Mao

There was a city here in Roman times; its name, Mahon, may be that of Hannibal's brother but is more likely derived from a Phoenician word meaning 'shelter'. Modern Mahon dates from the Catalan conquest; it was Alfonso III, the conqueror, who began both the Church of Santa Maria and the city walls, of which only the gateway of Port de Sant Roc survives.

The greatest influence on the city you see today, though, is probably British. It was the British who moved the capital to Mao and filled it with Georgian style architecture not seen anywhere else in Spain. Streets such as Carrer Isabel II are adorned with grand 18th century houses, with furniture in the style of Sheraton and Chippendale and bow windows leaning across the pavement.

For three centuries Mao (which is frequently still referred to by its Spanish name, Mahon) has had to serve its foreign rulers, whether British, French or Spanish. The result is a city that is serious rather than stylish, industrious rather than flamboyant. At times its status as a capital makes it feel like a much bigger city; at other times, when work is done for the day and everyone greets everyone else by name during the evening passeig across the Pla,a de S'Esplanada, it feels like little more than a small village.

The Menorca Museum

 Come here after exploring Menorca's archaeological sites to discover what happened to all the finds and to piece together the missing links in your knowledge of Menorcan history Coins, pottery and funerary objects from several different cultures are gathered under one roof, together with the island's largest collection of fine arts Among the objects on display is a complete skeleton of Myotragus balearicus, a goat-like mammal that once lived on Menorca but became extinct with the arrival of man. There are Talaiotic sculptures, Roman mosaics and the British coat of arms from Fort Sant Felip.

The setting, in the cloisters of the old Franciscan monastery, is a delight, with galleries arranged around a shady courtyard with an old well at its centre.

The Placa de S´Esplanada

This esplanade the square between the barracks and the streets of the old town is the best place to go to see the people of Mao at play. There are pigeons and palm trees, fountains and flower beds, a bowling alley and a children's playground which is busy from late afternoon until dusk. Old men sit in the shade reading newspapers; teenagers queue for popcorn and ice-cream.

On Tuesdays and Saturdays there is an open-air clothes market here; on Sundays, street entertainers join the crowds. During Mao's festivals Placa de S'Esplanada acts as an outdoor venue for concerts and parties. The square is lined with cafes a good place to come during the evening passeig to sit with a drink, feeling the pulse of Mao.

Santa Maria Church Mahon

Mao's main church was begun soon after the Catalan conquest, then rebuilt in neo-classical style in the 18th century in a gesture of defiance to the island's British, Protestant rulers. Everything here is done on a massive scale A huge, forbidding facade, like a great ochre cliff-face broken only by the incongruous presence of four sash windows, leads through the entrance portal to a long, single nave. Most people come here to see (or hear) the organ, built by the Swiss maker Johann Kyburz and imported from Barcelona during the Napoleonic Wars with the help of the British. During the summer there are daily concerts of organ music.

The Principle Theatre Mao

When the Greek community was forced out of Mao in the late 18th century, the former Orthodox church was converted into a dance hall; when that outgrew its usefulness, this theatre was built instead. Designed by a Florentine architect and full of Italianate touches, it was the first opera house in Spain when it opened in 1829 The theatre was comprehensively restored and reopened in 2001.

Xoriguer Gin Distillery Menorca

 Menorca's leading gin distillery promotes itself as a tourist attraction in order to entice customers in. In practice all you get to see is the shop, with a few copper stills bubbling away behind glass. The good news, though, is that you can drink as much as you like not just gin, but herbal liqueurs ranging from camomile to carob. Another specialty is calent, made with aniseed, cinnamon and saffron and served warm to clients 'on the house' by bar owners in Ciutadella each Christmas.