Menorca

We visited Menorca in September 2018. September was a lovely time to visit as it was still nice and warm. During the summer months there are various fiestas taking place across the island, we were there in time for the fiesta in Mahon. I highly recommend visiting if there is one taking place while you are in Menorca as they have lots going on such as horse parades through the streets, fairgrounds, food stalls, live music and fireworks. It can make for a late night if you have young children but our little one managed to stay awake for the entire evening’s events and had a wonderful time.

Where to stay

We stayed at Son Bou Family Club which is a lovely resort with a kids club and plenty of entertainment on site. We booked to stay in an apartment with a kitchen on a half board basis. There are some grocery shops near by so we stocked up on Ice creams/snacks/lunches to save on eating out.

Half board included breakfast and dinner in the self service buffet restaurant and the food was generally pretty good. Most food items were clearly labelled with what they were and what allergens they contained which made it easy to pick out food for our daughter. Each night at the buffet there was a salad and soup counter, children’s counter, fish/meat/mains and sides counter, a fresh pasta and carvery station plus a specials table set up which changed daily.

The grounds a Son Bou Family Club are lovely, lots of flora and fauna and maintained to a really high standard.

There is access to the beach from the resort as well as a large swimming pool and a separate toddler pool with pirate ship. We spent many hours at the toddler pool as our daughter loved it but it’s only heated in the afternoon so it can be a little chilly if you go in the morning.

Attractions

Menorca is a beautiful island so great for scenic walks or visiting beaches. If planning a scenic walk make sure you go prepared with the appropriate footwear, clothing and plenty of water as a lot of the paths are rocky and the heat can quickly creep up on you.

Zoo

The only tourist attraction we visited in Menorca was the zoo (Loc de Menorca). It was a small zoo compared to some of the ones at home but they had animal encounters throughout the day so we got the opportunity to get up close and personal to various reptiles. The animals are generally the sort of animals you’d find on a big farm here in the UK. There was also a small water park with fountains which our daughter loved, so don’t forget to bring along swimwear and a towel (or spare change of clothes if you don’t mind them getting wet!) and a small playground.

Boat trips

We took a glass-bottom boat trip from Mahon. The water conditions were not great on the day we went out so it was a bit murky but still a pleasant trip. The ticket office can tell you in advance if the water conditions are poor, so if you are hoping to see lots of fish then check with them before you buy your ticket.

Land train

There is a land train which drives round Son Bou, if you have a little one who likes trains then it’s something fun for them to do and it passes half an hour and gives you a chance to sit in the shade for a bit. Unfortunately most of the views have been blocked from view by large villas/holiday homes but you do get one stop to admire the views.

Es Grau

We visited Es Grau by taxi expecting a beautiful beach and were slightly disappointed. It is listed as an area of natural beauty, so I was expecting the beautiful deep blue ocean with golden sand but it wasn’t how I imagined and was probably more on the natural side of things. There isn’t much there but they do have a boat hire shop on the beach, so we took out a pedalo and just bobbed about in the sea for a bit trying to spot wildlife/sea creatures (unsuccessfully). We followed the walking trail for a bit and did get to see some beautiful scenery but we weren’t really well equipped for a walk/hike so couldn’t go too far. If I was going to go back, I would probably come better equipped for a hike and spend less time on the beach.

Eating out

The hotel included half board so we didn’t eat out much. There were a couple of beach restaurants at Son Bou if you’re stuck for lunch while you’re on the beach. We ate at Xiringuito Es corb Mari and it was nice enough. The food we had (chicken kebab for the adults and spaghetti bolognese for the little one) wasn’t anything special but the setting is nice and the cocktails were good.

There are quite a few restaurants in the town but as we had food included with the resort we didn’t go to any.

Island specialities

Xoriguer gin is made on the island which is a lovely gin and fairly cheap too so worth stocking up on and bringing home as gifts (if you have the space in your luggage). Most of the bars serve pomada which is a popular local drink made of gin and lemon Fanta which is worth going to Menorca for alone. Some bars even sell it as a slushie, definitely with risking a hangover for!