Theme Week Balearic Islands – Minorca

Tuesday, 19 July 2011 - 03:04 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
Category/Kategorie: General, Architecture, UNESCO World Heritage
Reading Time:  4 minutes

Grau-Maó © Andrómeda7

Grau-Maó © Andrómeda7

Minorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca. Minorca has a population of approximately 94,383 inhabitants.

In October 1993, Minorca was designated by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. The Balearic Islands were the first legislature to give legal rights to apes. In July 2005, the island’s application to become the 25th member of the International Island Games Association was approved.

The location of Minorca in the middle of the western Mediterranean was a staging point for the different cultures since prehistoric times. This Balearic Island has a mix of colonial and local architecture.

Cavalleria Lighthouse © CBA11 Taula - Talatì de Dalt © ZenTrowel S'Almadrava East of Port of Sanitja © CBA11 Cala Mitjana © H Haase Menorca Panorama from Monte Toro © Enrique Ayesta Perojo Martello tower and Alcaufar with Illa de laire lighthouse in the distance © Nicolas Mertens Ensaimada © Jéssica Gomila Cap de Cavalleria © Jaume Meneses Cap de Cavalleria Ecomuseum including Cavalleria Cape and the Port of Sanitja © CBA11 Cales Coves © ZenTrowel Typical Menorca architecture © Mac9 Grau-Maó © Andrómeda7
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Martello tower and Alcaufar with Illa de laire lighthouse in the distance © Nicolas Mertens
The fiestas take place throughout the summer in different towns around the island, and have their origins in the early 14th century. The international opera week and international organ festival in Mahon and, the summer music festival and Capella Davidica concerts in Ciutadella are the main events of the island.

Minorca’s cuisine is dominated by the Mediterranean diet which is known to be very healthful. Whilst many of the locals have adopted modern attitudes they still uphold certain old traditions like chivalry, courtesy and, of course, hospitality.

Minorca is especially well known for its traditional summer fiestas, which intrigue many visitors. The Festes de Sant Joan is held annually in Ciutadella. The festes lasts for three days. On the first day, a man bears a well-groomed sheep upon his shoulders and parades around the local streets. In the late evening, main streets are closed and bonfires held upon them. On the second day, locally bred black horses are the star of the show. Dressed up for the occasion with ribbons and rosettes. The riders, or caixers, ride the horses through the streets and encourage them, along with a tumultuous crowd of people, to rear up on their hind legs. The brave can be found running underneath them as they do so. The third day sees intense competition between the riders in a harmless form of jousting that involves spearing a suspended ring with a lance at considerable speed. The festes is brought to a close with a firework display.

Here you can find the complete Overview of all Theme Weeks.

Read more on Island Administration Minorca, Wikitravel Minorca and Wikipedia Minorca. Learn more about the use of photos. To inform you about latest news most of the city, town or tourism websites offer a newsletter service and/or operate Facebook pages/Twitter accounts. In addition more and more destinations, tourist organisations and cultural institutions offer Apps for your Smart Phone or Tablet, to provide you with a mobile tourist guide (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.




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