Menorca

Of the four main Balearic islands, Menorca is often labelled ‘the quiet one’. But after almost 30 years of UNESCO World Heritage status, July’s planned opening of Hauser & Wirth Menorca – an ambitious new arts centre with landscaping by Piet Oudolf – the island’s distinctive character is being thrust into the limelight.

Exploring

Many of the perfect beaches. Menorca is the largest UNESCO biosphere in the Mediterranean, reaching 12km into coastal waters. The island is diverse in habitat, with caves, ravines, lagoons and marshes. Car parking on beaches has been replaced by sand dunes that bristle with indigenous flora. Long-established nature reserve Albufera des Grau is a magnet for bird watchers, as well as beach-goers, kayakers and walkers.