ARENAL d'en CASTELL
Area: Minorca
Country: Spain


Location:
N coast, 14 miles N of Mahon and the airport.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Position:
Built around a near-circular cove with steep slopes rising on all sides, backed by heathland and pine woods.

Description:
A modern resort with tourist developments clinging to the slopes all around the bay, and on flatter land to the side. The coastline is dramatic and probably the best feature; in comparison to other Minorcan resorts, this one tends to look over-developed.

Suitability:
A fairly lively resort, Arenal is good for families, especially younger ones, and for couples. Not ideal for the elderly because of the steepness.

Accommodation:
Assortment of apartments and hotels, mainly in the budget bracket and mid price range.

Shopping:
Quite a selection, but nothing very interesting.

Beach:
A lovely, long curve of golden sand lines much of the bay, with a smaller beach beyond some rocks at the W end. Equipped with pedalloes, windsurfers and sun loungers.

Entertainments:
Daytime: quite a good area for walking. Nightlife: several lively late bars supplement the entertainments offered by the hotels; usually possible to find something going on.

Eating:
Wide choice of restaurants, but fairly narrow band of options on the menu. Chips are ubiquitous, though there are at least a couple of good restaurants.

Public-transport:
Two daily buses to Mahon, two to Fornells.

Local-excursions:
See Mahon.