With a picturesque port, gothic cathedral, magnificent mansions and courtyard gardens, Ciutadella, Menorca’s former capital, makes a great base from which to explore the island.
Narrow alleyways with honey-hued houses head off the main square with its striking obelisk – a memorial to the city’s 16th-century Turkish invasion. There’s a wealth of boutiques and speciality stores selling local crafts and produce.
Where to stay
Hotel Nou Sant Antoni
This six-bedroom boutique hotel is housed in a medieval manor in the heart of the old town close to artisan shops and street cafes. Fresh white rooms with taupe soft furnishings, original sandstone arches and modern bathrooms. B&B doubles from £54 (hotelboutiquesantantoni.com).
Wendy Green shares her budget travel guide to Ciutadella, Menorca’s former capital, including where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to get there. Wendy finds it makes a ‘great base from which to explore the island’
Wendy says: ‘The main square, Placa d’es Born, bordered by historic buildings like the old castle-turned-town hall (above) and baroque-style church of Sant Francesc, is a great place to stop’
Nao Catedral Boutique Hotel
The rooms in this nautical-themed hotel in an old house next to the cathedral of Santa Maria have white walls with wood fixtures and fittings. The ‘captain’s stateroom’ has a private terrace with views over the cathedral, the historic centre and the coast. There’s an automated check-in for prior and on-the-spot reservations, welcome snacks and a self-service bar. Doubles from £48 (hotelnaocatedral.com).
Smoix Hotel
Close to the historic centre, this five-bedroom boutique hotel based in a former shoe factory features a mix of modern, rustic and industrial styles. Recently awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand for exceptionally good food at moderate prices, the Smoix restaurant serves Spanish and Catalan cuisine. B&B doubles from £98 (smoix.com).
Seth Port Ciutadella
In a great location overlooking the sea, this refurbished hotel is just ten minutes walk from the historic centre and a 20-minute stroll along the promenade to the port. There are 94 spacious rooms with a beige and terracotta colour scheme. Facilities include an outdoor pool and a spa. B&B doubles from £99 (sethotels.com).
What to see and do
‘Narrow alleyways with honey-hued houses head off the main square with its striking obelisk (pictured above) – a memorial to the city’s 16th-century Turkish invasion,’ describes Wendy
Head for the hub
The main square, Placa d’es Born, bordered by historic buildings like the old castle-turned-town hall and baroque-style church of Sant Francesc, is a great place to stop for a coffee or some tapas before heading off to explore (visitmenorca.com).
Admire ancient buildings
A short stroll from Placa d’es Born is the 14th-century cathedral of Santa Maria, with its gothic-style vaulted ceilings and colourful stained glass windows. The £6 entrance fee includes the baroque convent of Sant Agusti close by, which houses a museum with archaeological and natural history exhibits. Don’t miss the pastel frescoes and lush green courtyard garden.
Then see how Ciutadella’s aristocrats lived in the nearby Palacio Olivar, a grand 17th-century manor house with murals, crystal chandeliers, antique furnishings, a wine cellar and stables. Entry £4 (illesbalears.travel).
Ciutadella, seen here, has ‘tapas galore’, says the travel writer, as well as palatial manor houses, squares and churches
Sample local specialities
No trip to Ciutadella would be complete without visiting its speciality food stores. Here you’ll find Mahon cheese with its distinctive salty flavour said to come from the sea breezes wafting over the grass the cows graze on.
Other produce includes sobrasada — spreadable paprika- spiced sausage, local jamons (hams) and goat cheeses marinated in red wine.
Wine aficionados can sample Menorcan wines such as Binifadet and Merluzo, reputed to have subtle hints of the island’s herbs, minerals and salty breezes. Gin lovers might choose the Mahon Xoriguer gin, renowned for its herbal and citrus flavours.
Pop down to the port
Head down the steps from the main square to the yacht-lined marina. Stop off at one of the seafood restaurants for local specialities such as caldereta de langosta, a succulent lobster stew, while soaking up the sea views.
Where to eat
Piqniq
Most of the city’s restaurants offer mainly meat or fish dishes, but this place has plenty of plant-based options, too, such as a tasty Japanese-style poke bowl with rice, avocado, cucumber, red cabbage, radishes, grated carrot, sesame seeds and soy sauce. A generous-sized salad, poke bowl, vegetarian burger or chicken salad ciabatta to eat in or take out costs £7.70 (en.piqniq.es).
Cas Consol
Centrally located in the Placa d’es Born, this restaurant offers Mediterranean cuisine at reasonable prices and a terrace with sweeping views over the port. There’s a delicious goat cheese, pear and walnut salad with a strawberry vinaigrette for £9 while slow-cooked cod in olive oil costs £17.60 (casconsolmenorca.com).
Of Ciutadella’s marina, pictured here, Wendy says: ‘Stop off at one of the seafood restaurants for local specialities such as caldereta de langosta, a succulent lobster stew, while soaking up the sea views’
Maramao Bar de Tapas
Situated close to the cathedral, this little bar offers a great selection of gourmet tapas ranging from pan tomate y sal Maldon (toasted bread with tomato, olive oil and Maldon salt) for £2.60 to lemon cheese bread with Cantabrico anchovies for £6.90. Finish with a tarta del dia (cake of the day) for £4.70 and a glass of wine for £2.40 (maramaomenorca.com).
Cuk-cuk Restaurante
A show-cook restaurant with a twist. Enjoy a glass of wine while you watch a chef cook your meal. Or, learn how to cook authentic Menorcan dishes like seafood paella or Caldereta — Menorcan fish and shellfish stew — for yourself, before sitting down and enjoying the results. The ‘Cook and Eat’ Experience costs £30-£36 per person and includes a glass of wine or vermouth (cuk-cuk.com).
How to get there
Easyjet has return flights from Gatwick to Menorca from £75 (easyjet.com). Take a Line 10 bus (bus.e-torres.net) from the airport to Mahon’s bus station, then a Route 01 Mao-Ciutadella bus to Ciutadella.
At the port, Wendy suggests: ‘Head down the steps from the main square to the yacht-lined marina (pictured)’