Mahon Harbour

Mahon Harbour

Cala Figuera is one of the easier ways reaching the harbour, if you walk leaving the seaside on the right hand, soon you will see the Yacht Club and Casino with plenty of small Bars and Terrasses. In the middle of the bay, the "King Island", name that received because Alfonso III landed there in 1287 when he conquered the island. At present it is almost ruined and it only keeps an army hospital built by the british in XVIII Cent.

You can see from here and from most of the places in the harbour "The Golden Farm" , with a peculiar red facade. The fame of it, derives from the legend of the love of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton.

Just keep on walking and you will discover that the harbour is really long and there is a lot to see there. In the  southshore at the top of the cliff, is where a small fortified village was built in ancient times. But the town grew and today  there are lots of buildings by the waterside.

There is a small park called "Parc Rochina", with some nice steps to go to the town, but if you prefer to walk beside the sea you will see the Navy Base (inside access is not permited) built by the british in XVIII Cent. The buildings there, of beatifull neo classic lines are the old arsenal of  the British Navy.

The north side of the harbour that you can see, beside the navy base is a place where since the very old times, people from Mahón has chosen for enjoyment. Today, all this area, called Cala Rata  and next Cala Llonga is a high class residential area.

If you continue walking soon you will pass Costa des General, one of the old lanes to town and through "Paseo de la Alameda", you can finish this itinerary here, as what you will find if you continue walking by the seaside is just the port industrial area.

From this area you can go as well to Sant Joan -Small orchards natural area that provides Mahon with its salad crops and fruits-  with a little church dedicated to John the Baptist. This place is well known because 80 year old King Alfonso III of Aragón met and defeated the moorish army in 1287, and regained Menorca for Christendom .