SANTO TOMAS
Area: Minorca
Country: Spain


Location:
Halfway along S coast, 18 miles W of Mahon and the airport.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Position:
S-facing and rather exposed. Backed by low wooded rolling hills. Narrow approach road.

Description:
Created for tourism, Santo Tomas is a string of modern hotels and apartment blocks, running for just under º mile parallel to the shoreline. Very quiet and unexciting with no local character to speak of, the resort's artificial feel is accentuated by the fact that it is only "open" from May to October and there is no local population living here out of season. Its raison d'etre is the beach, where most people gravitate during the day while keeping to their accommodation at night.

Suitability:
For older couples and families satisfied with a quiet beach holiday without huge crowds or any local culture.

Accommodation:
Middle-category hotels and apartments, with only a few private villas.

Shopping:
Two very small commercial centres provide tourist tack and groceries only.

Beach:
Two narrow beaches divided by rocky promontory, both comprising 600 yards of light-coloured sand and fine shingle with some rocky outcrops. Path and protected sand dunes separate busier beach from frontline hotels and apartments; quieter beach stretches beyond confines of resort.

Entertainments:
Daytime: beach and a few water sports. Nightlife: none apart from nightly shows in hotels.

Eating:
All eateries connected to accommodation, serving bland international fare and fast food, with the odd paella thrown in for authenticity. Nothing is cheap.

Public-transport:
Good regular bus service in season only (May_October): three buses daily to Mahon; three to Ciudadela; four to Es Migjorn. Two car-hire outlets.

Local-excursions:
As Mahon.