Life’s A Beach

With more beaches than Mallorca and Ibiza put together, Menorca (Minorca) caters to every taste.

But it doesn’t begin and end with beaches. Ciutadella, once the island’s capital, is a city steeped in history and tradition with a beautiful harbour and atmospheric old town. Menorcan cuisine is certainly worth writing home about too, blending the French and middle eastern influences with some of the best produce in the Balearics to create varied and unique dishes.

As with all Balearic islands, seafood plays a big part in the Menorcan diet. Perhaps the best-known dish is “Caldereta de Llagosta”, a mouth-watering lobster stew popular with locals and tourists alike. With thriving dairy herds on the island, cheese is making it big too. Artisan production leads to a distinctive flavour and some cheeses are matured up to a year. Those with a sweet tooth look out for “Panellets”, a traditional sweet made from sugar and almonds, with different ingredients such as pine-nuts and chocolate added as well. And did you know Menorca was the place mayonnaise was invented?