All language subtitles for The.World.From.Above.S01E07.WEBRip.x264-ION10

(dramatic orchestral musidc)

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] Our aerial
journey across the picturesque

Balearic Islands of Menorca
begins in the northwest

of the island at Ciutadella
before heading for the coast

and flying past cliffs, beaches,

small resorts, and clear blue seas.

At the main airport,

we encounter a group of
military helicopters coming

in to refuel.

And close by is one of the
many pre-history sites which

cover the island.

More modern defenses on the
small island of La Mola, once

protected the capital
Mahon and it's harbor.

Flying north up the east coast,
are a number of old tower

castles and villages turned into resorts.

And we end our journey
in the northeast corner

of the island at the lighthouse on the end

of Cap de Cavalleria.

(gentle music)

Menorca is the most eastern
island in the Balearic group.

And it's also very
different in its landscape

from Ibiza and Majorca.

The island has no high mountains,

and in fact the highest point
is just over 1,000 feet.

However, the coastline is
one of the most unspoilt

in the whole of Spain.

Menorca is the second largest

of the Balearic Islands at
around 270 square miles.

The permanent population is about 95,000

and this dramatically increases
during the summer months,

with the thousands of
holidaymakers who come and stay

in the many resorts around the coast.

For those people interested in history,

then the island has much to offer.

The story of Menorca is one of invasion,

and Great Britain gained
and lost the island several

times during the 18th century.

They wanted it for the
strategic importance of its

harbor, a place they could base

their Mediterranean Fleet in.

The Romans understood this
naval importance as well,

because their ships were
constantly attacked by pirates

based on the island.

So, in 121 BC, they
invaded and made it part

of the Roman Empire.

They named the island
Menorca, meaning Little one,

as opposed to Majorca, meaning large one.

However, the island's story,

stretches back much further
than the Romans, as even

earlier settlers back in
the Bronze Age, understood

the islands important position for trade

across the Mediterranean.

And as a result,

the whole island is covered
with prehistory monuments.

These ancient people,

from what is known as
the Talaiotic Culture,

built stone structures,

temples, and elaborate burial chambers.

There are roughly 2,000 of
them spread across the island,

and in the north they can
be seen close together.

These ancient sites

make Menorca one of the
largest open air museums

in the world with the highest
concentration of megalithic

monuments in the Mediterranean.

On the northwest corner of the island is

Ciutadella, Menorca's second
city, and once its capital.

The city was originally founded
by the Carthaginians way

back in around 200 BC.

But by the fourth century
had become Christian and had

its own Bishop.

In the 10th century the city,
as well as the island, came

under the control of
the Moors who occupied

much of Spain.

(birds chirping)
By the 12th century,

it was back in the hands of the Spanish.

This pattern of invasion and
new rulers was set to continue.

On the 9th of July 1558,
a Turkish invasion force

under the command of the infamous

Barbarossa Pasha attacked
the city and slaughtered most

of the inhabitants.

Those left alive were taken back

to Turkey and sold as slaves.

The city was destroyed,

and the only building left was

the 13th century Cathedral.

In the Placa des Born,
once the parade ground

for Moorish troops,

is an obelisk commemorating
the year of misfortune.

In 1708, the British became
the next occupiers and moved

the capital to Mahon on the
opposite side of the island.

However, the bishop refused to move,

and so Ciutadella still
remains the religious

capital of Menorca.

Today the city is a popular
place with summer visitors

who come and walk along the harbor

in the early morning to see

the fishing boats arrive
with the day's catch for all

the waterside restaurants.

To the north of the city

is the Hipodromo de Ciutadella
where the 200 year old

popular sport of trotting
races takes place.

(horses hooves beating)

Close by the racecourse
and constructed close

to the rocky inlets and coves
is a purpose built holiday

development called Los Delfines.

And on the south side of
the city is Cala Santandria

which boasts a fine beach
and also becoming a popular

place for holidaymakers.

(gentle music)

Heading inland from Ciutadella,
the landscape is dotted

with Talaiot circular structures.

Many have been restored and
can be explored and climbed.

(birds chirping)

No one is really certain
what they were used for,

although suggestions
include burial chambers,

watch towers and store houses.

But as no hard evidence has been found,

and they date from a time
before recorded history,

perhaps they will always remain a mystery.

Time to head for the coast,

and a deep ravine leads to
one of the many sandy curves,

along the southwest coast.

(birds chirping)
(gentle music)

During the year, around
a million people visit

Menorca, and many come to
the west coast resorts.

One of the most popular or beautiful is

Cala Galdana which lies in a
near perfect horseshoe bay,

and is surrounded by near
vertical pine clad cliffs.

The warm shallow water
makes the resort a favorite

with families with young children.

On the cliffs are some spectacular
private villas with views

out to sea.

All along this stretch of coast,

the sea has carved out sandy curves,

making them ideal places to get away

from the built up resorts.

On average, Menorca has
300 days of sunshine

throughout the year,

and the sea temperature
in the summer is roughly

25 degrees centigrade.

And during the winter,

the weather is still mild and
makes the island a pleasant

place to stay with far
fewer people around.

In 1993, the whole island was declared

a biosphere reserve by
UNESCO, meaning that there is

a balanced relationship
between man and nature.

The beaches are clean, and
the sea water fairly pure.

But there is a constant
struggle between growing tourism

and the impact on the environment.

The next resort along
the coast is Santo Tomas.

This modern purpose built
resort is hugely popular

with British families who
stay in the large hotels

at the end of the bay.

And when the thousands of
tourists from hotels and villas

have gone at the end of the summer season,

the town has a population
of just under 100 people.

Unlike other popular resorts in both

Ibiza and Majorca,

the beaches in Menorca are
generally less crowded.

And with a bit of a walk,

it's possible to get away from it all.

(gentle music)

The longest beach in Menorca
is at Son Bou, which is

about two miles long,
and on the southern end,

is a prominent hotel complex.

The town of San Jaime stands on a hill

overlooking the resort

where apartment blocks and
hotels overlook the sea.

Also on all Menorca's beaches,

topless sunbathing is acceptable,

and on one end of Son Bou
beach, nudity is allowed.

For the more energetic,

walking is one of the best
ways of exploring the island,

and footpaths follow some
of the ravines and gullies.

Recently,

Recently, the Cami de Cavalls,

a network of parts around the coast

have now been joined together,

forming a great circular
route around the island.

In the past, many of the
paths were used by smugglers,

and the customs officials
who tried to stop them.

The views across the cliffs,

and down to the shoreline
with the brilliant clear blue

sea, are quite stunning.

One of the longest established
resorts on the island is

Cala En Porter.

Once again, it's very popular
with British visitors.

On the cliffs are a
number of private villas,

many of which are let out
during the summer months.

Another reason for its popularity

is that it's fairly close
to Menorca's airport,

and a place for us to refuel.

However, we have to wait our turn to land.

Because ahead of us

are a group of military
helicopters on a training flight,

who are also waiting to refuel,

and we all have to wait for a jet to land,

before making an approach.

(airplane engine roaring)
(dramatic orchestral music)

Around one million passengers a year

pass through Menorca airport.

Both scheduled as well as
charter aircraft land here.

A slower way of getting
to the island is by ferry

from Barcelona on the Spanish mainland,

or from Parma in Majorca.

But most people come by air.

The airport was built in 1969
because the runway of the old

airport, situated nearby,
could not be extended,

and that meant new and larger
jets were unable to land.

Today, Menorca Airport handles

around 13,000 aircraft movements

a year from its 16 gates.

Next to land are the
four military helicopters

on a training exercise.

The aircraft type is a Bolkow
105 which has been in service

since the late 1960s.

The Spanish Army use the
helicopter both as an anti-tank

attack aircraft as well as
for scouting and observation.

It was the first lightweight
twin engine helicopter

in commercial service.

While over 30 countries
have the Bolkow in service,

and in many of them, it is
used as an air ambulance.

Four rigid fiber glass rotor
blades were a world's first

and it means the aircraft
has a high maneuverability.

In the United States, an
acrobatic display team uses

the Bolkow to perform loops,
rolls, and other stunts

which are normally only associated

with fixed wing aircraft.

In 2001, production ended

and the last to be sold was in 2009.

However, it will remain in
service around the world

for many more years to come.

Two miles to the east of the airport,

is one of the best preserved
Talaiot settlements

on the island, Trepuco.
(gentle music)

One of the main features is
the well preserved taula.

This is a T-shaped construction

much like Stonehenge in Britain.

No one really knows
what they were used for,

but some sort of religious
use must be a good guess.

In the settlement is around
tower construction surrounded

by a restored star-shaped base.

But the site appears to
have been abandoned during

the Second Punic War

between Carthage and Rome around 200 BC.

It's estimated that the
original settlement was probably

close to 5,000 square meters.

More modern historic
sites can be found close

to the capital city Mahon.

And most are military because
during the 18th century,

the island was fought over

between France, Britain and Spain.

In 1710, the British built
fort Marlborough, named

after the British General John Churchill,

1st Duke of Marlborough.

The fort was subject to many attacks

but was never destroyed.

Because the port at Mahon is
one of the deepest natural

harbors in the world,

it is a perfect base for
a naval fleet operating

in the Mediterranean.

It has therefore been heavily
defended for over 300 years

with various styles of military forts.

After Spain finally
regained Menorca in 1802,

from the British, they
began to fortify the island

of La Mola, which stands
at the harbor entrance.

By the mid 19th century,

the Spanish began building
the great fortress

of Isabella II, which was
rebuilt several times.

With it's angled walls, redoubts,

loopholes for the cannon,

it became a formidable fortress.

Firing positions along
the coast facing the sea,

ensured a warm welcome for an enemy ship.

And on top of the island

were living quarters and
headquarters for the fort.

With better firepower from
new types of artillery,

the old fortress gradually
became redundant.

A more effective form of defense

was bigger and better artillery,

and in the 1930s, two Vickers
15 inch guns were installed

at the highest point of the island.

One of them is about
to fall over the cliff,

but the other is open to visitors.

(dramatic music)

The importance of this deep
natural harbor had been

recognized since classical times,

when the island was occupied

by the Carthaginians
and of Mago, the brother

of the great Hannibal.

Mago gave his name to the
city and harbor of Mohan.

The harbor is three miles long,

and the depth varies
from 45 feet to 90 feet

which means almost any
size vessel can use it.

Including all the private yachts

sailing between the
islands and mainland ports.

They can make use of the
marinas around the harbor.

During most of the 18th
century when Britain occupied

the island, their naval
fleet would have anchored

in the harbor to await orders,

be resupplied, and carry out repairs.

At the harbor town of Es
Castell, it was originally built

by the British and called
Georgetown after their king.

This was the headquarters
of the occupying force,

and much of the architecture has

a strong British influence.

Long after the Spanish
regained the island,

they renamed the town Es
Castell, meaning the castle,

because of its proximity to
all the castles and forts

guarding the harbor.

The town also has another claim to fame,

as it is the most easterly town

in Spain, and so the
first to see the sunrise.

(gentle music)

In the early 18th century,

the British moved the
capital of the island,

to here at Mahon.

The reason for the move can be seen today,

as large cruise ships are able to moor up,

alongside the city's quay.

Passengers need only take a
short walk to explore the city

and its historic buildings.

And they follow in the footsteps

of the Great British Admiral
Horatio Nelson, who stayed

here on his way back home,

following his victory

over the French at the Battle of the Nile.

The city has a distinct British feel to it

which is not surprising

as they occupied it three
times during the 18th century,

and left their mark in
the simple style of houses

they built, often to be
found with green shutters.

The narrow streets of the
Old City create deep shadows,

and this helps keep the buildings cool

in the hot Mediterranean sun.

Dominating the city skyline,
are several beautiful churches,

including the Iglesia del
Sant Francest, on the northern

end of the old City, and in the center,

the imposing Esglesia del
Carme, a former Carmelite church

which is now a cultural center,
as well as a marketplace.

Away from the historic center,

Mahon has a more modern feel
with apartments and hotels

to accommodate the growing
number of tourists.

Mahon also has a culinary claim to fame,

because when the French Admiral
Armand Vignerot du Plessis

defeated the British
Navy in 1756, he returned

to France with a new
source he had discovered

on the island,

mahonnaise, which was later named

by the French, mayonnaise.

To the north of Mahon

is S'Albufera des Grau Nature
Park, which includes wetlands,

a long shoreline,

and a number of farms still using

traditional farming practices.

This diverse landscape also
includes over 100 species

of birds and animals.

On the coast in the
Nature Reserve is Es Grau,

an old fishing village,

which has been turned into a small resort.

The diversity this landscape

played an important part in the decision

of the International
Committee of UNESCO, declaring

Menorca a biosphere reserve in 1993.

At strategic points on the coast,

are a series of defense
towers built in a design which

can be seen in many countries
around the Mediterranean.

These defense towers were
first constructed in the late

17th century to protect
the island from pirates

and a possible Turkish invasion.

They both acted as lookout towers

as well as forts with
cannon mounted on the top,

with living quarters underneath.

They were so successful

that when the British
attacked a similar tower

in Corsica, at the end
of the 18th century,

it took two ships to do it.

With a heavy loss of life on
one ship, and great damage

to the other.

The tower was manned by only 33 people.

As a result,

Britain copied the design
and built new defense towers

around Minorca's coast,

and indeed exported the forts back

to Britain's coastline,

where they were known as Martello towers.

To the north to the S'Albufero
Nature Park, the coastline is

home to a few resorts built
into the rocky coves and inlets.

And on a perfect crescent-shape
sandy bay is the resort

of Arenal d'en Castell.

It's renowned as one
of the liveliest places

on the island,

and the only place with
a number of large hotels.

Further north is the remote
pretty fishing village

of Fornells, which attracts
that rich and famous,

including the King of Spain,
Juan Carlos, who comes

for the famous seafood dishes
served in the restaurants

overlooking the harbor.

On the most northerly point of Menorca,

is the Cap de Cavalleria,

a narrow rocky spine
jutting out into the sea.

This is one of the most
dangerous parts of the island

for shipping, where it has
been recorded that more

than 700 ships have been
wrecked on the high cliffs

over the past few centuries.

After public pressure,

a lighthouse was eventually built in 1857.

The light used a pressurized
oil vaporized system,

which was not the most
reliable, and was eventually

replaced by electricity
when it became available.

Today the lighthouse uses
solar power and batteries.

In 2005, the Cap de Cavalleria
Ecomuseum was opened

in the building under the lighthouse,

where visitors can explore
the cultural and natural

heritage of the north of Menorca.

A dramatic and beautiful part

of this magical island,

and a perfect place to end this journey.

(gentle music)