Menorca in part defines itself by what it isn’t. It isn’t Mallorca, which is the largest of Spain’s Balearic islands. Menorca is ‘the little one’ that is geographically nearby. We spent a week there in a beautiful small city on the Mediterranean called Ciutadella. Indeed, ‘Little City’ is what that is known as. And it is quite a treat. The photo on the home page, while obviously being taken at night, suggests the quiet atmospheric ambience which characterises the place 24 hours a day.

There are many attractive streets and squares that adorn the centre of Ciutadella; this is one such

From a culturally historical perspective, Menorca is renowned for its megalithic stone monuments, indicative of human activity in prehistoric times. In Ciutadella specifically, the oldest edifice is the cathedral, which in 1795 was named the main cathedral on the island – which did not go down well with the inhabitants of Mao, the other (comparatively) major conurbation on Menorca. A short walk away one finds Ses Voltes, two bustling parallel arcades of attractive shops, bars and cafes which line one of the town’s typically stone-paved streets.

If you venture just a short walk out of town you will be rewarded with some great coastal sights

It is not readily apparent but for the best part of 100 years in the 18th century the island was under British rule, which eventually ended when it was ceded back to Spain in 1802. Among the consequences of this are a few linguistic quirks in the local lingo, Menorqui. This itself is a variation of standard Catalan (that, and Spanish, are the two official languages) and among the words in the native vocabulary are grevi, which means ‘gravy’, and the splendid xumaquer (shoemaker).

An external view of Pez Limon, an outstanding restaurant in a town that has many such establishments

The Spanish, of course, have a deserved high-end reputation for food and wine. This also goes for life on Menorca, which has several small vineyards producing native wines. But another legacy of the island’s time under British rule is apparently the locals’ fondness for gin. And legend has it that the island’s capital is responsible for the name of one of the world’s most popular dressings – mayonnaise. Mao was previously known as Mahon and the story goes that the sauce was first prepared by a French chef for a banquet after his country’s forces captured Port Mahon in a battle of 1756.

This night-time shot is, I think you would agree, very reminiscent of a view one might find in Venice

So that is Menorca in a nutshell: small but perfectly formed. But a word of warning. If you think you would be planning to send postcards home, make sure you also buy the requisite stamps when you buy the cards. The queue at the post office can take quite some time!

Robert Green