Entertainment in Menorca
While not quite on a par with Mallorca or Ibiza in terms of parties and nightlife, entertainment in Menorca still has plenty to keep visitors happy both day and night. Whether you prefer action packed sunlight hours and early nights or lazy days and endless evenings, entertainment in Menorca offers venues and facilities to satisfy all visitors.
Menorca’s beaches are the main source of daytime entertainment on the island, with most coastal resorts offering a wide range of water sports and beach bars. Punta Prima, Son Bou, Cala Galdana, Son Parc, Arenall d’en Castell, Cala ‘n Porter among other beaches are havens for active visitors, cumulatively offering windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing, diving, snorkelling, fishing and pedaloes. With its narrow channel leading to the sea and its exposure to the tramuntana wind, the bay is a prime spot for sailing and windsurfing, and tuition is available in both sports in the village and at Ses Salines across the bay.
As an alternative to aquatic entertainment in Menorca, the exquisite landscape can be enjoyed on foot, horseback or by bicycle via its network of hiking trails. Several resorts and riding clubs offer horseback riding excursions and equestrian shows and races are also frequently held on the island, while pony trekking tours are available and mountain biking is popular along Menorca’s scenic routes.
There is also plenty of cultural entertainment in Menorca during daylight hours and the island is covered with archaeological and historical sites from various periods in the island’s turbulent history. From the prehistoric villages of Trepucó, Torre d'en Galmés and Talatí de Dalt to the communal burial site of Naveta d’es Tudons, the Gothic cathedral in Ciutadella and the remaining remnant of Mahon’s ancient city walls, there is plenty to see. In addition to these sites, the island has several excellent museums that document its cultural, historical, ethnological and environmental background.
Menorca by night is a far cry from the steamy techno clubs and all-night parties that are typical of Ibiza and to a marginally lesser degree, Mallorca, but the island nevertheless has plenty of appealing options to tempt the less frenetic night owl. Most of the resorts have a good selection of cafés, restaurants and bars, and a few such as Son Bou have on-site discotheques. One of the most popular and unique forms of evening entertainment in Menorca is at Cala ‘n Porter where a series of caves known as Coves d’en Xoroi have been converted into a bar and late-night disco complete with lasers and foam.
The port area of Mahon has a plethora of restaurants, cafés, bars and nightclubs, and buzzes with action and atmosphere by night, while the central city area has several additional entertainment options. Discotheques and electronic clubs are rare in the capital, but venues playing jazz, blues and funky modern tunes are easy to find and often feature live acts.
Located a short distance from Mahon, the town of Villacarlos is also a fairly happening night spot and Alaior and Ferreries have some of Menorca’s most contemporary and fashionable clubs. Beach bars abound in Cala Santandria and the neighbouring resorts of Los Delphines, Cala ‘n Forcat and Cala ‘n Blanes are among Menorca’s most festive areas by night.
There is also a degree of more serene entertainment in Menorca including regular organ performances in Mahon’s Church of Santa Maria, movies, concerts and cultural events in the historical Theatre Principal, as well as musical performances in Ciutadella’s ancient cathedral. The best time to visit Menorca for those looking for more riotous celebrations is during one of its many fiestas when locals and visitors throw caution to the wind and unbridled festivities are the order of the day. The Menorcan calendar is peppered with fiesta dates but the most important of these are in June (the Festes de Sant Joan), August (the San Luis Equine Fiesta) and September (the Mare de Deu). In keeping with the traditional Spanish focus on equestrian skills, all three of these fiestas involve horses.
