Taking a Day Trip to Monte Toro

Summary: Menorca has many impressive destinations that are just perfect for a day trip on the island, from Bronze Age caves to a working gin distillery. However, for the best views of the island on your Menorca holiday head to Monte Toro and its 17th Century Sanctuary.

At 354 metres above sea level, Monte Toro is not just the highest peak on the island, but also the only place in Menorca that can really be classified as a mountain. Driving to the precipice may be time-consuming, but once you reach the top you are offered breathtaking views of the surrounding area. On a clear day it is even possible to see across the ocean to the isle of Majorca with its rugged mountainous peaks.

Although Monte Toro is located in the geographical centre of the island, halfway between Mahon and Ciutadella, the Menorcans hold the mountain is such high regard that they believe it also pinpoints the spiritual centre. This may be the reason that in the 17th Century the top was chosen as the location for a Franciscan nunnery, which is still in use to date and which can be visited on your holidays in Menorca from the first Sunday in May onwards.

Legend has it that Monte Toro, or El Toro as it sometimes referred to by the locals takes its name from a bull (el toro) who uncovered a statue of the Virgin Mary in the rock face. However, this story has been widely disputed and it is now believed that the mountain received its name from the Moors inhabitation of the island, as al-tor is Arabic for highest mountain.

One thing is for certain, El Toro has certainly been inhabited for a long time and the spiritual monuments that you will spot whilst on your Menorca holidays are certainly a testimony to that fact. It is believed that the mountain was first inhabited sometime in the 15th century when a watchtower was constructed at its highest point. In 1558 a defence tower was added to the top of the watchtower and both of these ancient monuments can be spotted whilst on holiday in Menorca.

In the 17th Century a nunnery was built at the top of the mountain, which today is inhabited by a superfluity of Franciscan nuns. A monument in the courtyard commemorates the 18th Century Menorcans who immigrated to Florida in order to flee persecution in Europe.

The doorway of the church is certainly unique, featuring a multitude of clock faces interspersed with giant bows. Inside is a simple nave with three separate chapels located to the sides, and one of the chapels features the holy cave where the bull was said to have unearthed the statue of the Virgin. Whether you believe the tale or not, this spiritual centre is held in such regard by the locals that you simply can’t miss it whilst on your Menorca holidays. The Virgin of El Toro is considered to be the patron saint of the island and as a consequence this cave is much revered by the locals and considered a pilgrimage point by many followers of the Catholic religion.

There are more monuments located outside the church, including the monument of the Sacred Heart and a monument commemorating the Catholics who immigrated to Algeria, which was then a French colony, to escape persecution within Europe.

With such a multitude of sacred monuments detailing Menorca’s vibrant history, visiting El Toro whilst on your Menorca holidays promises a real insight into the culture of the island, both past and present.