Ciutadella in Menorca by Ian Kirk (Creative Commons)
When you think about going on a Menorca holiday, you will undoubtedly come across the 2 main resorts of Mahon [sometimes seen as Mao] and Ciudadela [sometimes seen as Ciutadella]. However, which one is best?
Below is a very brief overview of both resorts and hopefully this will help you come to a decision.
Firstly, you may like to know that Ciudadela was once the capital of the Balearic Island of Menorca until the 18th century when this honour was passed to Mahon and since then there has been a rivalry between the two.
Ciudadela:
A visit to the resort of Ciudadela will mean that you will be able to see lots of historical buildings and monuments and also if you visit during the second half of June each year you will benefit from an extraordinary celebration or fiesta of San Juan [Sant Joan] where, in this resort, you will be able to enjoy this spectacle with horses and riders making their way through this historic town. Ciudadela is located on the opposite side of Menorca to Mahon – on the west coast and site high above its harbour.
Mahon:
The more modern in appearance of the two resort, Mahon still has plenty of history to offer visitors especially in the surrounding areas of the main town which is packed with historical military constructions -in fact look out for Fort Marlborough which has been converted into a museum and is probably the most popular one to while away a few hours.
Although Mahon is the capital of Menorca, the overall feel of the city is one of a smaller town. The majority of people arrive into Mahon from the airport [located just 5km away] and therefore miss out on the best way to arrive – by boat into the lovely port.
As you can see, there is very little to choose between the two resorts, but take you time in making your selection before heading off on your holiday in Menorca.