What to do in Mahon, Menorca, when it rains

Museums, a covered market, wineries and a centuries-old gin distillery: the indoor side of Menorca that's still worth exploring when it rains.

If it rains in Menorca, the best option is to swap the beach for indoor plans in Maó: the Museu de Menorca, the covered Claustre del Carme market, the Xoriguer gin distillery and a winery with an indoor tasting room let you keep exploring the island without getting wet. Most of them are in central Maó or a few minutes away by car, so a rainy day needn't spoil the holiday.

At a glance: indoor plans in Menorca

• Museu de Menorca (Maó): the island's history under cover; closed on Mondays.
• Mercat des Claustre (Maó): covered market for Mahón-Menorca cheese and sobrassada.
• Xoriguer distillery (Maó harbour): the story of Menorcan gin, with tastings.
• Binifadet winery (Sant Lluís): a covered tasting room ten minutes from Maó.
• Fort Marlborough (Es Castell): underground galleries cut into the rock.

Which museums can you visit in Maó when it rains?

The Museu de Menorca, housed in an eighteenth-century former Franciscan convent by Maó harbour, is the most straightforward option on a rainy day: two floors covering Talayotic prehistory, the Islamic period and Menorca from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, plus temporary exhibition rooms. It's closed on Mondays and its opening hours change between the winter and summer seasons, so it's worth checking current times before you go.

Where can you shop and eat tapas under cover in Maó?

The Mercat des Claustre del Carme, known locally as Sa Plaça, occupies the old cloister of the Carme church and brings together stalls selling Mahón-Menorca cheese, fresh fish, cured meats and seasonal vegetables under its arcades, alongside bars for tapas without stepping outside. It opens Monday to Saturday during normal shop hours and is a convenient way into Menorcan food, whatever the weather.

Gin and wine: indoor plans with Menorcan flavour

Opposite Maó harbour, the Xoriguer distillery still makes gin in copper stills more than two centuries old. Guided tours of the distillery mainly run between April and October, though the harbour shop (Botiga Port) usually keeps up its free tasting of gin, pomada and liqueurs all year round; it's worth checking whether a guided visit is available on your travel dates.

About ten minutes from Maó, Binifadet winery in Sant Lluís combines a walk through the vines with a cellar visit and a tasting in its covered room. On a wet day, it's worth asking whether you can skip the outdoor walk through the vineyard plots and go straight to the tasting.

Is there a fort or castle you can visit under cover?

Fort Marlborough, at Cala Sant Esteve (Es Castell), hides much of its route in underground galleries cut into the rock, with an audiovisual display on the eighteenth-century sieges. Opening hours and guided visit days vary considerably between high and low season, so it's best to confirm availability before heading over, especially outside the summer months.

Other ideas for a rainy day in Menorca

• Book a table at a restaurant in central Maó and take your time over a lobster caldereta or seafood rice.
• Browse the shops and wine bars of Maó's old town, many of them under arcaded streets.
• Make use of your accommodation's indoor pool or spa, if it has one.
• Visit a formatgeria (cheese dairy) on the island that offers Mahón-Menorca cheese tastings on site.

Frequently asked questions about what to do in Menorca when it rains

What can you do in Menorca when it rains?

Swap beach plans for indoor ones in Maó: the Museu de Menorca, the covered Claustre del Carme market, the Xoriguer distillery and a winery with a covered tasting room let you carry on with your trip regardless of the weather.

Is the Museu de Menorca open every day?

No; the museum is closed on Mondays and its hours change between the winter season (October to May) and summer, so check current opening times before visiting.

Can you visit the Xoriguer distillery in winter?

Tastings at the harbour shop usually run all year round, but guided tours of the distillery are mainly concentrated between April and October; outside those months, it's worth confirming availability.

Are there indoor plans near JUME URBAN ROOMS in Maó?

Yes: the Museu de Menorca, the Mercat des Claustre and the Xoriguer distillery are all within easy walking distance of central Maó, where JUME URBAN ROOMS is located.

Is it worth visiting Menorca if it's going to rain?

Yes. Menorca has enough indoor plans — museums, covered markets, wineries and distilleries — that a rainy day needn't spoil a holiday on the island.

JUME URBAN ROOMS sits right in the centre of Maó, a short walk from the Museu de Menorca, the Mercat des Claustre and the harbour where the Xoriguer distillery is based: a convenient base for putting together any of these indoor plans on a rainy day in Menorca.