I went to the Spanish town that held a tourism ban vote - here's what surprised me
Binibeca Vell is a relatively tiny housing development on the island of Menorca, but it has made some big headlines as part of the overtourism debate. Last year the holiday hotspot threatened to ban tourists completely after previously telling them to only visit between 11am and 8pm.
However, when the vote was cast, locals declined to put a total tourist ban in place, instead opting for the restricted hours, so they could at least enjoy breakfast in peace.
The spot, sometimes dubbed the Spanish Mykonos due to its style which resembles a Greek fishing village, is quite a strange attraction. While it may have the classic Mediterranean aesthetic, it was actually built in the 1970s, and it's not a village, but rather a private development, which has given locals the unique ability to close it to tourists.
And it's easy to see why they might consider bolting the gates. A quick search of Binibeca on social media shows dozens of posts of people sitting on terraces, climbing staircases, and whimsically wandering through its narrow alleys. While the videos of influencers in pretty sundresses posing in the streets may look gorgeous, the reality is, people live within the complex, and it must be incredibly annoying to look outside your window to see someone taking selfies.
Although I've visited Menorca several times in the past, with my first trip being back when I was a kid in the early 90s, I had strangely never heard of Binibeca until I saw the tourist ban headlines. The popularity of the place seems to be very much tied to its social media appeal. So, when we decided to visit in late-July, the place was on my to do list. I was curious why a few houses were such a big tourist attraction, and how bad the crowds would be.
Obviously, visiting in July means it's peak time, with school holidays in full swing. We opted to visit mid-week, and tried to arrive soon after the opening time of 11am, hoping it would be quieter, especially since we had two kids in tow. I was expecting the crowds to be somewhere between Oxford Street on a Saturday and summer in Santorini.
We found a parking spot on the road outside fairly easily, and braced ourselves to elbow our way through the hoards of tourists. But as we stumbled down some steps and took in the stunning sea views, we were surprised to find it was pretty quiet.
There were a few families and couples on romantic strolls and we certainly saw more than one person taking selfies, although they were keeping a respectful distance from the homes. The buildings are plastered with signs warning people not to sit on walls or climb on staircases, and some are blocked with chains, so it appears the message is getting through.
The only real scrum we found was the fight to get a table at one of the restaurants at lunchtime. In the Binibeca Vell area there are lots of tourist villas and hotels, and everyone seemed to descend at once, trying to get an outdoor table with a view. So, after spending about an hour and a half wandering the area, we decided to drive somewhere else to eat.
So, while Binibeca might not be as packed as I thought, would I recommend it as a day trip? To be honest, it wouldn't be top of my list. It's certainly very pretty, and while it was nice to walk around, there wasn't much to do other than take photos and shop for some souvenirs at the end. The kids enjoyed the walk, but were more excited by the prospect of an ice cream at the end.
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There are plenty of other picturesque spots to explore in Menorca. Try Fornells in the north of the island. It was formerly a real fishing village, and has a beautiful bay and beaches. Or try Cap d'Artrutx in the south west, where you can visit a 19th-century lighthouse and will find lots of beautiful harbour-front restaurants where you can stay past 8pm.
Binibeca Vell is probably best left for the locals to enjoy in peace.
As for anti-tourism sentiment, I didn't personally experience any on my trip to Menorca. I only spotted a single 'tourists go home' style poster on my trip hanging from a balcony. While the island does have some big resorts, it gets a fraction of the visitors of Majorca, around 1.6 million to the bigger island's 10 million, so you're less likely to be fighting for a sunbed.
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