What you can see on the Mahón webcams
The widest view looks across the harbour from high on the town side: palms in the foreground, marina pontoons below, the quays where cruise ships tie up and the wooded north shore across the water. Down at the waterfront, other cameras follow the moorings along the quay, where flags on the rail show at a glance which way the wind is blowing. North of town the scene changes completely: rocks, surf and a sandy beach between two headlands, where you can see whether the sea is flat or breaking white.
Mahón harbour from above
From a high terrace on the town side of the harbour, this camera looks across the water to the green north shore. Palms frame the view in the foreground; directly below, yachts and motor boats line the pontoons of a marina, and on the left the quays where cruise ships tie up run back towards the head of the harbour. In the middle of the water sits a small wooded island ringed by a stone quay.
It is live video and the widest view of Mahón, the one to open first: it shows the sky, the colour of the water, whether the harbour is glassy or ruffled, and which ships are in port today.
Sa Mesquida beach and Es Pa Gros
From the rocks at Sa Mesquida, a small fishing and holiday village about 2 miles (3 km) north of Mahón, the camera looks north across the cove. The white houses of the village climb the slope on the left, the sand of the main beach lies at the back of the bay, and the dark rock headland of Es Pa Gros closes the view on the right. In the foreground a red-roofed house stands on a spit of rock just above the waterline.
The cove faces the open sea, so this is the Mahón camera that shows the waves. When the north wind blows, white water fills the bay from side to side; on calm summer days the same view turns clear blue.
Yacht club moorings, looking east
This camera stands at the yacht club on the Moll de Llevant, the quay that runs along the town side of Mahón harbour, and looks east down the water towards Illa del Rei. Yachts and motor boats line the pontoons on both sides, and the Spanish and regional flags on the club rail fly right in the foreground, a handy guide to the strength and direction of the wind.
In the morning it looks almost straight into the sun, and the harbour turns to a sheet of silver; later in the day the light comes from behind and the colours return. Use it to judge whether the water is calm enough for a boat trip round the harbour.
The yacht club's sports quay
This camera moves between several views of the yacht club's sports area at the start of the Moll de Llevant, where the sailing and canoeing school keeps its boats and the club runs the harbour's fuel berth. One view looks down on dinghies under their covers on the hard, with the water beside them; another turns towards the marina, packed with masts, and the far shore.
It is the closest look at the harbour water of all the Mahón cameras, good for seeing ripples, reflections and whether the wind is up. Because it moves, the picture changes every so often: wait a moment if the view you want is not on screen.
Mahón harbour mouth and the open sea, from Es Castell
This camera stands in Es Castell, the old garrison town that the British called Georgetown, close to where Mahón harbour meets the sea. It looks east down the final stretch of the channel. On the left, the long walls and buildings of the fortified north shore run out towards a round defence tower at the entrance; on the right, white houses line the low cliffs on the Es Castell side; between them the water opens straight on to the horizon. Two palm tops frame the bottom of the picture.
It is live video and the view to check for conditions outside the harbour: the colour of the sea, whether the mouth is calm or flecked with white, and the yachts and sailing dinghies heading in and out. In the evening the light comes from behind and turns the far shore gold.
The harbour Britain fought for
The harbour runs inland for about 3 miles (5 km) and is up to 900 metres wide, deep and sheltered, which made Mahón one of the great naval prizes of the 18th century. Menorca was British for most of that century, and Mahón replaced Ciutadella as the island's capital. The Royal Navy built a dockyard on Illa Pinto, opposite the town, and its naval hospital on Illa del Rei, founded in 1711, has been restored. The town's gin, still distilled on the waterfront, dates from those years, and Mahón is often said to have given its name to mayonnaise.
When to watch Mahón
Menorca is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland all year round. It is the most easterly part of Spain, so the day starts earlier here than anywhere else in the country, and early morning is when the harbour is at its stillest. On summer afternoons a sea breeze ripples the water. In winter the tramuntana, the north wind, can send big waves into Sa Mesquida while the harbour stays calm. The sea is warmest in August, at around 25 °C.
Around Mahón
Es Castell, which the British called Georgetown, sits near the harbour mouth. Sa Mesquida is about 2 miles (3 km) north, guarded by a round defence tower that the British built in 1799. The resorts of Sant Lluís on the south-east coast, such as Punta Prima and Binibeca, are about 5 miles (8 km) away.
Visiting Mahón
Menorca airport is about 3 miles (5 km) from the town centre. The old town stands on top of the cliff and the harbour lies below, linked by steep streets and steps. Sa Mesquida faces the open sea and takes the full force of north and east winds: on rough days the camera there shows why the sheltered south-coast coves are the better choice.
