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Exploring Menorca: The Island Of ForgetfulnessBy Habeeb Salloum
Well does Bartomeu have a point, for Menorca, the second largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, is indeed a laid-back tiny Spanish paradise in the western Mediterranean. Perhaps it was here, not on Tunisia’s Djerba island, that Ulysses almost lost his men to the beautiful women feeding them lotus flowers in an aura of contentment.
The inhabitants support the control of resort expansion in the woodlands and the fields of the hilly interior, making it a real haven for nature lovers. The natural environment of the island led in 1993 to the declaration by UNESCO of the whole of Menorca as a Biosphere Reserve.
However, it was the Arabs, later known as Moors, who ruled the island for more than 300 years (902 – 1229 A.D.) and who made the most contributions. The Menorcans incorporated into their churches, many built on foundations of former mosques, buildings and parks bits of the architecture from the Arab exquisite gardens, mosques, palaces and castles such as the ruined Arab castle of Sent Agayz. A whole series of food plants which still carry their Arab names such as artichokes, lemons and oranges as well as an advanced irrigation system enriched the island – effects of which have come down to our times.
However, the most important structure is the Cathedral, begun by Alfonso III in the 13th century. It is built on the foundation of the former Great Mosque from which only a part of the minaret, now incorporated into the bell-tower, remains. A monumental Catalan-Gothic church, it contains one nave and six chapels.
During a visit to this charming disco, after walking down 97 steps, I sat down to enjoy the view while sipping on a drink. As I rose to leave I said to our guide, “I don’t think that I can make it up all these steps.” He grinned, “There is a saying that when coming down ‘all the saints help’. But unlike the saints I will help you going up.” I smiled as I thought to myself, “The saints have the easier job.
Nearby, travellers can a stop at the prehistoric ruins of Naveta des Tudons to examine a funeral structure in the shape of an up-side-down boat then drive on to Monte Toro on the edge of the town of Es Mercadal, the highest peak on Menorca. From this vantage point, where stands an Ionic –Byzantium church whose walls are adorned with fine murals, one can see almost every part of the island.
From the Dairy it is less then a 30-minute drive to Mahón, the capital of the island, its largest city and the second largest natural deep-sea water port in the world. For first time visitors, La Mola, a huge fortress overshadowing the city, is the most important stop. The citadel, built in the 19th century, never saw action but stood as a deterrent to any attack. Now in ruins, it looms above the harbour like a guardian angel.
One would hope that Menorca stays as is - enshrining the words of the tourist literature that reads: ‘If the Mediterranean were a book, Menorca would be a beautiful poem read out in a whisper’. IF YOU GOFacts About Menorca: The best time to travel to Ciutadela is June the 23 - 24 when the town stages an annual colourful horseback parade amid great popular excitement. The national dishes of Menorca are sépia al forn (baked cuttlefish), tumbet (a baked vegetable dish), ensaimada (spiral-shaped bun), cuscusso (a Christmas dessert) and a lobster casserole, the king of Menorcan dishes. For naturalists Albufera des Grau with its wetlands and migratory birds is a great place to visit. Menorca enjoys an excellent infrastructure and very good tourist facilities. Typical souvenirs from Menorca are local cheese, olive oil and gin, and leather sandals. While in Mahón one should visit the Xonguer Gin Distillery to witness the process of making gin and then sampling the many types of gin. Menorca has the greatest concentration of discovered prehistoric and bronze-age settlements in the world. For Further Information About, Contact: Check Website: http://www.illesbalears.es or e-mail: infomenorcamao@cime.es or Tourist Office of Spain, 2 Bloor St. W., 34th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4W 3E2. Tel: 416/961-3131. Fax: 416/961-1992. E-Mail: toronto@tourspain.es Website: www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca or, The Spanish Tourist Office, 666 Fifth Ave. 35th, New York, N.Y. 10103, U.S.A. Tel: 212/265-8822. Fax: 265-8864. E-mail: oetny@tourspain.es. |
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“Here
there is more silence than noise, and more calm than hustle; as well the island
is safe with a very low crime rate and, above all, it isn’t industrialized”,
Bartomeu Riudavets, Manager of the Fundaci Turisme Menorca, was enthusiastic as
he described the island of Menorca – regarded by some as a ‘leisurely island of
forgetfulness’.
Approximately
15 km (9 mi) wide and 52 km (36 mi) long with an area of 689 sq km (266 sq mi)
and with a population of some 85,000, the island is still relatively unspoiled.
Its rustic aura, pinewood forests and small farms on which gaze some 25,000
heads of cattle makes it one of the most charming islands in the Mediterranean.
Historically,
the Balearic Islands were settled in prehistoric times and later occupied by the
Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, British and French. Most left
traces of their era on the Islands. Stone monuments from prehistoric times
litter the landscape – some spectacular and intriguing. The Carthaginians
established the city of Mahón or Maó that still carries the name of one of their
generals, Magon. The Romans gave the island its name and parts of Roman walls
are found throughout the island. The British who occupied Menorca several times
left a taste for gin. Today, a large gin distillery in Mahón is a testimony to
their rule.
Travellers
could begin their tour of the island at Ciutadela, the second largest city on
the island that was once enclosed inside the now razed walls. Declared a
national monument by Spain, it was once Menorca’s capital and remains today the
ecclesiastical capital. The most interesting part is the old city, steeped in
history, which includes its medieval streets, Torre Saura Palace, Diocesan
Museum, the City Hall built atop an Arab citadel and behind it the Mirador from
which there is a beautiful view of the city and port.
There
are, a short distance from the city, many small beaches and coves such as the
Cala Galdana and Cova d’en Xoroi – a large complex of caves, engulfed in
legends, in the side of a cliff converted into a discotheque – a mecca for dance
fans.
Back
on the road, a short drive away, the Son Martoréllet Ramaderia Farm is an
interesting stop. Here, purebred Menorcan black horses are trained to perform
on the farm, and at festivals and other events. Two days a week shows are held
that draw people from far and wide. For lovers of fine horses the farm is a
must.
A
five-minute drive away the Subaida Dairy Farm has another type of appeal. Here,
the fine historic Menorcan cheese, first mentioned by an Arab writer in the 10th
century, is still being made. It is a favoured stop on tours, where tourists
can see the making of cheese by hand, taste the product then buy a few pound to
munch on during their tour.
In
the city itself, the Santa Maria Gothic Church with its 3,000 pipe organ, the
beautiful natural harbour and the Bridge de Sant Roque are all worth a stop. As
well, the city has a romantic aura – the place where Admiral Nelson and his
mistress Lady Hamilton lived their legendary affair. It is also has a French
connection. During their short rule of the island, the French left a culinary
legacy that is still with us. They took the local way of whipping oil and egg
yolk and marketed it as their own, calling it after the city of Mahón,
Mahonnaise – now mayonnaise.
After
Mahón, travellers can appropriately end their visits at the nearby charming
Moorish-style hotel-village of Benibeca Vell. Built as a rambling hotel, it is
an artist’s dream. Amid its attractive sparkling whitewashed buildings one can
dream of Menorca’s countless mainly natural allurements that have made tourism
the island’s main industry. The authorities are trying hard to retain its
natural appeal. Menorca is interested in luring professional people as well as
upper and middle class families with children – not mass tourism.
In
the words of Bartomeu, “We want to preserve our natural and historical
monuments. They are our national assets. The types of tourists that we want are
those who appreciate the protection of the environment as well as the national
monuments.” He went on to say, “So far, everything has worked and we hope to
continue this in the future.”