Lloc de Menorca animal park with free time at Son Bou Beach

One of the best family days out in Menorca. First up, you'll visit Lloc de Menorca animal park, a sanctuary for species from all over the world. And then you'll enjoy downtime at the blue-flag Son Bou beach. Nicola, one of our guides on this tour, says, ‘Small children will love the animal splash park and indoor play areas. And you can get your holiday snaps with a variety of animals, including a snake.'

Set in beautiful, flower-filled gardens, Lloc de Menorca is home to all sorts of farm animals and exotic creatures. The welfare of the animals is the utmost priority. Nicola says, ‘Rescued animals enjoy a new life, in what would be their own normal environments.' And Debbie, another of our guides, adds, ‘The Lloc is so much more than a zoo – it's a sanctuary to many abused animals from circuses, illegal trafficking and even overbreeding.'

As you follow the paths around the ponds, you'll come face-to-face with playful monkeys, meet friendly dwarf goats and get up close to everything from kangaroos and giant tortoises to porcupines and peacocks. There's also a reptile house where you can have your picture taken with a snake. Spot lots of birds in the aviary, including cheeky parrots hiding in the leaves. To round off the day, we make the 15-minute journey to sun-kissed Son Bou – others take you to beaches further away. Boasting almost 3km of blond sand, it's the longest stretch of beach on Menorca. You'll have around an hour here to stretch out for a sunbathe, go for a swim or have a poke around the souvenir shops. And if you opt in for lunch, you'll sit down to a tasty meal in Restaurant Arena.