Son Bou is a small village in the

Alaior Alaior (, , ; previously in Spanish, ''Alayor'') is a municipality on the island of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands, Spain. It is situated 12 km from the capital, Maó. In 2005 it had a population of 8,671 and it covers an area of 109.77&nb ...

region of

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...

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Geography

The village is located on the south of the island. It is split into three districts: Son Bou (mostly shops, restaurants and two large hotels), San Jaime (villas and garden apartments) and Torre Soli Nou (private villas and apartment complexes). The beach at Son Bou is the longest on the island - some 3 km of golden sands. The government have recently put up rope fencing around the dunes to deter access, as part of their dune regeneration programme. There are three beach bars that serve food and drinks. Behind the beach is an extensive area of wetland, comprising open water and reed beds. This is a protected nature reserve containing many species of birds, amphibians and insects. The beach is very popular with naturists of all ages.

Climate

Like the rest of the island (and the Balearics), the village has a

mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

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Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

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Csa CSA may refer to: Arts and media * Canadian Screen Awards, annual awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television * Commission on Superhuman Activities, a fictional American government agency in Marvel Comics * Crime Syndicate of Amer ...

''), with mild winters and long, hot summers.

Tourist attractions

Son Bou has various attractions, including the ''Basilica Paleocristiana de Son Bou'' (an early Christian church of the 5th century, whose remains were discovered in 1951). Outside of the holiday season, the Son Bou resort is very quiet as most facilities are shut down during the winter months. Within the village are four hotels; two in Son Bou, one in San Jaime and one in Torre Soli Nou. There is also a campsite, ''Camping Son Bou'', about 2 miles away, along the back road from Torre Soli Nou.

Cuisine

There are many bars and restaurants in Son Bou, several of which have adopted a British style, others choosing international cuisine, including Chinese. There are of also range of Spanish and Menorquin restaurants. During the six months of the holiday season, most nights you can find shows in most bars and clubs, and on other nights, there are quizzes and karaoke.

Transport

The village has regular links with

Menorca Airport Menorca Airport (; ca, Aeroport de Menorca, es, Aeropuerto de Menorca), also known as Mahón Menorca Airport is an international airport serving the island of Menorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The airport is lo ...

, which is around 25 minutes away. Mahon is 30 minutes away, and Ciutadella is 35 minutes. There is also a bus service to the old town in Alaior, which takes around 15 minutes. There is also a small train service that travels to the top of the resort, that collects/drops off tourists in the main accommodation areas, and there is a frequency of one service every 45 minutes.

References

{{reflist

External links

Playa de Son Bou Virtual Tour

Tourist guide to Son Bou

Village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...