Es Castell is the easternmost town on Minorca. Founded by the British in Maó Port in the 18th century, it was named Georgetown by them in honour of King George III. Its origins go back to the Castle of Sant Felip, a fortification that once stood at the entrance to Maó Port but which has since been largely demolished.
The centre of Es Castell is the old parade ground, now called Plaça de S’Esplanada, which is flanked by two former military barracks, one of which has been converted into a military museum, the Town Hall and the Parish Church of El Roser, built in the Neoclassical style. The rectilinear, grid-like streets are broad and lead in just a few minutes down to the sea.
Cales Fonts is the old fishermen’s wharf. The boats and nets that were once a feature of the esplanades have now been replaced by outdoor cafés and restaurants. Some of the natural caves that were used in the past as stores by the fishermen have been converted into shops and other businesses offering goods and services aimed at the tourists who come here to enjoy the lively atmosphere in the afternoons and evenings.
Some 3 kilometres from Es Castell is Cala Sant Esteve, with its residential area and Fort Marlborough on the Maó Port estuary. Much of this fortification, built by the British in the 18th century, is excavated out of the rock and hence blends perfectly into the landscape.