The Salinas de la Concepción receive the Europa Nostra Award 2026

The Salinas de la Concepción – Sal de Menorca have been awarded the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award 2026 in the category of Conservation and Adaptive Reuse.

The recognition, granted by the European Commission and Europa Nostra, highlights the recovery of this historic saltworks site, founded in 1853 and abandoned for decades. The restoration, completed in 2022, made it possible to recover more than four kilometres of walls, the clay ponds, and the traditional water circulation system.

Today, the Salinas de la Concepción are the only active saltworks in Menorca and are part of the Biosphere Reserve. In 2025, they received 3,200 visitors, including school groups, local residents and retirees.

The European jury noted that the project successfully reconnects natural, cultural and landscape heritage, while supporting biodiversity and a sustainable local economy.

Sal de Menorca, a B Corp company responsible for managing the site, produces fleur de sel and virgin sea salt using artisanal methods, with the aim of preserving the traditional salt-making craft and enhancing a product closely linked to Menorca’s history and landscape.