Comparing Son Bou Holidays to the Rest of Menorca

Author: Lisa Jeeves

It is commonly agreed among European tourists, and Brits in particular, that Menorca is one of the best Mediterranean destinations for those wanting a quieter holiday away from the hustle and bustle of big resorts. For an island that neighbours noisy, perpetually partying Mallorca and Ibiza, the smallest of the Balearics has managed to retain a remarkably low profile, with very little of the skyscraper-and-tchotchkes variant of tourism creeping in.

Much to the contrary, in fact; in places such as Mahon, Ciutadella, San Jaime or Son Bou, holidays are still enjoyed as they might have been decades ago, before the advent of nightclubs and high-rise hotels. The presence of excellent and accessible villa accommodation is, in many of these resorts, the biggest concession to tourism, with the island retaining its quaint and authentic appearance and atmosphere.

Perhaps for this reason, Menorca as a whole tends to attract a certain specific type of tourist and holidaymaker; however, even within this demographic, there are numerous distinctive groups, and it would be misguided to assume that every location on the island is the same, or appeals to the same group of people. To prove that this is not the case, we have drawn a comparison between Son Bou holidays and breaks in other resorts around the island, which you will find in the lines below.

Son Bou

Son Bou holidays are likely to please the type of traveller who comes to Menorca to enjoy the best of a beach-resort holiday, with none of the hassle. Located close to a small beachfront hamlet – more of a collection of shops for the people in the villas, really – and a short distance from San Jaime and the beach, this area allows families and those seeking peace and quiet to enjoy their time sunbathing without having to put up with drunken revellers and other usual summer-resort dwellers.

Mahon

As the capital of Menorca, Mahon is the closest thing the island has to a ‘city’. Many medium-sized urban areas in most other resorts in the world would still laugh in the face of that concept, but a tourist who wants to see what is buzzing in Menorca will want to make sure he or she books a villa within easy drive of Mahon. When compared to Son Bou holidays, visits to this city are less purely about the beach and more incorporating of history and culture.

Ciutadella

If Mahon is Menorca’s version of an ‘urban centre’, Ciutadella is its historical hub. Most of the island’s history can be gleaned from a visit to this location, which is therefore bound to delight those with an interest in past eras, and specifically in the French and British occupation of the island.

As is apparent, then, it would be a fallacy to say that every holiday on this lovely island caters to a similar crowd. Even within the tourist profile usually attracted to the island, there is enough variation to ensure different types of locations will appeal to different types of people.

Brenda Jaaback is the Managing Director of Bartle Holidays. They can provide you with a wide selection of villas for Son Bou holidays on Menorca. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.