Falling Mountain, Ring of Rushes
Thoughts and observations from visiting Menorca
I’m freshly back from my trip to Menorca, having spent the last couple weeks exploring and relaxing. The kid sister of the Balearics, Menorca is a small but mighty island, and my lasting impression is that the island is filled with extremely warm, friendly people who make you feel like you’re part of the family. If you’re like me, and you love a good Google Maps, here are my recommendations for things to do in Menorca.
Mahón is a small, charming city made up of hilly cobble streets lined with terraces filled with people relaxing and enjoying the sun. Kyle and I spent much of our time walking around the city, adventuring through random parts of the town. Kyle loves to go on long walks and I love taking photos of the random things that catch my eye. I would highly recommend staying at Cristine Bedfor, where the decor feels like your rich, eclectic auntie lives there (photos below). It’s kind of bad but in a good way, like, bad in a way that it comes back around to being good, you know? The entire staff were notably kind, they gave us recommendations for a very special restaurant (Sa Llagosta, incredible food, try the Llagosta Brava) and overall made the experience wonderful.
To eat, you can’t go wrong with Bar Augustin, where they have a nice list of natural wines. If you’re looking for pintxos and tapas stop by Mercat des Peix, a former fish market now inhabited by a collection of small shops offering a dizzying amount of foods. Fresh breads and pastries at Pigalle is a must, pop by Can Vermut for a cold drink a beautiful view of the port, and for a nice brunch with friendly locals, Pipet & Co is just the spot. I think this TikTok I made gives a good sense of the vibe of the city.
I also need to recommend visiting the Hauser & Wirth, which is located on a small island in the harbor that used to be a naval hospital. They’ve completely transformed the space, turning it into a contemporary art gallery, complete with a wonderful restaurant. There’s even a native species of lizard that lives on the island and they are everywhere! Check out the video diary I made which gives a much better look at what’s happening there.
Venturing out of the city, we made our way to Son Blanc, only a 30 minute drive from Mahón. Staying there was a magical experience because you’re surrounded by nature, and living off of it, the entire time you’re there. You would find roly polies climbing the walls, bees buzzing in trees, tortoises in the woods, cows, goats, and sheeps wandering in pastures.
Son Blanc has chosen to create their own ecosystem, growing a majority of the produce they use to feed guests. We had a very special dinner where Marc Moll, who specializes in the plants of Menorca, foraged a number of plants that were then used to create a delicious all-plant dinner menu. We wandered around the grounds, learning about all the different plants, and then sat together and enjoyed this amazing meal. It was so nice to be able sit with strangers and have conversations about life in a rambling mix of Spanish and English, each of us making it work to understand one another.
Overall, it does feel like people who live on islands like Menorca are doing it right. There’s a calmness, a warmth to their demeanor, that you don’t find in cities. And maybe that’s due to life being more simple? There’s less rush, less distractions, less of everything really. I’m not sure that’s what I want all the time, a little friction can create sparks, but it’s definitely wonderful to have it as an option that’s only a 50 minute flight away.