Menorca Getting there & around

Getting around

Bus & tram

Bus

Do not expect to move around the island fast on the buses. You can get to quite a few destinations from Maó, but, with a few exceptions, services are infrequent and sluggish. You can get a reloadable card with 10 or 40 trips on it. There are various zones, but to cover the whole island you pay €23.40 for a 10-trip card.

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Car & motorcycle

In Maó, try Autos Valls (971 35 42 44; Plaça d’Espanya 13) or Autosmenorsur (971 36 56 66; Moll de Llevant 35). All the biggies have representatives at the airport. Daily hire can cost €35 to €45 for something like a Seat Marbella, Opel Corsa or VW Polo.

Maó

The British have invaded Menorca four times (if you count the modest campaign that began with the first charter flight from London in 1953). As a result Maó, the capital, is an unusual blend of Anglo and Spanish characteristics.

The British made it the capital in 1713, and the influence of their almost 100-year presence (the island reverted to Spanish rule in 1802) is still evident in the town’s architecture, traditions and culture. Even today the majority of Maó’s visitors come from Britain.

Maó’s harbour is its most impressive feature and was the drawcard for the Brits. The deep, well-protected waters handle everything from small fishing boats to tankers. The town is built atop the cliffs that line the harbour’s southern shore. Although some older buildings still remain, the majority of the architecture is in the restrained 18th-century Georgian style (note the sash windows!).

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