Culture

Menorca has a modern thriving economy, but has managed successfully to preserve its traditional cultural values. Every weekend during the summer months a different town throughout the island holds a "fiesta". The central feature of the fiestas is known as the "jaleo" which is an equestrian procession to a live brass band culminating at the town square where the horses are paraded before local dignitaries. Within the square, packed with local residents and fiesta goers, the horses dance, spurred on by the music and atmosphere. The well-natured crowd encourage the horses to dance, and join in themselves with the help of a liberal supply of the traditional fiesta drink called "pomada" - a mixture of local Gin Xoriguer and lemonade.

Other aspects of traditional culture have been preserved through the "artisania" in the form of ceramic work, jewellery, cheese and gin. Leather goods, especially shoes are a specialty of the island. These range from the highly fashionable designer label of Jaime Mascarrό to the traditional boatmans shoes "abarcas". Cuisine on the island is excellent and there is a particular pride in using fresh, home-grown and reared produce.