Where to eat, sleep and play in Menorca – for a stylish, sustainable trip

It’s certainly not difficult to find your way around on the water in Menorca, Spain. Increasingly being offered as a more intimate alternative to neighbouring Mallorca, the Balearic island in the Mediterranean is fast becoming the preferred choice for water lovers who value style, sustainability and a sense of home.

The island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, meaning that despite its growing popularity, great efforts have been made to protect the environment and ensure that economic development is ecologically sustainable. Here, everything new is rooted in something old, offering a little magic with every glance of the sea.

Food: Café Balear in Ciutadella

Visitors staying in beach resorts should definitely dine in one of the many restored farmhouses in the island’s interior, but if they want to enjoy the views, they should also take a trip to Ciutadella, Menorca’s charming old town, which is home to many of the island’s best restaurants.

Among the harbourside eateries is Cafe Balear, which opened as a sailors’ tavern over 40 years ago. Today the restaurant has its own boat, the Rosa Santa Primera, which supplies fresh fish and seafood for paellas, stews and more. To secure an outdoor seat on the harbour quay, book in advance.

Sleeping: Villa Le Blanc, a Gran Melia Hotel

Villa Le Blanc, a Gran Melia Hotel, is one of the newest luxury hotels on the island, offering a chic, sustainable escape on Menorca’s southwest coast between the beaches of Santo Tomas and Binigaus.

The 114-room oceanfront property gets 30% of its energy from solar panels mounted on the roof next to an adults-only pool, where the hotel’s minimalist-modern design lets the surrounding sea shine.

Local Balearic art and furniture focus on natural materials and organic forms, while local cheese, wine and produce form the basis of tasty food in three restaurants (including a branch of the popular S’Amarador restaurant). A family pool and well-equipped, staffed children’s playroom make it a great spot for families, while the Thai Room Spa is a must for a couples massage.

And for active clients, it’s important to know that the property is located on the historic Cami de Cavalls, a 185-kilometer-long hiking trail and former bridle path that circles the coast and is dotted with simple restaurants, hotels and plenty of wild natural beauty in the form of forests, coves, beaches and caves.

Piece: Hauser & Wirth Menorca

Hauser & Wirth Menorca is not a normal museum, but a full-day event. It is located on its own small island in the harbor of the capital Mahon and is reached by a 15-minute ferry ride, which departs on the hour from 11am to 9pm during the summer high season.

The island was once home to a naval hospital and is located next to the eight small contemporary art galleries housed in the converted hospital outbuildings.

It’s a good thing that the amount of art on display is completely manageable for a short visit, as most visitors want to stroll through the garden and sculpture trail, featuring works by Joan Miro and Louise Bourgeois, and visit the Cantina restaurant, where local produce, sangria and a sea view round off a lovely visit.