue, mauve, and orange, are identical across the Euro area. Coins have one common and one national side, but they can be used in any of the member countries, regardless of the country of issue. Old currencies are no longer accepted, although they can still be converted to Euros in central banks.

Tourist Offices
Tourist information offices can be found in all of the larger towns and resorts in Menorca. The tourist information offices offer a wide range of information, including free tourist maps of the island and specific areas, information packs, current details of events in Menorca, entertainment information and also details about the islands many attractions, including the stunning beaches. Much of the information available is either fairly general or is specific to the actual town where the tourist information office is located.

Telephones / Emergency Numbers
• Emergencies - for police, ambulance and fire emergencies, dial 112
• To call from one city code to another, dial the city code of 97, complete with initial 0, and then dial the number
• Telephone country codes: United States and Canada is 1, Australia 61, New Zealand 64 and for the United Kingdom 44 (the international prefix from Ireland is 00)
Safety

The biggest threat in Menorca is by bag snatchers and pickpockets. Thieves are very skilled, so be particularly careful with hand baggage. Wear a bag or camera across your body, or even use a concealed money belt.

Taxes
VAT (IVA) is always included in the price and refunds are unusual in Spain. Ask the shopkeeper for details.

Menorca Monuments and Menorca Landmarks
It is hardly surprising that the important and beautiful island of Menorca is full of many spectacular monuments and landmarks. Some of these monuments on Menorca date back hundreds of years and are in remarkable condition. Here are some of the top Menorca landmarks and monuments to visit.

Placa Esplanada - Mao
The Placa Esplanada in Mao, Menorca is a the biggest square in the city and was once used as a military parade ground. With attractive flower beds and shaded by tall, pine trees, the Placa Esplanada is a popular attraction in Menorca and provides a convenient meeting place for both locals and tourists in Menorca. Highlights include home-made ice creams, swings for the children, historic architecture, numerous bars, cafés and restaurants, and a regular market that is held on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.

Castell de Sant Nicolau - Placa Almirall Farragut, Ciutadella
This grand, 17th-century castle was originally built as a watch tower, to protect Menorca's nearby harbour. With a working drawbridge and excellent views of the sea, the landmark of Castell de Sant Nicolau provides a point to fully enjoy the beautiful sunsets over the harbour. There are also various exhibitions at the castle throughout the year.

Cales Coves - West of Mao,
Cales Coves is situated 11 km / 7 miles to the west of Mao in Menorca and is easy to reach by bus. This complex system of prehistoric caves is a popular tourist attraction and is best viewed from the sea, where the numerous caves and chambers can be fully appreciated. The caves were once used as burial chambers during the Talayotic period and later became a major landmark for pagan rituals on Menorca.

Teatre Principal (Principal Theatre)
Opened almost 200 years ago, the Teatre Principal in Mao, Menorca ws Spain's very first opera house. This theatre was often selected by Spanish opera companies to premiere their Spanish tours. Today, this landmark building is more commonly used as a cinema, although it does also host concerts and other cultural events periodically.

Gobierno Militar (Military Governor's House)
Menorca's Military Governor's House is without doubt one of the most splendid buildings in the whole of Mao and is still used by the army. This grand palace was built in the mid 18th century and although it can only be viewed from the outside, is well worth visiting.

Menorca Museums and Menorca Art Galleries
Menorca has a magnificent selection of museums and complexes, including some outstanding collections of interesting artefacts and works of art. Exhibitions in Menorca museums range from large to small, local to international and many are located in beautiful buildings, right in the heart of the island of Menorca.

Many Menorca museums also display some wonderful collections of art, including paintings by local Menorca artists, both modern and more traditional in style. Here are some of the top museums and art galleries in Menorca worth visiting.

Museu de Menorca (Museum of Menorca)
The Museum of Menorca is situated in Moa, in the former cloister of a Franciscan monastery. Highlights include numerous works of art, archaeological relics, items dating back to prehistoric times, and artefacts from Roman, Byzantine, Arabic and Talayotic periods on Menorca. The fascinating exhibits provide a real insight into the island's history.
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, Sunday - 10:00 to 14:00
Admission: charge

Museo Diocesa de Menorca (Diocese Museum)
Menorca's Diocese Museum is situated in the town of Ciutadella and is housed in a former Augustinian convent. With numerous exhibits and interesting collections, including prehistoric relics, historic artefacts, bronze casting, numerous Catalonian paintings and many sacred objects, the museum is a popular attraction on the island of Menorca. Items of particular interest are the ancient and precious gold chalices and communion cups.

Museu de la Natura
The Museu de la Natura de Menorca is a captivating museum, exhibiting a wide range of the many natural wonders from the island and surrounding areas.

Museu Municipal de Ciutadella
Situated in the town of Ciutadella and housed in the 17th-century town fortifications, Menorca's Museu Municipal de Ciutadella was founded in 1995. The museum displays many important collections, such as ancient artefacts from the Talayotic, Muslim and Roman periods on the island, including ceramic bowls, jugs, vases, bronze weapons and some intricate, beautiful jewellery.