Crafts – European Traveler

Discover Monte Isola: Fishing Heritage and Local Cuisine

By Alison Ramsey

Northern Italy island cuisine and fishing boats follow tradition

Literally translated to “Mount Island,” the beautiful village of Monte Isola, Italy, rises from the middle of Lake Iseo in the Brescia province in Lombardy. Monte Isola comprises three islands, the principal being Montisola—the largest inhabited lake island in Europe—reachable only by boat (ferries run approximately every 20 minutes during the day). Beneath the glittering cobalt water swims the sea life that, for years, inhabitants relied on for sustenance and livelihood. Montisola’s main industry is now tourism, but in the past, it was fishing.

Montisola island in Lake Iseo has many docks and fishing boats

Montisola island in Lake Iseo is lined with docks and fishing boats.

Fishing boats and islands dot Lake Iseo in the Brescia region of Italy.

Unique Wooden Fishing Boats

Shipbuilding yards focused heavily on making a typical style of fishing boat called the Naèt—long and narrow wooden boats, similar in style to the famous Venetian gondolas. Islanders depended on these light and agile boats for fast transportation to the mainland as well as for successful fishing. Naèts are difficult to construct and require great skill to make, with builders using an ax, hammer, chisel, and plane to cut and shape chestnut wood for the frame and durable larch wood for the remainder of the body.

The original flat 4.5-foot-wide boats were almost 23 feet long, with sails attached to two intercrossed chestnut wood poles—about 11.5 feet and 13 feet each. Around 1958, builders began removing the sails and adding engines to these boats, which shortened the boat length by about two feet. At the very center depth of the hull, the width remains only 80 cm. Every village uses its own color for their Naèts, so a quick glance at the docks identifies where each boat originated.

The only remaining shipbuilding yard on the island is Cantiere Nautico Ercole Archetti, and this craftsmanship-focused family company has trained five generations of carpenters to reach shipbuilding expertise. Building unique wooden boats since 1600, the team now uses cutting-edge technology but still makes their products entirely by hand, using carefully selected marine wood and employing highly qualified Master Shipwrights. Maintenance, storage, and rental are other offerings from Ercole Archetti Shipyards.

Paolo Archetti, owner of local net manufacturing company Bresciareti, said that nuns used to own property on the island and wanted to be paid for the land they lent out. Renters with limited cash began to pay the nuns in fish instead of funds—children loaded the special two-ended wooden needle with thread and women handwove the nets men used for fishing. Because fishing was most productive during the warm months of April, May, and June, islanders learned how to preserve their catches, drying the fish and conserving them in oil for later payment.

Top left: The color of a Naèt indicates from which village the boat originated.
Top right: The Bresciareti storefront sells handwoven net accessories and the company fulfills large orders of machine-created nets for sports, construction, and aviary control.
Bottom (photo courtesy of Michele Turla): Peschiera Maraglio port has always been a hotspot for boat parking.

Island Cuisine Includes Preserved Sardines

The pretty, pink-embellished Church of St. John the Baptist in Carzano, a small lakeside settlement on Montisola, is also known to locals as “St. John of the Sardines.” Independent tour guide Elena Confortini explained that on June 24 residents historically celebrated St. John’s feast day. On this day, which fell during the final seasonal period when sardines came closest to the shore and there was an abundance of fish, the church used to cook sardines in its front square and serve them freely. Although locally referred to as “sardines,” these fish are actually a species of freshwater twaite shad (Alosa fallax locustris) but are called sardèna in Italian because their appearance is similar to true sardines.

Left (photo courtesy of Michele Turla): Fishing was the primary industry in historical Monte Isola.
Right: Dried, salted, and preserved sardines on polenta are a traditional treat served by Sensole Locanda Contemporanea restaurant.

For centuries now, island cuisine has included dried, salted, and preserved fish—characteristically sardines, perch, and the common European whitefish (known in Italian as coregone). These fish, cured with salt and dried in the sun for 24 hours, are then washed and strung up in parallel lines dangling from hooks or tacked upon arches of ash branches secured with thread on both ends. After sunning outdoors in the heat for 5-10 days, the fish are removed into iron containers and pressed in olive oil. Several months in this state turns sardines a golden color, and they can then be seasoned simply with garlic, parsley, and oil, and grilled quickly over a hot fire. The surname “Archetti” is one of the more common names on Montisola. Translating to “little bows,” this name is derived from the bowed wooden frames erected all over the island for fish-drying.

Garden art pieces imitating fish-drying frames decorate the lakeside

Fish-drying frames are still used to dry sardines in the sun

Monte Isola fish-preservation techniques from the past are still used today across the island, and garden art pieces imitating fish-drying frames decorate the lakeside. (Black-and-white photo courtesy of Michele Turla)

Only two eateries on the island currently serve sardines, one of which is Sensole Locanda Contemporanea. This charming, yellow-walled lakeside restaurant sits directly down the rocky hillside below Martinengo Fortress, a privately owned castle with a recognizable circular lookout tower. Young restaurant owner, Giovanni Lo Bresti, expertly serves traditional dishes using locally grown products, with each course gorgeously plated. Try the intensely flavorful dried sardines (use fingers, not utensils, to eat it the authentic way!) alongside tasty bars of fried polenta. Enjoy Monte Isola smoked salami, grilled dry coregone fish, fried pike balls, homemade bread, butter sprinkled with perch bottarga (salted, cured fish roe), and spiced salami ragout with bread gnocchi.

Salted and dried sardines are served over fried polenta bars

The upper outdoor deck of Sensole Locanda Contemporanea restaurant overlooks beautiful Lake Iseo, while the lower outdoor patio invites guests from the pedestrian walk.

Montisola Olive Oil and Franciacorta Wine

At Sensole restaurant, diners can also try the deliciously light local extra virgin olive oil labeled “l’isola dell’olio” (translation: “island of the oil”). One olive grove of just nine trees produced 50 bottles of this particular oil in 2025, the last bottle of which was down to the last drops in late September.

The whole of Monte Isola contains approximately 15,000 olive trees of several varieties, with groves planted on steep terraces to match the upward sloping terrain. Although difficult to harvest mountainside, the olives produced are of high quality and thrive in the unique lake island microclimate. Montisola’s restaurants prepare homegrown products with local oil and pair dishes with DOC “controlled designation of origin” wines from the region, such as Caruna 100% Chardonnay Brut from the Franciacorta region’s vineyards (served only in the Franciacorta-specific tulip-shaped glasses that stimulate bubble longevity).

Local olive oil is made from olive trees on Montisola

Tasty local olive oil and flavorful, high-quality wines from the Franciacorta wine-growing region round out a relaxing and delicious meal provided by owner, Giovanni Lo Bresti, at Sensole Locanda Contemporanea.

All along the lakeside, pedestrians and bikers move down the winding path that separates glimmering water from flowering bushes and trees heavy with ripe fruit. Beside this promenade, sunbathers bask in golden rays and swimmers leap into the cool water to paddle amongst ducks and swans.

Here you can feel like you’ve stepped back into bygone times, commune with untouched nature, and enjoy an unhurried and uncrowded getaway. Wander the path to see garden art structures made of metal and wooden fish—imitating the ancient practice of drying the catch-of-the-day on arched racks—and peruse shops and cafes that use sardine and net décor to echo the fishing culture that sustained Monte Isola for so long.

HOW TO GET THERE… ✈️
Fly NEOS Air from JFK airport in New York to Milan, Italy, and then travel by train or car to Sulzano, on the eastern shore of Lake Iseo. Then, take the 5-minute ferry ride from mainland Sulzano to Peschiera Maraglio on Monte Isola. Visit neosair.com/it for flights and schedules.
Tip: If you follow NEOS Air on social media, you can often score flight discounts and coupons to use toward airfare.

WHERE TO STAY… 🛏️
For a day trip to Monte Isola, stay at the romantic and rich-with-history Cappuccini Resort (Via Cappuccini, 54, 25033 Cologne BS, Italy), a 30-minute drive from the Sulzano ferry dock. This charming monastery-turned-resort is beautiful, clean, peaceful, and tastefully furnished with a blend of vintage relics and modern décor. A separate building with yoga, sauna, steam cave, and bubbling grotto spa with fountains and sun-heated waters provides numerous relaxation opportunities. Wander the sprawling hillside grounds to visit the outdoor pool and explore blooming rose gardens and fruit orchards. For more information, please visit cappuccini.it/en.

BEFORE YOU GO… 💻
Navigate to italia.it and visitbrescia.it/en/ to discover events and experiences offered within the fascinating Brescia province. Bicycle tours, food and wine festivals, thermal springs, art museums, castles, Roman archeological ruins—round out your trip with a little of each.

Monte Isola, Italy

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Discover Nürnberg’s Many Medieval Layers

Women's Gate Tower entrance to Nuremberg

Story and Photos by Alison Ramsey

Nürnberg, Germany, is full of rich medieval history, with plenty of myths and mystery. The largest city in the northern region of Bavaria, often referred to as the unofficial capital of Franconia, Nürnberg displays a unique Franconian identity in terms of its culture, architecture, cuisine, and historical political structures. Explore all angles and layers of the city to learn more about what makes Nürnberg unique.

Nürnberg is easily entered through the Frauentorturm, directly across from the city’s main train station.

Enter the city through the base of the Frauentorturm (Women’s Gate Tower), and you’ll immediately find the first attraction in the initial interior lining. Craftsmen’s Courtyard is a collection of cottage industries behind the thick city wall, where small half-timbered workshops are labeled with antique signs and ornate metal fittings. Craftworkers here create pottery, glassware, candles, jewelry, leatherwork, and wooden wares. These traditional and unique gifts handmade by local artisans include leather bracelets, wallets, belts; carved wooden animals, toys, keychains, hand-carved pens, cutting boards, and kitchen utensils. Set amongst colorful flowering plants and bright-potted greenery, cafes and restaurants in this idyllic city segment serve tasty snacks, cakes, and invigorating coffee drinks.

Handcrafted gifts and homemade treats await in the Craftsmen’s Courtyard.

The Old Town’s Hauptmarkt (main market square) holds the famous Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), an intricate 14^th century 62-foot-high Gothic structure encircled by a metal railing. Forty stone figures on four of the piece’s many tiers represent the world’s varied beliefs and philosophical ideas about the Holy Roman Empire during the medieval period—in the form of church and secular leaders, evangelists, prophets, philosophers, and biblical characters. Set within the intricate railing design is a small golden ring, and legend dictates that turning this shiny brass ring three times fulfills wishes and brings good luck.

Turn the Beautiful Fountain’s brass ring three times to make your wish come true!

Right here in the main market square is where the wintertime Christkindlesmarkt Christmas market is held, but during springtime, you can find a festive Easter market in its place. Shop for leather goods, wooden crafts, embroidered linens, woven socks, wine, spring home décor, pottery, and plush toys. Try the made-on-site fried dough with powdered sugar Küchle (little cake), sugared roasted nuts, and gingerbread cookies. Of course, if you’re missing the Christkindlesmarkt, stop into the Käthe Wohlfahrt specialty shop in town to stock up on Erzgebirge handmade Christmas pyramids, incense smokers, ornaments, and toys.

The main square houses winter and spring markets filled with handcrafted wares and tasty snacks.

Nürnberg provides many restaurant options for a delicious, full sit-down meal. Zum Gulden Stern is the city’s oldest existing historical bratwurst kitchen—and the oldest in the world—dating back to 1419. Here, the famous, original Nürnberg sausages (branded as the Original Nürnberger Röstla®) are grilled over a beechwood fire in a building built around 1380. The sausages are prepared with traditional spices like mace (a sister spice to nutmeg), marjoram, salt, and pepper, by the family-run Pfettner butcher shop in Nürnberg. The characteristic smoke and aroma of beechwood infuse this delicacy with unique flavor. The sausages served at Zum Gulden Stern are never boiled or pre-fried; instead, they are placed on the grill white and raw, cooked for about 7 minutes, and then removed once the tops and bottoms are evenly browned and crispy. (Consider also visiting the Nürnberg Bratwurst Museum, which presents the myths and legends surrounding these small 7-9cm sausages the town is known for.)

Zum Gulden Stern is a historic restaurant that serves the city’s famous mini sausages.

Barrel-fermented sauerkraut grown by the Wehr family in the Aischgrund region is cooked and seasoned at Zum Gulden Stern with fresh pork lard. The vegetables, horseradish, and wines served at the restaurant are all sourced from family-owned businesses in the region, and the dishes are substantial and savory. This tavern survived all the wars, likely hosted famous Middle Ages painter Albrecht Dürer, and still serves up delicious daily-prepared meat-and-vegetable soups and famous sausages. In addition to the interesting antique wall art, the colorful wooden ceiling is patched with old brightly painted cupboard panels, to cover holes made where weighty drunken guests from older days had fallen through from the upper level.

Step into history while dining at Zum Gulden Stern, where famous Middle Ages painter Albrecht Dürer is said to have frequented.

Adina Apartment Hotel, about a 12-minute walk from the main train station, in the heart of the city, is a comfortable, clean, and convenient place to overnight in Nürnberg. The spacious studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments have fully equipped kitchens, cozy linens, and vegan personal care products, and the hotel is upscale but relaxed and inviting. Friendly, efficient, and attentive staff, and fast and accommodating room service make this an exceptional lodging choice. Breakfast in the downstairs dining area is varied and colorful, with many tasty options to help kick-start your day—fresh juices, lattes, meat and cheese platters, vegetables, cereals, dried and fresh fruits, fish filet cakes, pancakes and rolls, sweet breads, jams, eggs, and hot breakfast meat dishes (including the city’s famous sausages). After a day exploring the town, the lap pool and sauna area provide just enough space for a refreshing evening swim and relaxation in the dry heat.

Adina Apartment Hotel is a cozy place to lodge, with activities for guests of all ages.

Be sure to buy a Nürnberg Card online or at one of several Tourist Information stands, to receive a variety of free admissions and discounts. The Nürnberg Card allows you 48 hours of free access to almost all the city museums and attractions as well as free public transportation.

A three-minute walk down the street from the Adina Apartment Hotel takes you to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum), the largest cultural history museum in the German-speaking countries. Here, you can explore five exhibition areas on three levels of the museum—artifacts from the Old Stone Age to the Middle Ages, collections from Renaissance to Enlightenment, and 20^th Century masterpieces—there are multitudes of treasures to examine. The armor and hunting exhibition is especially expansive, with case after case of intricate weaponry. You’ll also find an impressive array of musical instruments, jewelry, sleighs, sculptures, and paintings.

The German National Museum exhibits magnificent artifacts from all eras.

A separate building houses the toys portion of the museum—a showcase of detailed dollhouses, dolls, tin cars and armies, optical toys, and miniature railroads. Many of the elaborate 17^th century dollhouses exhibited here were thought to be commissioned by Nürnberg’s wealthy merchants and patricians. For young people, the houses functioned as a visual representation of ideal households and a clear display of tasks and activities to be performed in each of the rooms. For example, dollhouse sitting rooms were often decorated with tea service, chess boards, and decks of cards, while kitchen layouts included hearth-cleaning tools, cake molds, soup ladles, and copper pots. Similarly, 18^th– to 20^th-century toys conveyed educational objectives relating to children’s future familial and career lives. Playing with dolls helped girls prepare for their roles as patient, gentle mothers. Boys’ toys were often linked to their potential future working lives—tin soldiers encouraged strategic thought and tactical warfare, wooden building blocks taught spatial reasoning and construction design, and other technical toys fostered special interests and skills.

Antique toys at the German National Museum give a glimpse into historic playtime and its echoes of everyday life.

Spielzeugmuseum (toy museum) Nürnberg is another toy museum that displays games and playthings of all sorts—dolls, metal soldiers, puppets, teddy bears, model railroads, tin vehicles, and Playmobil figures, as well as vintage and newer iconic characters like Paddington Bear, ALF, and Garfield. Visit this museum for a bit of history and some interactive play time with toys and family games in the upstairs playroom.

Spielzeugmuseum Nürnberg displays old and new toys alike, with areas for interactive play and a building and board game zone.

Stop by Die Wirtschaft restaurant for Brotzeit (bread time), Veschber (midday snack), or Gudzerla (Franconian tapas) to nosh on a savory selection of sourdough or oven-crusted bread, marinated cheeses and sausages, pickled vegetables, and herbs. The warm and crispy Apfelküchle (specifically, fried apple rings in beer batter with homemade ice cream and plum compote) will revive you for the rest of your city exploration. For another delicious snack or dessert option, Restaurant Trödelstuben serves up hot raspberries and raspberry sauce over vanilla ice cream. If you’d like a break from traditional German food, try the KOKONO Pan-Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar on Luitpoldstraße. Expect fresh food, seasonal flowers on all tables, and a fun presentation of dry ice mist at your table while you eat your edamame and sushi rolls.

Nürnberg culinary variety abounds, with traditional German cuisine and desserts as well as delicious Asian delicacies.

Not all the city’s most interesting sights can be found at ground level. Claudia Radtke, certified Nürnberg city guide, provides guided tours of Nürnberg’s fascinating underground worlds. Those interested in history, fortification, and ancient legal systems (and those aged 10 years and older) will enjoy the intriguing and informative tours entitled “Tunnels and Secret Passages in the City Wall” and “Medieval Dungeons.” The 14^th century dungeons in vaulted rock-cut cellars beneath the city hall contain prison cells, torture chambers, the jailer’s house, a prison kitchen, and a blacksmith’s workshop. Walk through underground corridors with damp limestone walls (use the railings and watch your step), learn about those who walked there before you, and explore the city’s ancient approaches to maintaining peace, organization, and stability.

Explore beneath the city, with exciting tours of dungeons and underground passageways.

Underneath the Imperial Castle, a network of defensive passageways wind about, with casemates and embrasures from which weapons could be fired into all angles of the moat. Interestingly, the humid tunnels were not conducive to weapon storage, so weapons were stored aboveground and brought down via a ramp during combat periods. The quarry-stone underground walls are eroded and colorful, shaped and stained from sour rain dripping through.

Don’t forget to climb up and appreciate sights from the very top of the Imperial Castle—views down into the moat and stone walkways meandering through flowering trees beneath cloud-speckled blue skies. Wealthy, strategically built, well-invested in defense, and never captured (or attacked, for that matter), Nürnberg was one of the Holy Roman Empire’s best-protected cities in Europe. The city’s history of wealth and peace is attributed to its involvement in trade, due to solving issues diplomatically and with payment rather than through warfare.

The uphill climb to the Imperial Castle rewards you with beautiful views.

After peering down from the Imperial Castle, stop at the nearby Hausbrauerei Altstadthof, known for its brewed Rotbier (red beer) and oven-fresh Schäufele (roasted pork shoulder in red beer sauce with dumplings and sauerkraut). The snug tavern area with a “hidden gem” feel is a great hangout spot for groups and couples to have a homestyle Franconian meal and a few freshly tapped craft beers. Fill up on savory Nürnberger sausages, potato soup with crusty bread, Obazda specialty Bavarian cheese, spätzle (dumpling-like irregular-shaped egg noodles), red cabbage, goulash, and a wheat- and black-beer sponge cake “Beeramisu” dessert or Apfelküchle (this menu’s variation is drizzled with custard sauce and served with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream, and almond slices).

Hausbrauerei Altstadthof serves hearty meals and tasty beer in an inviting social environment.

Tour the Old Town and learn about the city’s history while riding the Mini Train, which departs from the Beautiful Fountain at the Main Market Square and takes you on an almost hour-long loop in and around thHausbrauerei Altstadthofe city while multi-language audio headsets announce historical landmarks and relay town stories. One legend tells of German robber Eppelein von Gailingen, who allegedly escaped execution by leaping off the castle and over the moat and city wall on his horse, leaving behind hoofprints on the roof. You’ll see the half-timbered historical building built in 1446 that once housed lepers for three days during Holy Week (to provide them medical attention, clothing, and food), then became a wine storage depot, and now functions as student housing. You’ll also spot the Hangman’s Bridge, a wooden footbridge over the Pegnitz River used solely by the Nürnberg hangman between the 16^th and 19^th century to travel between his secluded home on a small island in the Pegnitz into the city, as a Middle Ages rule forbade him from contact with “honorable citizens.”

The Mini Train ride provides a comprehensive city tour while revealing town lore.

Don’t forget to visit Nürnberg’s surrounding area outside the city walls. Nürnberg Zoo is about a 25-minute ride out of the city center via public transportation. Backed by sandstone cliffs, the exhibits of pacing lions, squeaking lemurs, playful polar bears, and around 300 different animal species (about 40 considered endangered) provide guests with plenty of animal entertainment. One of the largest zoos in Europe, the Nürnberg Zoo is built on approximately 160 acres that include woodlands of ancient trees, peaceful ponds, rocky formations, and sloping walkways. Its special “climate high forest trail” is built at the treetops and allows visitors to stroll and view the zoo from above. The zoo is designed in a natural, park-like arrangement that feels very relaxed and rural. Not only open-air–enclosured animals make this place their home, but water birds and forest animals are found in the wild in this “forest preserve”-like walking zoo. There are numerous play areas for children, including a fantastic large playground with zip lines, ropes courses, giant slides, and inset trampolines—appropriate even for older kids or spirited adults.

Restaurant Waldschänke within the zoo grounds is reached via a slightly uphill walk along beautiful pathways. Indoors or out in the beer garden you can order hearty meat entrees, kid-friendly food, salads, fish dishes, Mediterranean meals, revitalizing drinks, and an extensive selection of vegetarian and vegan options. Complete with audience-interactive Culinary Theater performances, colorful murals, amusing children’s books to borrow and peruse during your meal, and an opportunity to purchase plush animals, Restaurant Waldschänke is a welcoming eatery for families.

Restaurant Waldschänke in the Nürnberg Zoo is a convenient place to power up between wildlife exhibits.

By exploring inside and outside of Nürnberg’s city walls, high above the castle moat, and even below the streets, you can go beyond surface level to uncover fascinating history and experience this medieval town’s inimitable Franconian charm.

Menorca Artisans Keep Traditional Craftsmanship Alive

Story and photos by Alison Ramsey

In the west Mediterranean Sea, the Balearic Islands’ Menorca makes the most of its natural resources. And for being only about 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, it has a lot! This haven of coves and turquoise water licking untouched white sand beaches has been a Biosphere Reserve since 1993, and due to its wide diversity of habitats and landscape it is UNESCO-designated as the headquarters for the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves for matters pertaining to sustainable development. Local farming practices focus on sustainability and preserving the island’s natural heritage. Using environmental resources found within the island’s ecosystem, resident farmers and artisans make a living from the offerings provided by landscape and livestock.

Across the island, wild olive tree wood is fashioned into fences to divide land and act as guard rails.

Menorca’s “mosaic landscape” of varying ecosystems consists of farmland, forests, and villages, with a bird’s-eye view revealing small plots of land divided by a network of dry-stone walls. Since ancient times, agrarians have gleaned rocks from the soil to build these mortar-less barriers that cover about 6,835 miles of the island (more than half the length of the Great Wall of China) and reduce erosion by blocking the wind from shifting soil to neighboring plots. Even the island’s prehistoric navetas (burial chambers) and talayots (shrines) were built by carefully selecting stones of varied size and shape, filling gaps with sand, and relying on gravity to secure them together.

(left) Unique to the island, Menorca’s navetas are pre-Talaiotic burial monuments shaped like an inverted boat and built using only large stone blocks. (middle) The island’s naturally rocky soil is gleaned to build stone walls that separate land plots. Wild olive trees with olives not suitable for harvesting are formed into farm gates using their distinctive, curvy wood. (right) Prevalent on Menorca are cement-free stacked-stone walls and sturdy gates crafted from wild olive trees.

Vineyards on Menorca are typically surrounded by these stone walls, a drainage situation that adequately waters the vines without leaving them overly damp. Local beverages created from the natural flora offerings of the land include the Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca indication of quality wine, aromatic Menorcan gin (the oldest in Spain) produced using wine-based alcohol distilled with native herbs and juniper berries in old copper stills, and herb liquor digestifs.

The olive tree is another landscape prevalence, including the Spanish arbequina variety, which is used to produce a popular extra virgin olive oil with a mild, creamy flavor and slow kick. Oral history says the famous condiment mayonnaise heralds from Menorca, where the invading French Duke of Richelieu first tried the local sauce (a simple mixture of olive oil, egg, and salt) and brought it back to the French court, naming the recipe “mahonnaise” after the town Mahón. The oldest written source of Menorcan recipes is Art de la Cuina, a book by Fra Francesc Roger detailing the island’s cultural gastronomy in more than 200 18^th century recipes, including a recipe for mayo using native olive oil. Not only are olives used for oil production, the strong wood from wild olive trees whose olives aren’t large enough to harvest is crafted into rustic, swing farm gates in a distinctive curvy design seen all across the island.

The oldest written source of Menorcan recipes is Art de la Cuina, a book by Fra Francesc Roger detailing the island’s cultural gastronomy in more than 200 18th century recipes, including a recipe for mayo using native olive oil.

Using age-old methods, farmers use milk from Menorcan cows to produce rounded-edge square blocks of Mahón-Menorca Denomination of Origin cheese with a flavorful, oily dark rind (even Arabic documents from the year 1000 describe the tasty qualities of cow’s milk Menorcan cheese). Farms like Son Piris produce artisan cheese (made with raw milk and intended for immediate consumption) or the more industrialized and slightly sweeter pasteurized-milk cheeses. Martina Fedelich of Son Piris explained that it is difficult to imitate the Menorcan bacteria used in their cheese, as they are unique and isolated from other cheeses and even differ from those on neighboring island Mallorca. Easy to identify, Mahón-Menorca cheese’s unique shape comes from the cheesecloth used during the pressing process, and fabric lines from the cloth remain visible in the rind.

(clockwise from upper left) The unique shape of Mahón-Menorca cheese comes from the cheesecloth used during the pressing process, and fabric lines from the cloth remain visible in the rind; Son Piris cheeses are wrapped tightly in cheesecloth, which holds together the solid cheese curd while allowing for drainage of liquid whey; Wrapped cheeses are pressed to remove excess moisture; After their tightly wrapped cloths are removed, the cheese is set out to dry; Martina Fedelich of Son Piris serves the famous farm-to-table Mahón-Menorca Denomination of Origin cheese.

Agriculture is a key trade on Menorca; however, the most important manufacturing business on the island is shoe design and production—an industry dating back to the 18^th century. Footwear made in Menorca is known for its high quality and meticulous craftsmanship. The most famous sandal shape, with a cowhide leather upper and sole, was first created to protect farmers’ feet while working the rocky soil. Nowadays, these avarcas (also called abarcas or menorquinas) are sold with heels and straps of all styles and colors, but use recycled tires as a hardy sole. Popularity and production have been increasing especially over the past few years, and they are worn by Menorcans and visitors alike.

RIA brand avarcas fashioned from leather with a colorful woven upper are a stylish update to traditional peasant footwear. Pou Nou clothing motifs echo the sea life and landscape of the island, like this fish-print tunic in shades of blue.

Avarca company MIBO proudly carries the Avarca de Menorca hallmark—another island-specific denomination of origin—which guarantees that their footwear is crafted locally and made with high-quality materials. Founded in 1998 by Miguel Pascual and Bosco Moll, MIBO designs and manufactures these iconic Menorcan sandals using traditional methodology combined with modern technology. Moll said, “The process to make a pair of avarcas from Menorca has about 25 operations, which all need the hands of craftsmen to be able to make them. We also use technology that helps the craftsmen, but it always requires expert hands. … The future of our product and our brand passes through the qualified training of our craftsmen-workers since there are no schools or training cycles that help this task.”

(left) A traditional style with modern updates, some MIBO avarcas feature trendy details like cut-outs, bows, and textured mosaic prints. (right) A MIBO artisan carefully guides a hallmark-stamped leather sole through machine stitching. Photos courtesy of MIBO.

Another prestigious Menorcan shoe brand known internationally for its impeccable quality and innovative designs is Pretty Ballerinas, a unique line of leather flats produced by the Mascaró Group footwear company. These fashions have been famously worn by Kate Moss, Kate Middleton, the Queen of Spain, Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer, and Angelina Jolie, among other celebrities. Fanny Cano, vivacious franchisee and owner of Pretty Ballerinas U.S. (the sole U.S. store, located in New York City), was born on Mallorca and has worked for the Mascaró brand since 1998. Fanny said:

“I love when through our very personal customer service we get to transmit to our customers the island’s vibes. They know they are wearing a unique piece crafted by hand on a small island in the Mediterranean. They feel the quality and the time invested in their pair of shoes. Explaining to the clients where and how the shoes are made—in a very artisanal and old-fashioned method—it really helps them to get tele-transported to the smell of the leather, the artisan hands sewing the shoes, mixed with the breeze of the sea and the taste of the food.”

Fanny Cano, Pretty Ballerinas franchisee and owner of the New York City store, poses before the iconic pink boxes and glamorous storefront that identify this high-quality brand of Menorca-made women’s leather flats. Easily identifiable by a pink lining and stamped ballerina slipper icon on the underside, Pretty Ballerinas flats and matching handbags exhibit a unique style and luxurious leather silhouette. Top-left and bottom-right photos courtesy of Fanny Cano.

Woodworking, earthenware, basket weaving, traditional llaüt wooden boat carpentry, and other crafts using fabrics, stone, and paper are sold in island shops and markets during the summer months. The quality of local, professional artisans’ work is acknowledged by the Artesanía de Menorca (Craft of Menorca) hallmark, and the Centre Artesanal de Menorca (Artisan Centre of Menorca) at the Es Mercadal fairground exhibits and sells many of these handmade products.

A Menorca-born leader in local artistry is Pou Nou clothing company, whose designers work closely with area artists to produce contemporary designs and stylish garments that reflect the colors and shapes of Mediterranean life. Drawing inspiration from the sea, sky, and island itself, Pou Nou creates hand-printed T-shirts and breezy, comfortable fashions for all ages using natural fibers like linen and cotton.

(clockwise from left) Pou Nou team members select nature-inspired artwork for clothing designs; Pou Nou colors and designs are inspired by Menorca’s flora and fauna, sea, and sky; Using a Mediterranean-inspired color palette, a Pou Nou team member tests a screen-print design.
Photos courtesy of Pou Nou.

Collaboration with local artists results in Pou Nou’s unique island-wear designs.

Owner Joan Carrés said, “I am proud of having been in the business for 36 years, following my original idea of combining good quality garments with original artwork from local artists.” Pou Nou’s easy-to-wear styles and unique artist collaborations feature screen-printed sea creatures, flowers, geckos, insects, boats, bikes, palm leaves, and nautical themes. With Pou Nou only available for purchase in Spain and other European countries, U.S. travelers looking for this island-wear can reach the Balearic Islands by flying directly from New York/Newark (EWR) to Palma de Mallorca (PMI) through United Airlines’ new, seasonal direct flight offerings. Menorca has been like a hidden treasure for many years, largely reached only from mainland Spain, but these new direct flights from the United States allow easier access to Menorca-made specialty items and scenic views of iconic landscape features. The island’s varied ecosystems and natural offerings provide ample resources for a thriving artisan business, with agriculture, footwear, fashion, and handcraft industries using materials and inspiration offered by the beautiful land and sea.