Mahón
Mahón is the capital of Menorca, which is one of the four main balearic islands. Not too many people I know have been there, and I decided to travel there this summer impulsively, as my other vacation plans had to be cancelled because of an earthquake. I was pleasantly surprised by what Menorca and its capital city had to offer. Mahón is small, but oh so interesting! Once a British colony, the architecture of the city is an exciting blend of Georgian-, art nouveau- and moorish architecture, with numerous courtyard gardens. I was amazed by how well preserved the many old buildings were. What a treat for anyone who is interested in architectural history! Here are some of the places I loved in Mahón:
Jardi de ses Bruixes:
Carrer de San Fernando, 26
A beautiful boutique hotel with a courtyard garden filled with orange trees and climbing plants. The house is a former private mansion built in 1812. The food here is amazing! The service is excellent, and the whole place has a calm and comfortable atmosphere. What an extraodinarily pretty place! Dinner reservations are recommended.
Pipet & Co:
Placa Bastió, 10
This is a great daytime cafe with wonderful breakfast menus. I would say that this is the best cafe in town. They serve homemade pink raspberry lemonade and tea in small teapots. This is a place that one wants to visit multiple times, preferably daily!
Cafe Baixamar:
Moll de Ponent, 17
This bar/café has a gorgeous art nouveau interior. It lies down at the port, and serves the best burgers I have ever had. The service is great, and it has a real sense of place.
Ca s'Esparter:
S'arraval, 7
A great store established in 1815 (!). Its big rooms contain everything that you can imagine, from horseriders gear, to hunting clothes and fantastic balearic baskets in many different shapes and sizes. They also sell amazing natural rubber sole espadrillos, made in La Rioja. Also worth mentioning, is the fact that the original ornamental cash register is still in use!
Mercat des Claustre:
Placa del Carme
This is a nice indoor market, with many separate shops. Amongst my favorites were a newspaper and magazine store and a greengrocer which also sold gorgeous seasonal flowers. The newspaper shop had a good selection of magazines, amongst them, the newly established T Magazine Spain, a thicker and more elaborate version of the original T Magazine, with a completely different editorial team and content.
Ajuntament de Mahón:
Carrer d'Isabel II, 18
The Mahón city hall is a beautiful building dating from the 17th century. It lies by the city's main square, and adds to the beauty of this very lively place, which has several outdoor bars and cafes.
Museu de Menorca:
Pla des Monestir
The main museum of the island is placed in a former franciscan convent from the late 17th century. This impressive courtyard building is a sight in itself, and the exhibitions are well curated and updated. It is a great and compact museum. A rather small part of the collection was on display, due to the exhibition rearrangements that were going on.
Ca n'Oliver:
Carrer d'Anuncivay, 2
A museum in a former mansion of a rich tradesman family who were once living in Menorca. The exhibitions are well organized, informative and set in an absolutely beautiful building.
Jardi de ses Bruixes:
Carrer de San Fernando, 26
A beautiful boutique hotel with a courtyard garden filled with orange trees and climbing plants. The house is a former private mansion built in 1812. The food here is amazing! The service is excellent, and the whole place has a calm and comfortable atmosphere. What an extraodinarily pretty place! Dinner reservations are recommended.
Pipet & Co:
Placa Bastió, 10
This is a great daytime cafe with wonderful breakfast menus. I would say that this is the best cafe in town. They serve homemade pink raspberry lemonade and tea in small teapots. This is a place that one wants to visit multiple times, preferably daily!
Cafe Baixamar:
Moll de Ponent, 17
This bar/café has a gorgeous art nouveau interior. It lies down at the port, and serves the best burgers I have ever had. The service is great, and it has a real sense of place.
Ca s'Esparter:
S'arraval, 7
A great store established in 1815 (!). Its big rooms contain everything that you can imagine, from horseriders gear, to hunting clothes and fantastic balearic baskets in many different shapes and sizes. They also sell amazing natural rubber sole espadrillos, made in La Rioja. Also worth mentioning, is the fact that the original ornamental cash register is still in use!
Mercat des Claustre:
Placa del Carme
This is a nice indoor market, with many separate shops. Amongst my favorites were a newspaper and magazine store and a greengrocer which also sold gorgeous seasonal flowers. The newspaper shop had a good selection of magazines, amongst them, the newly established T Magazine Spain, a thicker and more elaborate version of the original T Magazine, with a completely different editorial team and content.
Ajuntament de Mahón:
Carrer d'Isabel II, 18
The Mahón city hall is a beautiful building dating from the 17th century. It lies by the city's main square, and adds to the beauty of this very lively place, which has several outdoor bars and cafes.
Museu de Menorca:
Pla des Monestir
The main museum of the island is placed in a former franciscan convent from the late 17th century. This impressive courtyard building is a sight in itself, and the exhibitions are well curated and updated. It is a great and compact museum. A rather small part of the collection was on display, due to the exhibition rearrangements that were going on.
Ca n'Oliver:
Carrer d'Anuncivay, 2
A museum in a former mansion of a rich tradesman family who were once living in Menorca. The exhibitions are well organized, informative and set in an absolutely beautiful building.
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