Menorca is like a little friend of Mallorca who does not try to be as popular as touristic, but proudly stands for itself.
And this makes the little island charming and unbelievably magnetic. Menorca's story isn't long, but it leaves a trace for a very long time. After we have traveled there, time has passed, but I still have this feeling of a fairytale inside me. The day was so good that we barely spoke on the drive home after the ferry. This beauty simply left us speechless.
Source: own photo
First of all, let me correct myself: I have not seen much of Menorca, I only saw little pieces which were hidden on the north of the island, also a little bit of Mahon centre and even less of Ciutadella. But we learned that the island is very small, you can cross it in less than an hour by the road which is barely a motorway. Everything in Menorca is so peaceful and does not rush anywhere...
Mahon is a city of past greatness. Right now these narrow streets with cafes and cathedrals only remind us that Europe is old, much older than we usually imagine. And the city is like an old lady, it really requires some good young blood. In its serenity Mahon is on pause, and slowly turning to eternal... or just to put it simply, the city feels like it's already dead.
But don't be disappointed as rarely capitals represent the whole country or place. Menorca has much more to offer, and as you turn from Mahon to the north, you quickly find yourself in a wild nature heading to the lighthouse on a particularly pitcuresque place, and you forget about Spain, Menorca and the fact that you are in the middle of Mediterranean. The places let you travel far to the north, and the landscape is undoubtedly Normandic.
It smells like oysters and Deuville, it smells like North sea here.
The Favaritx Lighthouse lies on the edge of the Natural Park, and the stony shores make you want to start to write a book like Lorn Byron or draw like those great French painters of the past. It is surrounded by water so that wherever you look, it is around you. It is very windy and smells like seasalt.
Source: own photo
Then we head to another beautiful place, and it is where the Norway start to appear in Menorca: the bays like fjords, so deeply curved into the land, become a perfect place for boats, local towns, and perfect scenery. Port d'Addaia and Na Macaret are the proof. Never miss going there if you travel to Menorca. You feel the island much better when you are in Port d'Addaia than when you walk around Mahon centre!
Source: own photo
From there, you can stop at barely each bay, as they are all different from each other and all surrounded by north-like flora: small bushes, stones, and very wind-resistent plants. Finally, we reach the 'north of the norths', the lighthouse on the northest part of all Balearic islands, Cape Cavalleria Lighthouse.
Source: own photo
You should stop there. You shoould stop even on the road there. It is a long drive to the lighthouse across the fields of Normandy-like landscapes, and you just feel like you're on the edge of the earth.
This never-leaving-feeling that you get when you are on the north of Europe. It takes you again on the north of Menorca and does not leave you until you reach Ciutadella.
The island leaves a very big spot in my memory, and I will definitely come back there to see other places and shores. But this amazing feeling, this surprising north in the south of Europe... thank you, Menorca, for not being the smaller version copy of Mallorca but for keeping youself as unique as you are!
Source: own photo
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