Hidden Beauty In A Quarry

Menorca is famed for its beautiful sandstone which has been mined for centuries and used on the island and even exported to the mainland. As with most quarries, when the supply of stone is exhausted or it’s no longer economical, it is abandoned and left to remain an eyesore. Alternatively, Mother Nature intervenes and turns it into a natural oasis of beauty.

One such quarry is the Pedreras de s'Hostal quarry located about 6km east of Cuitadella.

Until 1994, there was no reason to visit this quarry in Menorca. Holidays and defunct quarries rarely go together.  However, in 1994 the quarry closed after hundreds of years of operation, leaving behind a huge pit with 30m high sides and the still visible marks of the masons who cut out massive slabs of stone.

Laetitia Lara and the Líthica Association

After the quarry closed, its fate was uncertain.  But then it was visited by sculptor Laetitia Lara and representatives of the Líthica cultural organisation.  They discovered an area of great beauty, a beauty that combined nature’s work over millions of years and man’s interaction with that work in the quarry. They found a place with amazing potential to be a place of peace and tranquillity, a place to plant and grow and a place that could become a cultural centre for the entire island.

Breathing New Life into Inanimate Stone

Since they adopted the quarry, Laetitia Lara and the Líthica Association have transformed it into a place of beauty, providing visitors with a unique and enchanted environment which is high up on the list of attractive must do experiences for all Menorca holidays.

A series of high stone walls divide the quarry into many small and intimate spaces. Some contain miniature eco-systems with citrus and fig trees growing tall and straight; others are beautifully designed and maintained gardens that, at the right time of year, will almost overwhelm you with their scents or the colours of their blossoms.

As you follow the meandering past, you are taken through 12 unique spaces, each based on its own, unique theme. These include:

1. The Orange Grove
2. The Almond Grove
3. The Shady Quarry
4. The Wild Olive Quarry
5. The Medieval Quarry
6. The Apple Quarry
7. The Piranesi Quarry
8. The Labyrinth Quarry
9. The Amphitheatre
10. The Quarry Workers Quarry
11. The Pond Quarry
12. The Nursery

Summer Visits

During the summer months, the Amphitheatre Quarry hosts many concerts and performances in a secluded and intimate atmosphere.  Guided tours are available: they take around 60 minutes. You can also explore by yourself – but be prepared to get lost in the beauty and tranquillity that surrounds you.

Opening Hours and Entry Fee

Entry costs 5 euro between March 19 to November 1.  From November, through to March 19, entry is free.

Opening hours:

2nd November to 31st March – Monday to Sunday, 9:30 to 14:30;

April 1st to 1st November – Monday to Sunday, 9:30 to 14:30 and 16:30 till sunset.

Author Plate

Brenda Jaaback, Managing Director of Bartle Holidays, is a renowned Menorca expert. From its history to its people and from its wildlife to its cuisine - no secret of the island remains hidden to her. Personally selecting the finest properties for her clients, Brenda is the go-toperson for anyone planning relaxing Menorca holidays. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.