It was the capital until, in the 18th century, the British moved the government to Maó for its harbour. Ciutadella kept the nobility, the church and the art — and that stately air you can still breathe. The whole old town is marès, the island's golden sandstone, which lights up at sunset. It's pedestrian, labyrinthine and made for getting lost.
The old town, palace by palace
The Gothic cathedral of Santa María, raised over the old mosque. The stately Plaça des Born, with the town hall and views over the harbour. And the palaces: Palau Salort, Palau Torresaura, Casa Olivar — noble houses that still keep their courtyards, their staircases and their history, and can be visited inside.
Torre Saura County Palace in CiutadellaCheck availability →
House Olivar, a palace with style in CiutadellaCheck availability →The harbour and the coast
Ciutadella's harbour, narrow and hemmed in, is one of the loveliest places to dine or have a drink as the sun goes down. And from the city, a step away, start the most famous coves of the south and the kayak trips along its golden-cliffed coast.
Paddle tour along the coast of Ciutadella: visit the most secret covesCheck availability →Ciutadella asks for a whole afternoon, no clock: getting lost in the lanes, stepping into a palace, having a drink on the Born and heading down to the harbour when the stone turns golden. It's cultured, beautiful Menorca, the counterweight to the coves.