Ciutadella was Menorca's capital before the British settled in Mahón, and its history is richer. Settled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans, Ciutadella fell to the Moors in 903 and became a part of the Caliphate of Córdoba until 1287, when Alfonso III of Aragón reconquered it. He gave estates in Ciutadella to nobles who aided him in the battle, and to this day the old historic center of town has a distinctly aristocratic tone. In 1558 a Turkish armada laid siege to Ciutadella, burning the city and enslaving its inhabitants. It was later rebuilt but never quite regained its former stature.
As you arrive via the ME1, the main artery across the island from Mahón, turn left at the second traffic circle and follow the ring road to the Passeig Marítim; at the end, near the Castell de Sant Nicolau is a monument to David Glasgow Farragut, the first admiral of the U.S. Navy, whose father emigrated from Ciutadella to the United States. From here, take Passeig de Sant Nicolau to the Pla?a de s'Esplanada and park near the Plaça d'es Born. Navigate your way from the cathedral through the narrow, medina-like streets of the old town to the 19th century wrought iron Mercat de Peix speckled in green and white tiles—and a hive of activity. Bar Ulisses does a roaring trade day and night, while providing the perfect people-watching perch.
