Known to many sailing enthusiasts as one of the deepest natural bays in the world, Mahon is the capital city of
Menorca. An important port and an old town, Mahon will tempt holidaymakers looking for yacht charter in
Spain with shopping, nighttime entertainment and a lot of history. When you add the fact that the town never seems to get crowded even during summer, you realize its true potential.
General Info
Before being Menorca’s capital city, Mahon is known to the Yacht Charter regulars as the world’s second deepest natural bay after Pearl Harbor. It was the British who moved the capital to Mahon from Ciutadella in 1721 especially for that reason and for the strategic position it occupies on the eastern shore of the island.
The name Mahon (also known as Maho or Mao to locals) was given by Hannibal’s brother after taking refuge here. Then the city fell under the Moors from which is was taken by the Spanish who subsequently gave it up to the British in 1708. It wasn’t until 1802 that the city returned to
Spain after changing hands several times.
Travel & Arrival
The good thing about Mahon is that it’s serviced by its own airport, the
Menorca International Airport that receives flights from all major European airlines and some low cost ones, especially during the summer months when British Yacht Charter sailors rush to these shores. There are also flights from Spain and the other Balearic islands.
The deep bay in front of Mahon harbor comes in handy for the medium sized cruise that anchor here on occasion. However, the main maritime means of transport to the island are the regular ferries which arrive here from the Spanish coast from cities like
Barcelona,
Valencia or
Denia and from Palma on neighboring
Mallorca. These are used by the Yacht Charter tourists island hopping.
Avant & Apres Sail
Being an old town and important port, you can imagine that there are a lot of important buildings and landmarks to catch your eye. First, there’s the Arch de San Roque that are the only remains of the walls that used to protect the town, the Town Hall which has a typical Menorcan architecture and today it doubles as an art gallery. Then there’s the Church of Santa Maria which houses an organ with 300 pipes, the Plaza de Conquesta and the Public Library housed in an 18th century mansion.
The Yacht Charter crowds will then enjoy some shopping along the beautiful medieval streets which hide various shops and boutiques. Most of the merchandise is comprised of sweets and confectionery, leather and pottery products and in the markets you can find fresh fish and fruit. The local market is house in a former convent that has been restored. Underground, the locals ingeniously built a supermarket.
If you like fish and sea food in general, then Mahon is definitely the place to visit, having an exquisite array of Catalan, British and Muslim recipes to tempt your Yacht Charter taste buds. From the famous lobster stew to the chicken and beef dishes, to the famous Mahon cheese which has since travelled around the world, there is definitely something for you here. Also, you should definitely try the Ginet, a local variation of the British gin, made out of the many junipers in the countryside. The Ginet is drunk neat or in mixes such as Pomada which is made with bitter lemon.
The nightlife in Mahon is livelier than in other places on the island, but it still can’t compare with the madness going on every night after sunset in Mallorca or
Ibiza. For a good time with other Yacht Charter gangs head to the waterfront which is lined with bars and pubs with loud live music and even louder sailors. Some of the pubs stay open until the early morning so you can really make a night out of it.
Events & Actions
Mahon hosts a series of festivals throughout the year, ranging from maritime to religious and cultural. The most important are the Virgen de Carmen Fiesta (July), the Mare de Deu Gracia Festival (September) and the Procession of the Three Kings which is directed more at children and it’s sort of a Christmas celebration, but interesting nonetheless for Yacht Charter adventurers.