Menorca is often described as Mallorca’s little sister. In fact their names already hint at that. However, as we all know, siblings can be quiet different. When I was visiting Menorca for the first time I was surprised how diverse it is. And everybody seemed to be so relaxed. There are various ways to visit the island. I love to take the ferry from Alcudia to Ciutadella. Since my father was a captain the sea always feels like home to me.

We arrived in Ciutadella in the morning. Wandering through the center with no particular direction in mind I noticed how the architecture differs from the other Balearic islands. While Ibiza is the party, Formentera the hippie and Mallorca the best-of-Mediterranean island, Menorca seems to be the laid back countryside with a touch of colonial style. A sudden rain shower interrupted my thoughts and I remembered that I wanted to make a reservation for lunch in one of Menorca’s most renowned restaurants.

Lucky for us, we got the very last table at Mon. Felip Llufriu who was a Michelin star chef in Barcelona returned to his hometown to open his own (hence mon, Catalan for mine) restaurant: “El restaurante en Menorca que transforma la vanguardia culinaria en memorias de sabor.” Indeed, the taste of Felip’s canelloni from avocado filled with Norwegian crab is now linked to my memory of Menorca. Along with a dash of chocolate and strawberry caviar, maybe, our sensational dessert. Later in the afternoon when we passed Sa Gelateria de Menorca I could’t resist the temptation to try their signature pistachio ice cream. And after a long afternoon idling the narrow streets and their colorful houses we finished our day with a couple of tasty tapas at Ca’n Catapan.

Early in summer, and in particular after an unusual spring like this year, you long for the beach. Menorca has beaches aplenty and the variety of bays is just amazing. The South is mainly rock and pine tree, the ultimate Mediterranean setup. But then there are the long beaches on the North coast with cristal clear water and few people, by far less touristy. Good if you have a host like Marcello from Sodium Hotel who always knows about the best places depending on wind and weather conditions. 

More about Menorca and pictures of Maó in my next post.