10 Things You May Not Know About Menorca

1. Unless you have your own transport, youll need patience to get around the island. All buses go to and from the capital, Mahon, so for most trips you have to change there. Order a hire car in advance to get you around at your own pace.

2. Menorca is quieter and less commercial than its sister islands of Majorca and Ibiza, but has plenty of beautiful beaches with so much space that you wont have to compete for your place.

3. There are beaches to suit every taste: from the mile long stretch of golden sand that starts at Son Bou, to the quiet bay of Es Grau or the tourist orientated Cala n Porter; from the sophistication of beautiful Cala Galdana to the naturist havens of nearby Cala Mitjana and Calas Coves. Those are just a few on the southern and western shores; many more dot these and the northern and eastern coastlines.

4. How you reach them is via a fishbone road system that fans out from the backbone highway that crosses the island lengthwise between the ports of Mahon and Ciutadella.

5. Mahon has only been the capital since the British discovered the safe waters of its long, narrow and deep harbour. The western port, Ciutadella, was its previous capital. Its beautiful old town has ancient Moorish influence in its architecture. It remains the religious capital and the ancient cathedral is well worth a visit.

6. The island has two distinct geological areas. South of the main road, the land is mainly flat or gently undulating, while to the north are craggy mountains and rougher terrain.

7. Nature lovers head for the SAlbufera des Grau Park, where the freshwater lake is home to some rare species of wildlife. The roads towards the lake have some very select and secluded real estate, but no further building is allowed since the area was designated a national park.

8. Menorca is known as an open air museum because of the vast number of historical sites to visit. It has fine examples of settlements from the talayotic era, which began in 1000BC. Many cave graves are dotted around the island, including a remarkable necropolis of fourteen hand-hewn caves at Cala Morell. On the beach at Son Bou are the ruins of a Roman basilica beneath cliffs and caves at the western edge of the sandy shore.

9. At Cala n Porter, one of the larger cave sequences has been turned into a nightclub which gets under way around midnight. Entrance is from the clifftop where steps have been built down to the caves. The curious can also visit at quieter times during the day, look around and enjoy a drink on a peaceful terrace.

10. Menorca is also nicknamed The Party Island because of all the fiestas that run in different locations through the summer. The biggest of all kicks it off in Ciutadella in June, and the fiesta season ends in Mahon in September. But every week in between youll find a fiesta somewhere. Events are based around the wonderful Menorcan horses which are taught to rear up and walk on their hind legs in the midst of crowds of people trying to touch them.

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