Focus on Cala Llonga

Not the least of these qualities is the calm atmosphere that pervades and, of course, the beautiful views on offer.

Cala Llonga is the commonly used generic name for a cluster of residential districts on the northern shore of Mahon harbour. Cala Llonga is the largest area, followed by Sant Antoni, Cala Rata and the tiny sub-hamlets of S’Escull, sa Bassa and Punta d’en Gallerut.

These are emphatically not resort areas. They are solely residential (with some amenities) and you very much need a car here. Equipped with wheels you can be on the beach in five minutes, sitting at a fine harbourside restaurant in 10 minutes, or soaking up some culture at the historic La Mola fort in less than five minutes.

Cala Llonga boasts one of the island’s largest marinas, choc full of pleasure craft, and down by the water’s edge there’s a children’s playground. There’s also a hotel, the Calallonga Hotel Menorca, which has a bar and restaurant open to non-residents and which offers take-away food.

The nearest beach is the wonderfully unspoilt Sa Mesquida, just the other side of the main road and beyond the quaint fishing village of Mesquida. On the way there you will pass the superb clifftop fish restaurant Cap Roig, which is the closest eatery. From Mesquida you can pick up the Cami de Cavalls, the walking path which encircles the island’s magnificent coastline.

Fifteen minutes by car is the Es Grau nature reserve, with its wide horseshoe-shaped beach and shallow waters, not to mention its beachside café culture.

Mahon harbour is 10 minutes away by car, or it can be reached by the excellent Water Taxi Menorca. Home to superyachts, dozens of excellent bars and restaurants, a nightclub and even a casino. From here the bustling centre of Mahon’s old town is accessible by cliffside elevator. The island’s airport (and its nearby cluster of supermarkets) is an easy drive of 15-20 minutes.