Page 116 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Mallorca, Menorca & Ibiza

114  THE BALEARIC ISLANDS AREA B Y AREA CIUT ADELLA  115

R Santa Clara can be seen from R La Ermita de Sant Joan Festa de Sant Joan
Carrer Santa Clara. Closed to some distance and de Missa
the public. you can’t miss the old Carrer de Comte Cifuentes. This midsummer festival
The original church and windmill, the only sur­ The chapel, 8 km (5 miles) (23–24 June) has provided
convent of Santa Clara was vivor from a platoon of southeast of the town centre, the citizens of Ciutadella
founded in 1287 by Alfonso III. windmills that once is an important venue for the with an opportunity to go
Destroyed during the Turkish dotted the town. Festa Sant Joan celebrations. wild since the 14th century.
raid in 1558, it was rebuilt in Vespers are sung here on the St John’s Day begins with
Mass in the cathedral, but
the 17th century only to be P Plaça de evening of 23 June. The nearby fireworks, jousting and the
destroyed again during the s’Esplanada and road, which leads to Macarella, carrying of a live sheep
Spanish Civil War. A community Plaça dels Pins Macarelleta and Cala en Turqueta through the streets are also
of nuns still lives here. The wood These two adjacent beaches, is transformed into a part of the fun. For most,
carving depicting the Adoration green squares are the racecourse during the two days the highlight of the day is
of Shepherds, owned by the con­ lungs amid the historic of celebrations. the caixers (horsemen).
vent, was stolen by the Turks buildings of Ciutadella. Representing the medieval
and taken to Istanbul but The many bars and social classes, they ride Prancing horse in the streets
subsequently recovered. restaurants provide Windmill and tourist office in Plaça Alfons III among the noisy crowds. of Ciutadella
pleasant places in
which to relax and people­ From Punta na Mari, at the
watch, especially when the light entrance to the harbour, structure, built of stone blocks, stone watchtower. Along the
breezes from the west blow in you can see Castell de Sant is 7 m (23 ft) high and 14 m (46 road leading to Son Saura is
at sunset. In the evening there Nicolau. On the other side of ft) long and was used as a burial Son Catlar, Menorca’s biggest
are jazz concerts here. the harbour bay, about 500 m chamber. When it was excavated, prehistoric settlement. Its wall
(1,640 ft) further on, is Cala des in the 1950s, more than 50 is several metres high and built
g Harbour Degollador’s tiny beach. The bodies were discovered. In Torre of enormous stone blocks.
Moll Comercial. beaches of Platja Petita and Llafuda, about 3 km (2 miles) Inside, amid the sea of ruins
Ciutadella’s shallow harbour was Sa Platja Gran are several away, amid the shade of olive you can distinguish one taula
the main reason the British hundred metres further on. groves, stands one cracked taula and five talayots.
moved the island’s capital to A phenomenon peculiar and a well-preserved talayot. A short way to the north of
Maó. Now that a bigger and to Ciutadella harbour is the Fishermen in the harbour preparing The pleasant setting and the Ciutadella are two large resorts –
better harbour has been built mysterious rissaga wave. No their nets surrounding fertile farmland Cala en Blanes and Los Delfines
4 km (2.5 miles) outside of town, one is able to predict when make this a good place to stop (which has a small aqua center).
the old harbour accommodates this event will take place, but it and relax. Travel southeast of Eight kilometres (5 miles)
Statue of a horse, the star of the Festa de yachts and assorted leisure craft, can cause flooding of the port + Castell de Sant Nicolau Ciutadella and you find a number northeast is the tourist village
Sant Joan plus a scattering of fishing boats. to a height of several metres. Plaça Almirall Farragut. of beautiful beaches hidden in of Cala Morell. The man-made
Having descended from Plaça The last big rissaga occurred The 17th-century Castell de small coves. These include Cala prehistoric caves are dug into
E Museu Municipal d’es Born to the old harbour, in 1984 and left the harbour Sant Nicolau was built as a des Talaier, dominated by a rocks and were used for burials
Plaça de sa Font s/n. Tel 971 380 297. it is worth taking a walk along under 2 m (7 ft) of water. watchtower to protect the in the late Bronze and Iron Ages.
Open 10am–2pm Tue–Sat (from the bay to soak up some of the harbour. You can still enter They are now open to the public.
6–9pm May–Sep). & (free on Wed) harbourside activity. Early in the Further Afield the stronghold via a draw-
The museum occupies a bastion morning you can see fishermen The boundaries of the Old bridge and in the evening S Aqua Center
of the former town fortifications returning with their catch, the Town are defined by the wide the castle remains open to Urb los Delfines. Tel 971 388 705.
built in 1677. This is the only first bars opening and the town avenues of Avda del Capità provide a vantage point for the Open mid May–Sep: 10:30am–
preserved fragment of the town’s waking up to a new day. Negrete, Avda del Jaume I and spectacular sunsets over the har- 6:30pm daily. & ∑ aquacenter-
fortifications. Founded in 1995, Avda de la Constitució. bour. It also serves as a venue menorca.com
the Museu Municipal has a good Outside these limits for temporary exhibitions.
collection of Talayotic, Roman there are a few Standing near the castle is
and Muslim artifacts, most of interesting sights, the statue of a four-star admiral
which are kept in a large, vaulted principally La Ermita of the United States Navy, David
room. There are crafted beakers de Sant Joan de Missa Farragut, hero of the American
and tumblers, bowls and jugs, and the Castell de Sant Civil War and son of an immigrant
bronze weapons and jewellery Nicolau. A stroll along from Menorca. The admiral is
(with a distinct Phoenician the north side of the depicted in his uniform with
influence). There is also an odd harbour will take you epaulettes, holding a telescope.
collection of human skulls, to Punta na Mari. When he returned to Menorca
showing the damage caused Ciutadella, situated in 1867, he was awarded hon-
by the practice of trepanning. on Menorca’s west orary citizenship and a huge
coast, makes a good crowd turned out to greet him.
P Plaça Alfons III base from which to
This modest square is on the explore the area. From Environs
outskirts of the Old Town, by here you can get to Cala Naveta d’es Tudons, 5 km
Avda de la Constitució. Several Morell in the north, or (3 miles) east of town, is
cafés and restaurants shelter Cap d’Artrutx 10 km (6 Menorca’s best-preserved
under the trees. The square Georgian town hall on Placa de s’Esplanada miles) to the south. prehistoric ruin. The Bronze Age Castell de Sant Nicolau guarding the entrance to the harbour
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp150–51 and pp159–61

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