INSIDE GUIDE
MAHÓN
The capital of the quiet Balearic island of Menorca offers an atmospheric old town, thriving food scene and tranquil beaches
WORDS: ANNABELLE THORPE
As Spanish cities go, Mahon is relatively little known to travellers, despite its tumultous history. The port city on Menorca’s southeast coast has been at the centre of centuries of conflict, with everyone from the Moors to the Ottomans and French taking control of its natural harbour, the second largest in the world. But it was the British who left their mark, ruling from the early 18th to the early 19th century, leaving a series of military buildings along the waterfront and on nearby islands. Stretching for eight miles, the harbour remains the heart of the city alongside the Old Town, which gazes down from a rocky outcrop. The lattice of streets in the Old Town links most of Mahón’s major sites. Housed in a former monastery, the Museu de Menorca offers a good introduction to the island’s history. Admire the contemporary sculptures in the cloister, then walk through eight galleries: each focuses on a different era, from the prehistoric Talaiotic period to the decades of British rule. For a glimpse of life under the Brits, head to Ca n’Oliver (1), a restored mansion once owned by one of the wealthiest families of the time. museudemenorca.com