Take me there: Menorca
Why go?
It has a reputation as Mallorca and Ibiza’s sleepy little sister, but Menorca is starting to wake up. With beautiful coves and beaches, it has long been a hit with families, but has lacked grown-up places to stay. The opening of a handful of boutique hotels and villas in the past couple of years is changing that. Throw in some great seafood restaurants, top-class vineyards, Bronze Age ruins, two pocket-sized port cities to explore and it all adds up to one of the Med’s most underrated destinations.
What to do
Menorca has more beaches than Mallorca and Ibiza put together.
Cala Binibequer, with its sunloungers and snack bar, is great for families, while those who like their beaches unadorned will prefer the natural beauty of Cala Binidali. The best way to access Menorca’s many hidden coves is to hire a kayak: Menorca en Kayak can arrange anything from a half-day’s rental to a seven-day circumnavigation of the island (menorcaenkayak.com). Another great way of exploring is to hike the Cami de Cavalls, an ancient path which hugs the shoreline. Spend a day wandering the harbour front and narrow backstreets of Menorca’s two beguiling port towns: the capital Mahon (Maó) in the east and attractive Ciutadella in the west. Several of Menorca’s vineyards offer tours – try Binitord (binitord.com) and Hort Sant Patrici (santpatrici.com).
Where to stay
Hotel Petit Mao opened last summer in a townhouse on the outskirts of the capital with just six vintage-chic bedrooms, a pretty walled garden and small pool (doubles from £63 per night, i-escape.com/hotel-petit-mao).
Where to eat
Try caldereta de langosta (lobster casserole), the island’s signature dish, at the ever-popular Café Balear in Ciutadella (cafe-balear.com).
Insider tip
Maria Teresa Gustems of Kayak en Majorca recommends an evening visit to the lighthouse at Favàritx: “It’s best around the time of a full moon when the light on the water is magical.”
Give me a break
HOME Big savings on English and Welsh hostels If you are fed up with summer holiday price hikes, check out this new deal from the YHA. Book online before 31 January and you can save up to 50% on private rooms sleeping between two and six people at more than 100 of its properties in England and Wales. You don’t have to be a YHA member to take advantage of the offer which is valid for holidays taken between the 23 May and 27 August 2015 (yha.org.uk).
AWAY Cheap breaks for families in Sardinia Sardinia is a notoriously pricy destination, but a new Eurocamp holiday park is offering a week’s stay during May half-term from £350 per party. Bella Sardinia is set among pine trees on Arenas beach with family-friendly pool complex, tennis courts, horse riding and watersports. Price includes accommodation in a two-bedroom Classic mobile home from 23 May, but no flights (eurocamp.co.uk).
