Menorca, Spain, is one of the Balearic Islands and gets its name from the fact that it is the smaller than its neighbour, also appropriately named, Majorca. Like most islands in Spain it enjoys a lovely climate, plenty of history to get your teeth into and relatively cheap package holidays on offer. But what is it uniquely about Menorca that makes it so popular among British tourists? This article, far from providing an exhaustive list, looks at a few of those reasons.

One of the reasons is definitely how easy it is to throw yourself into the culture of the island. During the months of May and October, there are countless festivals occurring on the island, celebrating all the things that are great about the locals’ history and culture. Not surprisingly, then, this is the time when most tourists visit the island, but unlike its giant neighbour, Menorca never gets too busy, so you can enjoy a nice relaxing holiday, even in peak months.

One of the most popular festivals is the Festes de la Mare de Du de Graciam, on the 23rd of June in Ciutadella. The first day consists of everyone (tourists and locals alike) gathering round to watch marchers and dancers and people on horseback march up and down the streets in celebration. Then on that very evening people begin a huge pretend war where they hurl hazel nuts at each other in the street. It is a rare and fantastic display of pride in culture.

Another reason this island is perhaps such a popular place for British tourists is the history. There are some extremely ancient megalithic stone monuments on the island which are evidence for extremely early human activity. And there is plenty of British history to learn about here too, for Britain took control of Menorca for about a century, leaving behind much in terms of architecture, and other things.

As this list should make clear, Menorca has a lot to offer tourists from Britain. It has all the climate and culture of other Spanish destinations, but it offers some unique opportunities to experience this culture, as well as a history that is tied up with that of Britain, and ancient civilisations too.

Check out these great Menorca hotels.