Menorca – Travels with my Wife

Statue El Toro Menorca 5-6-26

On the Friday we have a booked trip around a part of the island but it actually turns out to cover quite a bit of Menorca. We are picked up reasonably early and visit a couple of other resorts to collect other participants – we come to the conclusion that we are doing well from what we see elsewhere.

Sanctuary Virgen del Toro Menorca 5-6-26

Our first destination is El Toro which is the highest point on the island 1175 ft above sea level. The name derives from the Catalan for height – it is not linked in any way to the Spanish term for a bull. it is roughly in the centre of the island and is Menorca’s only significant summit. At the summit there is also a statue of Christ and the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Toro, which is a Gothic church dating from 1670.

Marina Ciutadella Menorca 5-6-26

We descend from the mountainous heights (well that might be an overstatement) and head towards the old capital of the island, Ciutadella de Menorca, which is pronounced as far as I can determine as “Citidella” and simply derives from being a citadel which is at the western end of the island. The modern capital is at the far end of the island but Mahon became the capital during the period of British rule in the Eighteenth Century. Mahon is where mayonnaise was created.

Ciutadella Fish Market Menorca 5-6-26

We are able to wander around the town centre and then find ourselves an ice cream until it is time to return to the hotel. I spy a new handbag as my old one is showing signs of wear so I am able to obtain a replacement at a reasonable price. We shall see how long it lasts.

Ciutadella streets Menorca 5-6-26

We visit an important house which is open and the photographs are in the usual place on my Flickr page – but there are enough here to give a flavour of the place I hope.

Tui Gatwick 3-6-26

Wednesday 3 June 2026

Jackie had the pleasure of travelling to Menorca many years ago and promised me that we would go one day – the day finally arrived on 3 June. As we have an evening flight from Gatwick we can eat a beautiful meal before we go. Sorrel at the time of writing this has closed which is an immense pity. For us it was a convenient pre-Gatwick stopping point for a Michelin starred lunch and then a wander by the back roads to the airport. It seems the economics did not work and the residents of Dorking do not know what they have lost.

We are bussed to the far side of the airport (almost back to Dorking) to actually board the plane – literally up against the far boundary.

We arrive in Menorca late in the evening and Cala’n Bosch is almost at the other end of the island from the airport. Added to which the only spine road is being rebuilt in places to cope with the traffic so it does not speed our journey.

Cala’n Bosch Harbour copyright J Whitbread

Thursday 4 June 2026

Virtually every other day on the holiday will be the same as this one. Wander across the complex to the dining room for breakfast. The first morning we manage to sit outside, but it is a bit of a bunfight and on future days we gravitate inside. Breakfast consumed we migrate to the sun beds around the pool. We make ourselves comfortable and then stretch out for a few hours. I may manage some listening or reading or nothing at all quite often. The hotel dispenses some light snacks and some fruit is picked up at breakfast for lunch and we might have a drink. Once we have had enough sun for the day we retreat to our room and maybe have an additional sleep. Or some reading. Very gentle.

In the evening some exercise. The hotel is adjacent to a harbour and around at least three sides of the harbour there are restaurants of all descriptions and they seem to ensure that they reflect as many different eating possibilities as they can achieve.

Friday 5 June 2026

We had a trip out – so I will do a separate post.

Saturday 6 June – Tuesday 9 June 2026

Tuna Godai copyright J Whitbread

Honestly largely a revisit Thursday so rinse and repeat. The main differences were the restaurants. On the final evening we visited GODAI which was a Japanese / Menorcan restaurant under the control of a Michelin starred chef for an excellent meal. Another evening was spent in Thai Garden within the Lago Resort Menorca which has a marvellous view over the Marina but at times the music being played by the hotel pool is perhaps not quite to my taste. We dined in some of the other restaurants – but there are at least as many to go again. Many residents may be on half board but we do like to try out the variety locally and there was plenty of it. The two restaurants are part of a Gastro Hub which seems to list about 12 establishments and we only went to 2. There seems to be good reason to return.

Wednesday 10 June 2026

We have a late flight and not wanting to be too sticky we leave the room as late as possible and at lunchtime go out to a different restaurant for a decent lunch. We still have about 5 hours to kill before the coach to the airport – but at least in daylight we see some of the rest of the island. Tui whizz us back to Gatwick and it does not take long to clear border control tonight, collect our bags and re-united with the car we can head home – with no motorway hold ups.

Category: Menorca

Menorca 5 June 2026

Menorca 3 – 10 June 2026