Motorsports Raises Vacation Island Profile
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by: Michael Mahon
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By far the quietest of the Balearic Islands, Menorca has successfully cultivated her image of a serene, peaceful destination over the years, and appeals to parents with toddlers, couples in their thirties and forties, and the older generation - and of all the holiday islands the take up of villa holidays is most likely in Menorca as opposed to hotel based ones.
There's only one golf course in Menorca - Son Parc - which surprises a lot of tourists given how well known Spain is for golf holidays. But that's typical Menorca - just one but it's of championship quality, easily accessible from all of the island's holiday resorts, and the Son Parc area has a good collection of hotels and villas to choose from.
Even more of a surprise was when news agencies started to report the arrival of Formula One teams on the island. No less than McLaren, Honda and Ferrari all sent their cars before the start of the F1 season to test.
But for Menorca, the peaceful Mediterranean holiday island, it was a pleasant surprise, and the world of F1 has been well and truly welcomed.
Locals watched on as Lewis Hamilton tested his McLaren at the Aeroclub de Mahon, perfect for straight line testing, which is why Menorca has been chosen by F1 teams - along with the weather in Menorca. Local people are more used to seeing holidaymakers on their flights to Menorca in the summer holiday months at Mahon International Airport than the world's best drivers at the nearby private airfield the F1 teams are using.
And perhaps some of the Menorca holidays magic rubbed off on Lewis in the first race of this years Grand Prix season - he won the Australian Grand Prix and the top Grand Prix of the year - Monaco - setting himself up to challenge for this year's driver championship in the process.
Menorca Property
And it's not just McLaren and Lewis Hamilton who tested in Menorca - Ferrari and Toyota did too, and maybe some of the holiday island's magic rubbed off on them too as Massa won the third Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain.
And while the world of F1 might be new to Menorca and the teams need to look at the Menorca map to see where the circuit is - and Menorca new to F1 - the island does have some other fine sporting facilities to offer tourists when they visit for a holiday.
One example is the golf course at Son Parc. Although it is the only golf course on the island it is championship standard and for golfers it is ideal as it has closeby Menorca villas, apartments and hotels, just a short stroll from the clubhouse. The course is a full 18 hole.
Menorca's main holiday villages apart from Son Parc are Cala en Porter, Binibeca, Cala'n Bosch, Arenal, Es Castell, Punta Prima and Son Bou. Son Bou has the longest sandy beach in Menorca, while Cala En Porter has a good bay generally regarded as a safe swimming area, and is a favourite for families who take Menorca holidays.
The Menorca holidays market has been boosted recently from the island's main UK market with the announcement from two different airlines that they are laying on extra Menorca flights this summer to Mahon Airport, not just from London Gatwick but other regional airports throughout the UK. Just an hour and a half flight away from the UK Menorca is ideally situated for a Mediterranean holiday, tourists either stay in one of the Menorca hotels, or alternatively have a villa holiday.
The peak months of the year hotels in Menorca and the holiday industry is, like many other holiday islands, July and August. But for people who can choose when to take their vacations, the best month to visit Menorca is June. The island is still quiet but all the holiday resorts are up and running, and good deals for flights to Menorca and villas as well as the hotels in Menorca can be found in June. Other good times to visit are May, and for the end of the season anytime between the second week of September and the first week of October.
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For more holiday information including a Menorca weather forecast and the current Menorca weather visit yourmenorca.net Photographs of the island along with Menorca property are also included.
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