No. 01 — Menorca — A Little Louder

Menorca doesn't announce itself. There's no fanfare, no queue of party boats, no strip of neon. What you get instead is light — extraordinary, generous, golden light that hits the whitewashed buildings differently at every hour. The moment you arrive you slow down, almost without realising it. That's the island doing its thing.

Fly into Mahón and head west. The island is small enough to cross in an hour but rich enough to keep you for a week. Don't rush it.

See

Ciutadella is where Menorca's soul lives. The old town is all sandstone and shadows — ochre facades, ancient church doors, palm trees casting long shadows across cobblestones. The Town Hall on Plaça des Born is worth stopping for. Stand in front of it at midday when the light is high and the colours are at their most saturated.

The island's coastline is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — which means large stretches of it are genuinely unspoilt. Seek out the natural arches at Pont d'en Gil. The rock formations are ancient and the water below is an almost impossible shade of blue.

If you have one cultural stop, make it the Hauser & Wirth space at Illa del Rei — a small island in Mahón harbour, accessible by the bright yellow catamaran.

Eat & Drink

Start slowly. Find a table at Pigalle, order a coffee and a pastry, watch the island wake up.

Order the black rice wherever you find it. Arroz negro — squid ink rice cooked in a wide pan, served by the water with a glass of cold local white — is the definitive Menorcan meal. Find a table as close to the sea as possible and take your time.

For lunch, head to Cantina at Illa del Rei. Tortilla de setas, a plate of gambas, red tables, dappled light, a cold bottle of Solan de Cabras. This is the island at its most generous.

For something slower, Smoix — lunch under the olive trees, white wine, a table you won't want to leave.

The Light

As an art director, this is what I come back to. Menorca's light is the reason to visit. Shoot in the early morning when the harbours are empty and the shadows are long. Come back at golden hour when everything turns amber.

The island is photogenic not because it's perfect but because it's honest. Nothing is staged. Everything is itself.

Take Home

Menorcan leather shoes — avarcas — are the island's most famous export for good reason. Simple, handmade, built to last. Buy them from a local maker rather than a tourist shop. You'll wear them for years.

Look out for local ceramics too — bold colours, traditional patterns. The kind of thing that looks even better when you get it home.