An English colonial-style villa rural
A sundial (meridiana in Italian) built on the southwest façade, and a date: 1833. With the passage of time and the comings and goings of people, both were eventually buried beneath layers of stucco and paint. That is until our 2025 renovation, when they finally reemerged, evoking that indissoluble bond between time and place, solar cycles and life cycles, a bond which the villa itself—which today houses the Association—stands as both a testament to and a symbol of.
Dating back to before the founding of the town of Es Castell as we know it today, and strategically located near the castle of Sant Felip—a military fortress of great importance to both the Spanish and the British during their occupation of the island—some believe the house was built by the British themselves to house high-ranking military officers. In fact, it's no coincidence that the grand staircase and the columned portico—which adorn the entrance of the villa to this day—face directly toward the castle, almost directly away from the center of civil and administrative power, namely the city of Mahón.
After British rule came to an end, historical records attribute ownership of the villa to the merchant Sanpol, who had "el torreón" built so he could spot his ships approaching the harbour in advance—ships that were rumored to be loaded with contraband goods. Some stories passed down through generations cite with absolute certainty the existence of a secret tunnel beneath the villa—one that led all the way to the small port of Cales Fonts—used to transport goods away from prying eyes.
As the mercantile era came to an end, the villa's purpose began to undergo a radical transformation. In fact, it was around this time that the house began to open its doors to the public. For decades, public records listed the villa as a vil·la d'esbarjo ("recreational villa" in Catalan), as successive owners continued to transform the space into a venue for dining, music, and parties. The most iconic and nostalgic period for the Menorcan people who had the chance to experience it dates back to the 1980s, when the villa—painted entirely yellow—was home to El Amarillo, a venue that embodied the festive energy and unconventional spirit that characterized Spain's movida during the democratic transition. Amid drag queens and burlesque shows, the villa established itself as a premier nightlife destination, alive with a revelry that stood in stark contrast to the austerity of the decades under dictatorship.
Over the years, the villa continued to change hands, name, and function. Today, we welcome its new era as La Meridiana - Casa Italia, in homage to that unearthed sundial that allows us to embed the villa in its historical context, and as a nod to the spirit that has always defined it: a refuge on a small patch of land surrounded by the sea, ready to welcome anyone who arrives, carried by the wind.