Alaior

Alaior is just a short drive from Son Bou and if you don’t have access to a hire car, there is a fairly regular bus service which will take you right into the town centre.  It is the third largest town on the island and is one of the most traditional; white-washed houses and cobbled streets are the facade for Alaior’s deeply ingrained Roman history. If you are lucky enough to visit on market day you will be able to experience the hustle and bustle of a traditional Spanish farmer’s market.

The town has many other attractions as well, and during the summer the old convent plays host to a music festival. In August, the famous ‘Fiesta de Sant Llorenc’, showcasing the skills of the local horsemen is a must-see.

Ciutadella

With a name literally translating to ‘the old and the beautiful’ Cuitadella certainly lives up to its moniker on both counts. The town is the former capital of Menorca and has retained a quaint and authentic charm. Although it lost its status as the capital, many locals still consider it the premier town on the island; indeed it has been the most important in terms of trade and commerce since medieval times.

After a morning exploring the rich history and architecture of the town, spend your afternoon relaxing in one of the many harbour side cafes and watch the world go by…

So, when it comes to Menorca, Son Bou is the ideal place to experience the beach, but don’t forget the rest of the island too!

Raul has now become something of a celebrity to the Menorcans and has appeared in several publications and TV programmes about the island. Although Raul may have now left the Real Madrid football club he has no plans to leave Menorca; Son Bou remains in his heart forever.

Running

Running is definitely among the best exercises to do in Menorca – Son Bou being full of sand means that the unstable base will have you engaging far more muscle fibres, burning extra calories, and generally working harder than you would by running on a solid surface. Alternating between a jog and a sprint is perfect for keeping your heart rate up, and lifeguard posts make ideal distances to aim for, as well as keeping the beaches safe in Menorca. Son Bou also makes a fantastic place to exercise because of its very nature. Walking through the water itself can become a great resistance exercise, not to mention the many benefits of swimming in general. Check out Top End Sports for some more fitness tips for the beach.

Timing

If you’re looking for a truly spiritual workout experience, beginning your exercise routine at sunrise or sunset adds not only keeps you out of the worst of the sun, and adds a gorgeous atmosphere to your training, but coincides with the peaks of your body’s circadian rhythms. Whether working at sunrise when your energy levels are rising, or in the evening when you’re warmed up from the day’s activities and able to relax into some exercise, timing your exercise to Son Bou’s natural beauty will definitely leave you feeling refreshed.

The best part is being able to instantly cool off after your run in the warm ocean water – let’s face it, Son Bou beats the gym showers any day.

2.    Feed the ducks.  The wetlands and reed beds behind the beach at Son Bou is an area that many ducks call home, and they look forward to daily visits from tourists with a handful of bread for their dinner.  A lovely natural area to explore, the wetlands are a great place to cool off as you walk the coastal path along the side of the reed bed, but watch out for those mosquitoes!

3.    Go horseriding.  Menorcans are known for their fantastic horses, and with any luck your time there will coincide with a public holiday or festival, part of which will include an impressive equestrian display.  But if you want to get out into the countryside for real, then the best way to see it is definitely to get up on a horse yourself.

4.    Get lost in the maze. The Laberinto is the most well-known maze in Menorca.  Son Bou’s biggest attraction for the kids, this is truly a great way to spend an afternoon.  Moreover, if you have time to go in an evening you will come face to face with ghouls and ghosts lurking around corners ready to jump out at you.

5.    Take a day trip. Close to towns such as Alaior and Ciutadella and some of the other best spots in Menorca, Son Bou is the perfect base for day trips.  Easily accessible, these towns are perfect for a spot of sightseeing, market shopping and exploring.

Morning
Roll over in your wonderful beachside villa and glimpse your first view of the perfect Son Bou weather; blue skies, white sand and a never- ending expanse of turquoise ocean. If you can bear to drag yourself away from the view, perhaps you’d like a quick dip in the pool to wake up before a tropical breakfast in your fully-appointed kitchen? There are wonderful self-catering holiday villas situated all over Menorca; Son Bou’s are some of the best.

Midday
Well by the time midday arrives you’ve probably already spent a good couple of hours at the beach; lazing on your sun-lounger, playing beach-volleyball, going out on a pedalo or just generally swimming and frolicking in the sea. Now is the time to start thinking about what you’d like to eat; perhaps a picnic lunch on the beach? Or maybe you’d rather rinse off and treat yourself and the family to a fresh seafood lunch at one of the local restaurants? You can do what you like – after all, you’re on holiday! After lunch you can take a stroll along the longest and most beautiful beach on Menorca. Son Bou beach stretches for over 2500 metres and is perfect for walking off your lunch – and working up an appetite for dinner!

Evening
After a wonderful day on the beach, or exploring beyond Son Bou by car or bus, it’s great to start your evening off with cocktails at sunset. If you have children in tow, not to worry, the bars will serve you up a non-alcoholic version as well. There is nothing more relaxing than feeling the glow of a cocktail over your slightly glowing sun-tinged skin, knowing your dinner is only minutes away… and speaking of dinner, where would you like to go? Any one of the resort’s restaurants will serve you up a delight of local produce and seafood; or perhaps you would simply like a quiet night in at the villa with a barbeque on the patio.

Hopefully this all sounds like a pretty good imaginary schedule for your holiday in Menorca. Son Bou can offer you all this and much, much more….

Butterflies
Not just home to the longest beach in Menorca, Son Bou is also known for the dunes and reed beds behind the beach, which act almost as a homing beacon for insects.  There you will find all manner of bright and beautiful butterflies, each of their wings featuring more vivid and varied colours than you can possibly imagine.  Though they may be smaller than birds, butterflies are certainly just as photogenic – if you can make them sit still for long enough.

Caterpillars
Of course, where there are butterflies there will also be caterpillars, but the caterpillars you will see in Menorca – Son Bou included – are not quite like the ones you will see at home.  Though the population can occasionally get a little too high, for the most part you will find them to be multi-coloured and most impressive to look at!  When you see the colouring of the caterpillars, it is not hard to see why they turn into the beautiful butterflies that they do.

Dragonflies
There are many dragonflies in Menorca.  Son Bou’s nature reserve in particular is a great place to spot them as they make the most of the flowers and the reed beds. Often flying in pairs, dragonflies are not only large enough to spot, but certainly colourful enough too.  Fast-moving but great fun, these insects may not stay still long enough to get a photo, but you’ll certainly remember them for a while!

The celebrations in Menorca might not have been as large as those on the mainland, where millions of people lined the streets of Madrid to give the team a hero’s welcome, but the island celebrated in its own, slightly more reserved, way.

On the evening of the game, both holidaymakers and locals alike descended down to either  Son Bou’s English themed Kit Cat Bar or Joseph’s, also in the resort. The atmosphere in both bars was extremely tense, but when Iniesta finally scored, cheers could be heard reverberating throughout the resort. Afterwards many took to the beach to celebrate or ended their evening in Mojitos Discotechque, after watching the winner’s ceremony live from Johannesburg.

Beach Shots

Having the longest, and some say most beautiful, beach on the whole of Menorca, Son Bou is ideal for the ubiquitous sun, sea and sand shot. The graduated shades of blue in the sea and sky and the creamy white of the sand provide the perfect beach photograph. But the real draw card of photographing the beach at Son Bou are the magnificent colours and hues of the sunrises and sunsets. Bite the bullet and set your alarm for daybreak and you’ll be able to capture some unforgettable images. If you’re not an early bird and not even the lure of photographic perfection can lure you awake, don’t worry, the short window of time as the sun sets over the horizon will also afford you some stunning images.

A Little Bit of History

If you can bear to drag yourself away from the beach, Son Bou has some fascinating historical sites to explore and photograph. A short way out of the resort, along cliffs at the end of the beach, you will find the ancient settlement of Torre d’en Galmes. The short hike pays off in the photographic opportunities once you get there. There are some wonderful caves to explore as well as a number of stone structures called ‘talayots’. As is the case all over Menorca, Son Bou has a fascinating history and it is worth documenting some of it on film.

Take a Tip

The main key to getting great shots while on holiday is to get out there and start taking pictures. There are however some basic tips that will give you an edge over the other amateurs and have everyone admiring your work not just as holiday snaps but perhaps even as art!

So just what sort of goodies can you expect to pick up while you’re in Menorca? Son Bou, while small, has a good selection of shops and you won’t be disappointed if you want to spend a leisurely few hours browsing. Just be aware that some shops in Son Bou may adhere to the ‘Siesta’ rule where they close from 2 until 5, but then reopen until around 9 at night.

In the shops and boutiques which run along the front you will be able to pick up some cheap and cheerful holiday clothes such as swimsuits and the brightly coloured espadrilles which just scream “I’m on holiday and lovin it!” You can also pick up all manner of souvenirs for the folks at home who aren’t as lucky as you to be on holidays in Menorca. Son Bou also has a couple of smaller craft stores which sell everything from ceramics to home made soap.

If you’re more into food shopping you can head out of Son Bou to some of the other towns on the island to visit some of their local markets on various days of the week. The markets are a great place to pick up cheese, meats and other foodie delicacies.

But the best thing about shopping in Son Bou is that wherever you venture to, you’re never too far away from your villa, so lugging all those carrier bags doesn’t have to encroach on your holiday relaxation!

The actor remains lying in his bunk bed and sipping chocolate milk, while outside his apartment people played the guitar and sung. He found the experience really exciting and it was his father that provoked the most memories of that trip as he swam in the sea and caught a diseased fish with his bare hands. Nowadays Ben gets to travel all over the world as part of his job, but it’s still Menorca that evokes the most nostalgic memories.