Planning a Trip

Getting There

Minorca, lying off the eastern coast of Spain and northeast of Majorca, is reached by air, sea, or train. The most popular method of reaching Minorca, and certainly the quickest, is to fly, but you can take a ferry from mainland Spain or from the other two major Balearic Islands, Ibiza and Majorca.

It is always good to arrive with everything arranged in advance -- hotel rooms, car rentals, ferry or airplane tickets. In July and August, reservations are vital because of the limited hotel and transportation facilities.

Minorca International Airport (tel. 90-240-47-04 for information; www.aena.es) is 3km (2 miles) outside the capital city of Mahón. It receives dozens of charter flights, mainly from Germany, Italy, the Scandinavian countries, and Britain. Iberia (tel. 97-136-92-10) operates regularly scheduled domestic flights from Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, and even Madrid.

Regular ferry service, which operates frequently in the summer, connects Minorca with Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, and Ibiza. From Barcelona, the journey takes 9 hours aboard moderately luxurious lines. If you're on a real budget but still want a decent night's sleep, bunk in a four-person cabin, which is about the same price as a chair in the lounge. Meals can be purchased in a self-service restaurant on board or else brought along.

The ferry service is operated by Trasmediterránea, whose offices in Mahón are at Estació Marítim, along Moll (Andén) de Ponent (tel. 97-136-29-50; www.trasmediterranea.es); it's open Monday to Friday 8am to 1pm and 5 to 7pm. Saturday hours are 7 to 10pm, and Sunday 2:30 to 5pm, but only to receive the ferry from Valencia. However, any travel agency in Barcelona or Palma, even Ibiza, can book you a ticket; you need not go directly to one of the company's offices.

Getting Around

Transportes Menorca (TMSA), Cí Rodees 5, Mao (tel. 97-136-04-75; www.tmsa.es), operates bus service around the island. The tourist office has complete bus schedules for the island.

The Spanish-owned Atesa (tel. 97-136-62-13; www.atesa.es) operates a rental-car desk at the airport, charging from 50€ to 115€ for its cheaper models. Avis (tel. 97-136-15-76; www.avis.com) operates out of the airport, asking from 101€ for its cheapest cars per day. Car-rental firms on the island will deliver a vehicle to the airport either upon your arrival or after you check into your hotel -- but you must specify in advance.

To summon a local taxi, call tel. 97-138-28-96. The taxi stop is at Plaça s'Esplanada in Mahón. The typical one-way fare -- say, from Mahón to the beaches at Cala'n Porter -- is 15€.