
Although it may look like Spain is only that peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean between France and Portugal, it lays claims to two groups of islands, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Morocco. As some of you may already know, Mallorca is one of 5 main islands in the Balearic Islands, where I have been living this past year and loving every minute of it. I decided however, to explore further than Mallorca to the island next door called Menorca (Minorca, in English).
As the Spanish have many festivals days, my boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of one that fell on a Thursday to make a trip over the long weekend. We took a ferry to Menorca and stayed in the port city of Ciutadella, which is one of two main cities on the island. Menorca and Mallorca are very similar; the main differences are that Mallorca is bigger and has more tourism. Ciutadella, although the second biggest city on the island, when compared to Mallorca, felt more like a village than Palma, the main city. This, however, was just what I was looking for.
In Menorca, we got a feel for the lifestyle of Mallorca before tourism hit. The buildings were low to the ground, white washed, and had history. Instead of a constant buzz of city life, there was a quiet hum of the native Menorquins going about their way. Everything was within walking distance and getting lost was never a problem due to the smallness of the area. Upon exploration along the coast, we found two small coves, which we enjoyed, having to share them with very few others. Overall, there was a certain quaintness, romanticism, and tranquility about Menorca and I would love to return someday. As much as I love Mallorca, I can’t help but admit the virginity of Menorca is extremely appealing for a relaxing, romantic weekend.