Sant Joan Gran, a visit to the Menorcan countryside to buy cheese and farm products

Discovering Menorca through its gastronomy also means leaving the most familiar routes behind, travelling along rural lanes and finding the places where the land is still worked and food is produced according to the rhythms of each season. Sant Joan Gran, located on the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, near Ciutadella, offers foodie travellers the opportunity to get closer to the origin of the products and buy directly from the producer, without intermediaries.

The visit offers views of a distinctly Menorcan landscape, shaped by green fields, dry-stone walls and traditional rural buildings. It is within this agricultural setting that the products of Sant Joan Gran are created, on a farm that maintains a close connection between livestock farming, cultivation and artisan production.

One of the main attractions is its Protected Designation of Origin Mahón-Menorca cheese. It is handcrafted from raw milk, allowing each wheel the time it needs to develop its own character. The milk, the season and the ageing process contribute different nuances, meaning that no two cheeses are exactly alike.

The farm shop offers cheeses at different stages of maturity, ranging from semi-cured varieties to cured and aged cheeses. In the latter, the passing of time takes on an especially important role, intensifying the aromas, textures and flavours. This selection allows visitors to choose according to their preferences or prepare a small comparative cheese tasting when they return to their accommodation.

Sant Joan Gran’s offering does not end with cheese. The farm shop also sells sobrasada, artisan cured meats and other products made on the property. Depending on the time of year, the selection is complemented by fruit, vegetables and seasonal produce grown in the surrounding fields.

Buying directly from the farm makes it possible to discover what lies behind each product and appreciate the daily work of Menorca’s family-run farms. It is not simply about purchasing food, but also about understanding the landscape, the production process and the way of life that make it possible.

The farm shop is located on the Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, kilometre 5, in Ciutadella. Visitors are advised to contact the farm before travelling there to confirm opening times and product availability.

For those unable to visit Sant Joan Gran, the farm has a stall every Saturday from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm at Ciutadella Market, in Plaça des Mercat des Peix —also known as Plaça de la Llibertat— where it sells cheeses, cured meats and fresh seasonal products directly from the producer.

Information Foodies on Menorca

Experience: Direct purchase and discovery of artisan PDO Mahón-Menorca cheese
Establishment: Sant Joan Gran SRM
Location: Camí de Sant Joan de Missa, km 5.5, 07760 Ciutadella de Menorca
Telephone: +34 971 38 49 52
Email: santjoangran@gmail.com
Website:  https://agroxerxa.menorca.es/Contingut.aspx?idpub=9524
Instagram: @santjoangran

Main products: Artisan cheeses made from raw cow’s milk and available at different stages of maturity; sobrasada and other cured meats; fruit, vegetables and seasonal produce from the farm.

Recommended for: Travellers interested in local produce, Menorcan gastronomy, rural life and buying directly from the producer.

Tip: Contact the farm before travelling there to confirm opening times, product availability and the possibility of seeing the animals.

Ideal for: Buying authentic gastronomic products, preparing a cheese tasting or taking home an edible souvenir from Menorca.

Alternative point of sale: Every Saturday from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm, Sant Joan Gran has a stall at Ciutadella Market, in Plaça des Mercat des Peix, also known as Plaça de la Llibertat.