Ocean Coves with
a side of Gin
Some family holidays feel like a marathon in flip-flops—but Menorca? Menorca was pure magic. Think secret beaches, lazy siestas, and kids too busy chasing lizards to ask for snacks. It was sunshine, serenity, and just the right amount of chaos. Basically, the kind of trip that makes you check flight prices before you’ve even unpacked. So special it deserves it’s own post.
Magical Menorca: Sunshine, Secret Beaches & Gin-Soaked Siestas
There are family holidays where you need a holiday after the holiday (looking at you, theme parks), and then there are the rare unicorns—like Menorca, Spain—where everything just flows. The sun shines, the swims are salty and soul-soothing, and there’s just the right balance of kid-friendly chaos and grown-up recovery time. In short, it’s a miracle with better food.
While everyone and their paella-loving cousin flocks to Mallorca or Ibiza, Menorca quietly does its thing—less flashy, less crowded, and 100% our favourite of the Balearic bunch. It’s the lesser-known Spanish island that somehow manages to keep its magic under the radar… which, frankly, we love. Fewer crowds = more space for beach picnics, wild swims, and letting the kids pretend they’re the only ones on earth (while we pretend we can't hear their arguing).
We hit the jackpot staying at a friend’s Airbnb, @melodiehome_menorca—a breezy, beachy haven just a flip-flopped wander from the sea. Mornings kicked off with barefoot breakfasts on the patio, coffee in hand, kids already sticky from some sort of juice, and the distant promise of a beach nap that may or may not happen.
When we weren’t out exploring hidden coves or chasing down another bakery for our daily Ensaimada fix, the kids basically moved into the pool at our air-bnb. It became their kingdom—hours of splashing, diving, and increasingly dramatic cannonballs. When they weren’t in the water, they were tearing around the yard.
And while the little ones were busy being chlorinated blur machines, we grown-ups embraced the slower pace. Reading, snacking, and—yes—the sacred siesta, often aided by a local gin and tonic that mysteriously appeared around 3 p.m. every day. (We still don’t know who kept making them, but we’re grateful.)
It was one of those holidays where time stretches just enough, the kids are happily tired, and you remember why family travel is worth it—even when someone tracks sand into the house for the fifth time before lunch.
Menorca, you understated beauty, you’ve stolen our hearts—and we’re not even mad about it.
Gin soaked adventures.
Hidden Beaches and Secret Spots
Thanks to our friend (aka local legend), we were whisked away from the usual tourist trails to explore some of Menorca’s hidden beaches. Think: crystal-clear turquoise water, powdery white sand, and barely another soul in sight. The kind of places you’d assume were Photoshopped if you weren’t standing in them.
The kids played for hours, turning driftwood into pirate ships and rock pools into treasure coves, while we lounged in the sun wondering if we could just not go home.
Château Goals at Vestige Son Vell
One of the most unexpected highlights of our Menorcan adventure was Vestige Son Vell—a restored 18th-century manor house that looks like it fell out of a Mediterranean fairy tale and landed gently among rolling olive groves and lavender fields. It’s the kind of place where you whisper “wow” under your breath approximately every 30 seconds... until the kids start shouting about who can run the fastest across the lawn and reality resumes.
The architecture is a dreamy blend of rustic elegance and minimalist chic, with arches, stone walls, and sun-drenched courtyards that beg for long lunches and dramatic Instagram poses (don’t worry, we obliged). The grounds are vast and beautifully kept, which meant the kids turned into small, royal tornadoes—sprinting across manicured grass like ice-cream-stained nobility, chasing butterflies and possibly ghosts of fancy people past.
The staff were lovely, the views were pure art, and the whole place had this hushed, magical vibe that made you feel like you’d somehow snuck into a luxury magazine spread. We didn’t stay there (yet...), but you can book a room—and if you do, please send us a postcard so we can live vicariously.
It was one of those rare, golden moments of parenting: the kids were free, we were relaxed, no one was asking for snacks, and everything smelled faintly of rosemary and old money. Bliss.
Ciutadella: Long Lunches, Lost Pigeons & Pastry-Fueled Parenting
No trip to Menorca is complete without a proper wander through Ciutadella, the island’s old capital and current champion of cobbled charm. With its sun-drenched plazas, pastel shutters, and just the right amount of Mediterranean chaos, it quickly became our go-to spot for lazy lunches, casual strolls, and pretending we were the kind of family that always travels in coordinating linen outfits.
We dined like locals—or at least enthusiastic tourists—on tapas, fresh seafood, and heroic quantities of bread dunked in garlicky olive oil. Meanwhile, the kids ran loops around the fountains like caffeinated tour guides, pausing only to launch pigeon chases with Olympic-level commitment. No bird was safe, but the pigeons of Ciutadella are clearly seasoned professionals.
Our favourite parenting hack? Hand the kids a sticky, glorious Ensaimada (Menorca’s finest pastry swirl) and let them spiral into a sugar coma while we enjoyed a very grown-up cocktail. Or two. There’s something about sipping a cold drink in a sun-dappled square while your children are blissfully distracted by pastry and pigeons that feels dangerously close to actual relaxation.
Ciutadella had it all: history, beauty, carbs, cocktails, and enough chaos to keep it interesting. It’s the kind of place you plan to pop into for an hour and accidentally spend the whole afternoon. No regrets—just powdered sugar on everything.
Seaside Towns & Slow Evenings (AKA: The Ice Cream and Gin Chapter)
There’s a certain rhythm to Menorcan days—a blissful blend of beach-hopping, market meandering, and questionable parenting decisions like letting the kids eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But when you’re in a sleepy seaside town where everyone’s doing the same, who's judging? Certainly not us. Or the locals.
We drifted from one coastal gem to another, finding tiny cafés with ocean views, little shops selling handmade sandals and straw hats we absolutely didn’t need, and plenty of menus featuring dishes we ordered “just to try” and then devoured in ten seconds. Pork everything? Yes. Extra salty—just like our children after a day in the sea.
And then, just when the kids started their post-swim sand-sprint meltdown, we discovered Menorca’s best-kept secret: local gin. Made with wild juniper berries and something close to magic, a Menorcan gin and tonic at golden hour became our unofficial daily tradition. You haven’t truly known peace until you’ve sipped a chilled Menorcan gin with your toes in the sand while your children build “the world’s biggest sand volcano” at a safe distance.
Evenings were for slow strolls, post-dinner gelato, and watching the sky go full pastel over the water. Sometimes the best kind of family adventure is one where nothing much happens—except everyone’s a little sandy, a little sun-kissed, and a whole lot happier than they were before.
A love letter to Menorca
Menorca gave us everything we didn’t know we needed: salty hair, sandy toes, endless play, and a few quiet moments to breathe (and sip gin). It’s the kind of place that feels easy, warm, and full of small joys—a perfect family escape with just enough magic to keep everyone smiling.
Would we go back? In a heartbeat. Preferably tomorrow.
