OVERVIEW:
[Image] After visiting Ibiza and Formentera for 10 years running, last summer we visited Palma de Mallorca and this summer to complete our Balearic island tour, decided to fly to Menorca during last August Bank Holiday weekend. The life style at these Spanish islands really allow you to chill-out and take a nice break from city life with only a 2 hr flight time from London. If you like virgin beach hunting, Menorca is your best bet among the Balearic's. You will not be able to find any beach clubs or any serviced beaches with sun beds, umbrellas or showers. The island is quite big and there are several bays that offer incredibly beautiful beaches so get prepared for the road trip to explore the island. Menorca is a very good destination for lovers of nature and hiking.

WHERE TO STAY:
[Image] Can Faustino is a new boutique hotel converted from a 17th century chateaux. It is located in the northwest of the the island in Ciutadella; however is not located by the beach so you need to drive to reach the secluded beaches of Menorca. It has a small swimming pool and spa if you prefer to stay in the hotel during the day. We had foot reflexology and relaxing massage both of which were done very professionally.

We loved the interior design of the hotel; they used natural materials and decorated with lots of art work (great photography all around).

[Image] The hotel has a lovely garden where you can have breakfast&lunch and dinner. Friday night we arrived late and had dinner at the hotel. Their delicious Burrata Salad followed by John Dory fish were great welcoming touches to the island.

The breakfast buffet is not huge but it is very satisfactory. Overall the food and design were very good but what was exceptional was the service. All the receptionists were super helpful day & night; they assisted us to find the most beautiful beaches of Menorca and also helped with suggestions and bookings for the restaurants. This was all we needed to enjoy the short Bank Holiday.
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WHERE TO EAT:

Es Cranc
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On our first day we were so excited to swim in the secluded beaches, that we forgot about lunch until 16:00 pm and headed late to Es Cranc which is probably the most popular restaurant on the island. It is located in the northern part of Menorca (Forells) and when we were there they said kitchen is closed between 16:00-20:00 and we needed to make a reservation at least 5 days in advance during August. We made some phone calls to some of the other restaurants that we had read about but they were all closed between 16:00-20:00 so we headed back to our hotel and enjoyed the late lunch Service by the pool. The next day around 13:00 we were passing from Es Cranc and we wanted to try our chance in case there was a cancellation. We were not lucky; this old school family run restaurant serves the best sea food and people love it. So we recommend you to book in advance.

Es Pla
When we couldn't make it in Es Cranc we headed to Es Pla which is the second best rated restaurant in Fornells. Our table was by the sea and food & service were good. We enjoyed the avocado&tomato salad and had two plates followed by a yummy seafood paella.
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S'Amarador

Ciutadella (where our hotel is located) is very well known with its lively streets full of restaurants, cafes and shops just by the marina. On our second night, we decided to eat at S'Amarador which is 3 min walking distance from the hotel. Its located near the harbour and on that row there are many more restaurants.

S'Amarador is a very popular and romantic restaurant, so it is good to make reservation however you can't reserve the tables on the street (by the sea) and can only book tables inside. We didn't prefer to eat on the busy street on a Saturday night, so opted for a table on the rooftop with beautiful views just next to the huge fig tree with an amazing smell. I think the tables under the huge fig tree have a great atmosphere as well. This restaurant is very well known with its spiny lobster. Every table was shown their lobster to get the customers approval before they cook. The food and the atmosphere was good and the service was very friendly.

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Cafe Balear
Just next to S'Amarador you will find Cafe Balear which is also very popular with a very long queue especially on a Saturday night. When we were leaving S'Amarador around 23:30, there were lots of people still waiting to be seated at both of the restaurants.
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Ca's Ferrer
For our last night we decided eat at Ca's Ferrer. This was one of the best meals, I ever had in my life! No exaggeration. They cook what they grow in their garden and it is popular for being an ecological restaurant. We started with a garden salad and the famous octopus carpaccio. The garden salad was so good we ordered one more. It had a touch of hazelnut oil and small cubes of Menorcan cheese sprinkled over fruits (apple, plum) which made it super delicious. The octopus carpaccio was the best we ever had. Our main course was the Monk Fish which was uber tasty. The finale was the peak of deliciousness with dark chocolate truffles and homemade cinnamon ice cream.

[Image] We also fell in love with the interior of the restaurant which was very cozy (felt like your grandmother's summer house). Wooden tables covered with easy fabrics and few vintage objects hung on the walls took us back in time. If you have only one night on the island don't think about any other option and go to Ca's Ferrer. The food is out of this world!
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WHERE TO SWIM:

Menorca is all about virgin beach hunting. There is no beach club on the island where you can go and lay on a sun bed under an umbrella. All the beaches are open to public and people bring their own umbrellas; its not possible to find showers so its better to take couple of bottles of water to wash your face. Some beaches are only accessible by foot so you need to park your car and walk 30 minutes to reach the a heavenly untouched beaches.

In the morning before you hit the road make sure you check where the wind is blowing from and go to beaches that are in the opposite direction of the wind.

First day we explored the beaches located at North part of the island. To reach Cala Pregonda we walked for half an hour after parking our car. Under the sun that walk was not easy but the nature looks unreal. The Terracota landscape surrounding you makes you feel like you are in a desert and when you reach the beach it feels like heaven.
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[Image] We realised nudism is the norm, not the exception at the northern beaches. Its nice to leave behind the city life and enjoy being pure and wild for a while.
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[Image] On our second day we organised a boat tour for 4 hours but due to the strong winds it was cancelled. In Cala Galada, just next to the Artiem Audax hotel, you will find friendly crew who can arrange these boat trips for you. We hit the road, to reach another heavenly beach surrounded by fifty shades of green at Cala Morell. We walked until the end of the beach where terracotta rocks lead you to least crowded part. Since there is no facility to eat and drink some entrepreneur chaps walk along the beach and sell water, beer, coca cola and potato chips.
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[Image] On our last day, we found heaven:) We prefer rocky beaches rather than sandy beaches so Cala Brut was the best beach for us. This is a very narrow hidden bay which forms a natural pool. The colour of the sea is very attractive and the underwater is highly populated with lots of fish. There are lots of people snorkelling and the majority showcase their different diving styles. Most of the people have GoPro cameras to record the underwater beauties and the artistic diving shows.
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TO VISIT:
El Toro
Highest point on the island with breathtaking views. Don't miss.
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[Image] Ciutadella:
Our inspiration for the trip was another blogger: Lipstick voice. We chose to spend our time in Ciutadella as opposed to Mehon because of her suggestions.
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WHAT TO BUY:
Abarcas Borras in Ciutadella
You need to check out the leather (ideally hand made ones) Menorcan sandals. You can find lots of them but for the highest quality hand made ones you need to head to Abarcas Borras in Ciutadella. The prices reflect the higher quality.
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What will remind me of Menorca: Fifty Shades of Blue and Green

Do's and Dont's: Rent a car for virgin island hopping and don't forget to carry lots of water with you.
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For more photos and videos, also visit instagram account @eatandtravelandlove (https://instagram.com/eatandtravelandlove/)