Written in stone
Wanderlust Travel Magazine|August/September 2023
Menorca's archaeological sites, ancient crafts and historic coastal trail offer a little-seen glimpse of early life on an island that has horizons far beyond its beautiful sea views
Eddi Fiegel
Written in stone

"The goddess is approaching," my unofficial guide, Gonzalo, told me as an ogre-like thunderclap broke the silence in what had once been a stone circle. In the centre, two giant limestone slabs, hauled together to form a T-shape, towered over us. A few yards away, amid parched-looking scrubland dotted with wiry juniper trees, stood the base of an ancient watchtower, or talayot. As I looked across to the low-slung walls marking a series of dwellings arranged around a central courtyard, the stillness seemed almost haunted by the former inhabitants.

The Talayotic Village of Trepucó has often been described as 'the Stonehenge of the Balearics'. It's not hard to see why. Built sometime between 1000 and 700 BC, it sits barely a kilometre south of Mahón, the capital of Menorca, but it's a far cry from the unspoilt beaches and sandy coves for which the easternmost of Spain's Balearic Islands is better known.

On this warm, if thundery, early-June afternoon, any sun-seeking tourists were clearly elsewhere, no doubt enjoying the natural beauty of an island designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993. I was glad to have the site more or less to myself. The exception was Gonzalo, a stocky, youngish chap in a baggy T-shirt and shorts, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the site's small car park and was armed with fascinating but difficult-to-prove tales of the ancient villagers' rituals. (Pythagoras, the waxing and waning of the moon and the female menstrual cycle all loomed large in his theories.)

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August/September 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August/September 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS WANDERLUST TRAVEL MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
Vermont, USA
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Vermont, USA

The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup

time-read
6 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
Unique North America
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Unique North America

See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips

time-read
5 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
The call of the Rockies
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

The call of the Rockies

From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting

time-read
6 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

A new dawn for the Garifuna community

When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities

time-read
9 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
On the edge of history
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

On the edge of history

In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
October/November 2023
Tigers burning bright
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Tigers burning bright

As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing

time-read
9 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
SEASON'S GREETINGS
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

SEASON'S GREETINGS

From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
Waking a sleeping GIANT
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Waking a sleeping GIANT

A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself

time-read
8 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

The rebirth of old JEDDAH

As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October/November 2023
Star-studded escapes
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Star-studded escapes

Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens

time-read
8 Minuten  |
October/November 2023