Friday 29 June 2012

Delightful Towns of Menorca


Menorca Island may be the second largest island among the Balearic Islands but it has many interesting and delightful towns that offer tourists a wonderful stay. Among its largest and best towns are Mahón and Ciutadella which are full of colorful traditions and diverse cultural heritage.

Mahón

This capital of Menorca Island has over 20,000 inhabitants; it has interesting British architecture in many of its buildings as evidence of the past British influence. Today, there are the obvious ruins of the British’s Marine Hospital. The town port is one of the world’s best ports after Pearl Harbor. This is purportedly the place where Admiral Nelson romanced Lady Hamilton in Finca de San Antonio.

Near the port is the local aquarium which is open to the public every day; it exhibits many species of flora and fauna from the Mediterranean region.

Tourists can check out many places of interest that are opened to the public; they include Ateneo Científico y Literario, the Santa María Church with a Baroque organ, the San Francisco Convent and church with a remarkable neo-romantic portal, the San Felipe Military Museum and other pre-historical remains.

Ciutadella de Menorca

Ciutadella is the former capital of Menorca with 15,000 inhabitants. Ciutadella de Menorca was Menorca’s capital since the Moorish epoch up to the 18th century. There are many aristocratic buildings and special palaces that showcase its past glory. This town has been declared a National Monument to preserve its rich heritage by the local authorities.

There are numerous traditions and customs which are popularly celebrated in this town. One of the best celebrated festivals here with full customs is the San Juan Festival during el Jaleo which refers to the traditional medieval equestrian performance complete with colorful attire.

Ciutadella town has many narrow but colorful lanes that is typical of any Mediterranean town in that region. It has a local natural port that is quite picturesque and impressive especially when one arrives in a boat. The town also offers La Contramurada which is a boulevard with former town walls. Plaza de Born is the heart of Ciutadella with a distinctive obelisk in a park to remind the locals of the 1558 Turkish attack to the town.

The National Museum is open to the public with an impressive collection of archaeological findings from the medieval times and Moorish era, Villas in Escala.

The town’s 14th century Cathedral was built over the previous Moorish mosque with several modifications to showcase the various distinctive Gothic and Neoclassic styles.

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