Son Bou Villa Holidays

The British, Roman, Greek, Turk and Aragonese empires have left their mark on Menorca. (Aragon was an eighth century Spanish kingdom originating in the region of Pyrenees and expanding south through Iberia, in case you didn’t know)

The Romans took possession of this important Mediterranean outpost a hundred years B.C., and began building, as was their modus operandum. Although perhaps “Veni, vedi and villa” is a more apt expression.

This means this island of the Spanish Balearics has something of an Italian flavour mixed into its culture, though it is most evident in the historic ruins on the island.

So, on the sundecks of Son Bou villas, when people kick off their sandals and relax onto a lounger with a cool drink, they can pretend they are ancient Romans, enjoying the best that the Empire has to offer.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many people are looking around for the perfect way to celebrate with their loved one.  But the truth is, Son Bou can be an ideal place to spend some time away with your significant other, whatever the occasion or time of year. Sharing Son Bou villas with that special someone can be a real recipe for romance.

I think we’re alone now

Nowhere will you find more privacy than in Son Bou villas.  With many villas boasting fantastic facilities that include private swimming pools amongst other things, there really is no need to venture into the outside world.  Take a day just for yourselves and enjoy each other’s company.  If you do get a small case of cabin fever, why not wander down to the town to pick up some fresh fish so that you can cook yourselves a romantic dinner for two back at the villa later on.  

To the sea

Many Son Bou villas are situated very close to the sea, and not only can a day spent on the beach be the best way to relax, but a gentle stroll through the shallows can be the perfect time for a chat.  Feel the warm sea swirl around your ankles as you take the time to talk about all the things you don’t get a chance to babble about back home.  Feel yourself re-engaging with your partner as you lose yourselves in this spacious and stunning stretch of sand.

As the sun goes down

What could be more romantic than watching the sun set over the ocean?  You’ll be able to watch this most beautiful time of day from many Son Bou villas but if you want go get as close as possible why not stay by the sea?  Take a seat on the sand and hold your partner’s hand as you watch the sky turn a deluge of beautiful oranges and reds.  It really is the most beautiful time of day in Son Bou.

Day 1:

As you step off the plane on the first day of your Son Bou holidays, you will feel the stresses and strains of life at home drain straight out of your body.  The sun will be high in the sky and waiting to greet you so once you’ve arrived at your accommodation, why not spend the first day soaking it up.  Spend a day settling in, relaxing by the pool and preparing yourself for a week of relaxation.

Day 2:

With the longest beach in Menorca, Son Bou is renowned for its sandy shores.  Take yourself down to the seafront and pull up a deck chair for your second day in Son Bou.  A dip in the clear blue sea will help you to cool off if you get too hot on the sand.

Day 3:

After two lazy days, you’ll be itching for a bit of gentle exercise.  Why not use the third day of your Son Bou holidays to have a ramble about the island and explore.  There is a whole network of walking paths that take you right past wonderful scenery, fascinating history and some beautiful wildlife.

Day 4:

After all that walking on day three, you’ll be ready to relax again today.  Concentrate on satisfying the appetite that you worked up the day before, by sampling some of the island’s freshly caught seafood.  With dishes of lobster, battered octopus and of course, the traditional Paella, you’ll be glad you went for a walk in preparation.

Day 5:

As you’ve already explored the terrain of Son Bou above ground, why not venture underground for a day? The cliffside at the Eastern end of the island is dotted with caves that were once dwellings for the island’s inhabitants.  At the foot of the cliffs you’ll also see the remains of ancient villages and even a Christian basilica.

Day 6:

By day six, you will have explored the island and sampled the traditional, local foods.  Take a day to embrace your more childish side and head to the wooden maze.  The maze is challenging and fun during the day, but is even more so by night, when the fairies and magicians of the day time are replaced by zombies and ghosts.

Day 7:

As your Son Bou holidays come to a close, there is one thing left to do; say goodbye to that fabulous beach.  Give yourself another day of total peace and quiet on the beach, but this time you might like to take to the water on a pedalo for a relaxing trip on the water.

After seven relaxing and fun-filled days, you’ll return from your Son Bou holidays raring to go and ready for reality.

Did you know that Menorca is a remarkably concentrated region of prehistoric monuments? In fact, because it has so many Bronze Age remains packed into such a small island, some consider it the most concentrated area of monuments in the world.

There are Megaliths called Taulas which are stones arranged in T-shapes. They may have a ritual meaning to the ancient societies that built them, perhaps to do with burials or sacrifices.

There stone formations like this along the cliffs at Son Bou as well as monuments called navetas. So anyone on their son bou holidays who likes the sound of exploring ancient ruins can take a pleasant walk among them, and see for themeselves.

If you’re staying at Son Bou villas during one of Menorca’s famous fiestas then you might want to celebrate with some traditional local festival food. Invite over your friends and serve up these traditional specialities to carry on the carnival back at home.

Pomada

Pomada is the national cocktail of Menorca, which may have something to do with the Menorcan’s love of gin. When making up a pitcher of this cocktail, Xoriguer is really the only gin that you can get away with putting in this cocktail and you’ll soon discover that the Menorcan local gin tastes nothing like its English counterpart. To make this put plenty of Xoriguer in a tall glass and add ice and lemonade up to three quarters of the glass. Add soda water and sugar syrup and then garnish with a lemon.

Coca amb Xocolati

Son Bou villas are perfect for entertaining guests and if you want to carrying on the after-party back at your holiday home then make sure you serve the traditional party food of Coca amb Xocolati. This is a baked cake traditionally served with a thick hot chocolate. You can buy these cakes anywhere around Son Bou during a fiesta, but if you’re feeling really adventurous then why not try creating your own?

What does a Son Bou holiday stand for? With a little fun, we spell out what we think Son Bou would spell out if it were an acronym: 

Sun – The sun always shines in Son Bou, or at least it certainly feels that way! With its prime position on the Mediterranean, Son Bou benefits from a whopping 300 sunny days a year. This means that guests have an 82% chance of receiving sunshine when booking a Son Bou holiday.

Overindulging – With so many delicious restaurants in Son Bou it can be tempting to overindulge yourself on a holiday. Whether you want to try delicious Italian cuisine at Le Gondolier or French cuisine at Le Jardin there is bound to be something that appeals to you on a Son Bou holiday. Numerous cocktail bars make overindulging all the easier and no trip to Son Bou would be complete without visiting the roller-skating waitresses at the Pim Pam Bar.      

Neolithic – Around Son Bou are several Neolithic monuments that have been standing since the Bronze Age. The largest and most spread out of all these settlements, Torre d’en Gaumes, is located on the road from Alaior to Son Bou and dates from 1300 to 123 BC. 

Beach – We can’t mention a Son Bou holiday without mentioning the fantastic sandy beach. Son Bou’s beach is renowned for being the longest in Menorca and arguably it’s also the best on the island.

Ornithology – Son Bou is a Mecca for bird-watchers and contains a variety of different habitats. In the reed area keen ornithologists can observe waders and little egrets, whilst the rugged limestone cliffs are home to Egyptian vultures and blue rock thrushes. 

Unbelievable – A Son Bou holiday is an amazing experience and we can guarantee that once you’ve visited once you’ll want to return again and again!

One of the most enjoyable things about holidaying in Son Bou is definitely the food. The Spanish really know how to cook and they know how to eat as well! Your stomach will be groaning from start to finish on your holiday with a fabulous array of authentic eateries to choose from. If, however, you are like many holidaymakers who, after a tough day on the beach, can’t be bothered even stepping out the door of their Son Bou villas, why not stay in and cook dinner like a local? Whipping up a fresh batch of Spain’s national dish, paella, is easier than you might think.

The first thing you’ll need is a good paella pan, and if your Son Bou villas don’t have one, a quick trip to the local shop will reward you with a cheap, but efficient, one. (this IS Spain after all!) Although paella can be made with chicken, rabbit or even vegetarian style, seeing as you’re on the doorstep of the Mediterranean, you really should eat as much fresh local seafood as possible. Finding the perfect Arborio rice won’t be a problem either and once you’ve added some fresh tomatoes, garlic, fish stock (fresh if possible), peas, Spanish olive oil and a nice bottle of local white wine to your shopping basket – you’ll be all set!

Throw your garlic into your pan and fry off before adding your blanched and skinned tomatoes, peas and some fresh prawns. Next add in your rice, a glass of wine and your stock and allow to simmer for around 20 minutes until the rice absorbs nearly all the stock. At the last minute, poach the rest of your fresh seafood (mussels, squid, fish and oysters) in some boiling water and toss in the pan.

Ole! The perfect paella!

Whenever you head to a new and exciting holiday destination, what to take with you is always a little bit hit and miss. Whilst you can get a rough idea of what the weather may be like, unless you’re going on your best friend’s recommendation, you’re never too sure just what situations you should pack for. If you’ve never been to Menorca before, what to pack on your Son Bou holidays could give you cause for a little furrow of the brow, but here are a few tips to help you out…

Swimwear – this is a family oriented resort so some reasonably modest swimwear would be best! You don’t want to be swanning around in your barely-there Brazilian style bikini in front of Mum Dad and the kids! However, don’t despair if you’re dying to go bare; there is a ‘secret’ naturists beach just a short stroll away from the main beach where you can get that all over tan.

Evening Wear – you certainly won’t need to pack your formal wear on your Son Bou holidays. Even though there are many restaurants, eateries and bars for you to choose from for your evening entertainment, they definitely take a more relaxed and casual approach to their dress code. Smart resort-wear at the most, shorts and sandals at the least!

Shoes – as mentioned above, sandals are all you’ll need for evening, and in the day you can get away with just a pair of flip flops. If you’re planning on taking in some of Son Bou’s famed walking trails, a pair of rubber soled trainers or plimsolls are advisable for the sometimes rocky terrain.

Toothbrush – don’t forget it!

Son Bou has long been renowned for its amazing birdlife. As well as an incredible diversity of species, because of the resort’s compact size, some of the best bird watching can be undertaken without even stepping from the patio of your own Son Bou villa! Every day you will undoubtedly catch regular glimpses of the Mediterranean and Cory’s Shearwaters coming in off the sea as they wing their way past your balcony.

If you head to the western end of the Son Bou Nature Reserve which is further away from the hotels and closer to the quieter areas where most of the Son Bou villas are, you will discover a peaceful setting. There are wonderful panoramic views over the coastline and the limestone cliffs of the coastline are an ideal vantage for bird watching.

Whether you want to stay close to home or venture a little farther afield, a Son Bou villa is a convenient location to act as a base to reach all of the island’s bird watching hotspots. As well as the resort itself, a drive along the entire of Menorca’s south coast will give you plenty more opportunities to see a wide variety of birds.

No matter how much you may be enjoying yourself on your holidays, at some stage you should drag yourself away from your lovely Son Bou villas and explore the other towns around the island. Son Bou is well serviced by buses and you have a great choice of places you can visit on a day trip.

Alaior

The ancient town of Alaior is only a short bus ride away from Son Bou. Set off early so you can spend the morning wandering the cobbled streets and admiring the whitewashed buildings, before settling in for lunch at a local restaurant. Renowned as the cheese capital of Menorca, you can sample the many varieties at the Coinga shop.

Cuitadella

Also an easy bus ride away on the western side of the island, the former capital of Menorca is a great full day trip out. Its delightful harbour setting makes it one of the more picturesque towns on the island and there is plenty of history for you to uncover as well. In the evening the town comes alive with a vibrant cafe and restaurant culture in traditional Spanish style.

Mahon

A little farther afield but still accessible, the capital of Menorca is a bustling port town. It lays claim to having the second deepest harbour in the world and its stunning clear water is ideal for swimming. Being the capital, Mahon is always buzzing and the seafront is a hive of activity. It is a great town to do some shopping so set aside an afternoon to get all your holiday gifts!