Menorca, a popular holiday destination, is a small Spanish island near to Ibiza and Majorca and probably the least spoilt of the three. Other than spending time in one of the many all inclusive hotels or holiday apartments, here is our guide of things to do when holidaying in Menorca:
Beaches:
Menorca has many beaches, some say one for each day of the year so you are spoilt for choice! Some of Menorcas beaches can only be reached from the sea or by walking, others you can drive to. Each beach or cove is different and good in its own way. You can read our guide to some of the beaches in Menorca here.
The National Park
On the East of the island is an unspoilt national park which you can visit. It has a visitor center, walking trails, a lake and beaches including the lovely beach at Es Grau, a fishing village.
Attractions
Menorca doesn’t have massive tourist attractions. It is an island rich in history so there are historical sites to visit such as burial tombs dating back to around 800 BC and stone age rock formations.
Other than historical attractions you will find a few water parks, a zoo and Lithica, an old quarry which has been converted to the most interesting garden with mazes and labyrinths. At weekends in Mahon you can visit the chariot racing. There is also an old fort near Mahon that you can visit.
Cities
There are two main towns on the island, the old capital of Ciutadella and the new capital of Mahón, where the airport is today. Both have a selection of larger supermarkets and bigger shops on the outskirts and old towns where you can get lost in the little side streets browsing the smaller shops or visiting the beautiful churches. Both also boast great views down to their harbours below which offer boat and fishing trips.
Museums and factories
There are a few museums and factories on Menorca. You could visit the gin factory in Mahón where you can taste locally made gin, cheese factories and shoe factories. The towns have small museums to look round. The zoo has a very small museum which is free to enter.
The heat
The island can get very hot in Summer, if you are visiting a beach or attraction it is advisable to arrive earlier in the morning rather than midday, especially if the attraction involves walking. This will also mean in many cases that you will avoid the crowds. You could also visit some of the towns and attractions later in the afternoon, with the shops and some attractions being open into the evenings.
Visiting Menorca with an autistic child?
Menorca airport is small. On arrival you will find you probably need to get a bus from the plane to the terminal building. The queue for security is normally relatively short and the baggage collection hall isnt big. If you don’t have a transfer booked to your accomodation, there are main car companies on site with others that provide a shuttle bus service to headquarters off site. When returning to the airport at the end of your holiday, there aren’t many check in desks so the queues can get quite long. There is usually a member of staff from the airline near the queues who can probably provide assistance if needed. Menorca airport has a few shops in the departure lounge. They have small children’s play areas in the waiting areas and in one of the restaurants. If you need assistance at the airport it can be provided but you need to be quite forward in asking for exactly what you need and not all staff speak English. For pre-boarding talk to your airlines cabin staff at the gate.
You can follow some of the links from this page which will give you information on some of the islands attractions and suitability for autistic children. There are also detailed descriptions of some of the many beaches to help you decide which would best suit your family.
The island of Menorca is a small, unspoilt one so often doesn’t feel crowded or busy, if you do decide to visit, I hope you have a lovely holiday!
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