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http://www.boatinternational.com | April 2016especially the coast – has been excellent. It’s exclusive and low-density;
everything has been kept clean and it’s extremely civilised. Maybe
the British heritage has something to do with that.” The residents
of San Antonio in Ibiza, or Magaluf, Mallorca, might not agree that
British influence has added to their cultural riches but it seems true of
Menorca. “Well, the Britons who come here are civilised, anyway! This
is the island of peace. You don’t come here chasing parties. But, if I feel
like having a party, I host one at my house here.”
One of Palatchi’s house guests is Wally Yachts founder
Luca Bassani, who is a more recent convert to the charms of
Menorca. The Italian first visited 40 years ago but didn’t return
until 2014. “It has hardly changed,” he says. “It hasn’t been
exploited like, well, other islands. It’s still very wild and that’s
what I love about it. You can sail so close to the rocks and see the
little bays with the white sand and clear water. It’s fabulous.”
Menorca is certainly best known as a sailing destination,
influenced by the famous tramuntana, a northerly wind that
shapes the olive trees on the island and is said to drive people
mad. But Palatchi says: “The tramuntana is mainly a wind of
the winter. In summer there is usually simply a good breeze.
But the island is so small – less than 700 square kilometres- that motor yacht owners can also easily move from one side
to the other and find shelter.”
He reveals a few of his favourite anchorages: “Towards the
south, you have the beautiful long sandy beaches of Platja de
Binigaus and Son Saura. I really like the cliffs between Es Canutells
and Cala en Porter, where we sailed earlier today – they’re really
spectacular and offer great shelter. On the north coast, there is a large
bay between Pregonda and Cap de Cavalleria, with many anchorages.
It’s a marine reserve but you can get permission to dive there and it’s
full of incredible fish.”
The white sand in the south does indeed contribute to coastal
waters that could be in the Caribbean, they are so vibrantly
aquamarine in colour. However, you have to pick your anchorages
carefully. The 3.5km beach at Son Bou – the longest in Menorca – has
bars and restaurants at the eastern end but is a naturist beach towards
the western end. This is true of many in Menorca, so perhaps get your
crew to check with binoculars before you jump in the tender.
One anchorage in the south to seek out is the secluded double cove,
Cala Macarella and Macarelleta, where there are no buildings except
a lovely little restaurant. The food is typical of Menorca – as Palatchi
says: “Fresh fish and other good produce, cooked simply.” No one is
about to call Menorca the next foodie hotspot, unlike its Balearic
neighbour, Mallorca. Those looking for a modern Spanish approach
to traditional local ingredients should head to Agua at Can Faustino
hotel, which is set in a 17th century palace in Ciutadella, the old
capital in the north. There, chef Victor Corchado, who trained with
Martín Berasategui at Atrio in Cáceres, seems the likeliest candidate
to win Menorca’s first Michelin star (if Paco Morales at Torralbenc
doesn’t beat him to it).
For the most part, however, restaurants are unpretentious
purveyors of great seafood. Bassani raves about a restaurant on
the corner close to the elegant yacht club, Club Marítimo Mahón.
Jàgaro has the feel of the Rascasse in Monte Carlo as it used to be and
specialises in lobster. “We had it with French fries and fried eggs...
wow!” says Bassani. Another of Palatchi’s favourites, also by Mahón’s
yacht club, is S’Espigó, a small place with wood-panelled and hemp-
covered walls and a pared-down menu based on the catch of the day.
Alternatively, you can follow the lead of King Juan Carlos, who
would regularly cruise to Fornells, a harbour in the north almost as
big as Mahón’s, but a lot shallower. You can anchor up near the mouth
and take a tender into shore. What drew the former Spanish monarch
was caldereta de langosta – the traditional Menorcan stew of lobster,
tomatoes, red peppers, onion, almonds and parsley. The restaurants
Es Pla and Es Cranc serve the best in Fornells.
Menorca’s fashion scene is similar to that of its food – neither
Mahón nor Ciutadella rivals Palma for boutiques. But, when it comes
to shoes, designer Jaime Mascaró is from Menorca and this is also the
home of Pretty Ballerinas. There is a fine tradition of shoemaking on“Everything has been
kept clean and it’s
extremely civilised”Cala Macarelleta,
left, and Cala
Macarella, above.
Top: the Menorca
Maxi Regatta179