Palma

One of Europe's great Gothic cathedrals, rising honey-gold straight from the harbour, with a rose window and a soaring interior reworked by Gaudí. The symbol of the city; go in the morning light, and see it lit up from the seafront at night.

Get lost in the honey-stone lanes behind the cathedral — grand courtyards ('patios') glimpsed through iron gates, the Arab baths, hidden squares and boutiques. Free, beautiful and endlessly wanderable; the soul of Palma.

A century-old wooden train that rattles up over the Tramuntana mountains to the pretty town of Sóller, then a tram down to its port. A gloriously slow, scenic ride and one of Mallorca's best days out; go midweek.

The UNESCO mountain range along the west coast — a spectacular drive through terraced villages like Valldemossa and Deià, cliff coves and hairpin roads to Sa Calobra. Rent a car; it's the wild, beautiful other side of the island.

Mallorca's calling card is its 'calas' — small turquoise coves in pine-backed cliffs. From wild Cala Deià to the long white Es Trenc in the south, pick one and swim in impossibly clear water. Go early for parking and space.

The city's foodie heart — a lively covered market where stalls turn into tapas counters at lunch. Graze oysters, jamón, a glass of local wine, then the bars of the surrounding barrio. Where Palma actually eats.

A rare round Gothic castle on a wooded hill above the city, with a circular courtyard and 360° views over Palma, the bay and the mountains. A short climb or drive; the best panorama of the city, especially at sunset.

Eat Mallorquín — 'pa amb oli' (bread with oil, tomato and cheese), sobrassada sausage, fresh fish, and the island's spiral 'ensaïmada' pastry for breakfast. The old town and Santa Catalina do it best; graze bar to bar.

The prettied-up old fishing harbour just east of the centre — a promenade of brunch spots and cool cafés around a little beach and bobbing boats. The local Sunday move; walk or cycle the seafront to reach it.

A modern-art museum built into the old sea bastion, with a terrace café on the ramparts and views over the cathedral and harbour. Good contemporary art and the best free-ish viewpoint in the centre.

The studio and museum of Joan Miró, who spent his last decades on Mallorca — his workshop left as it was, plus galleries and gardens above the bay. A calm, lovely couple of hours for art lovers, west of the centre.

A flat seafront cycle path runs the whole Bay of Palma, from the cathedral past the marina to Portixol and beyond. Rent a bike and ride it at golden hour — the easiest, breeziest way to see the waterfront like a local.

See the coast the best way — hire a small boat or join a trip from the marina to swim in coves you can't reach by road, with the mountains behind. A half-day of turquoise water and cliffs; the essence of a Mallorca summer.

Palma goes out late — cocktail and tapas bars around Santa Catalina for a local night, or the Paseo Marítimo waterfront for bigger clubs. Stylish and fun without Ibiza's price tag; start with a rooftop drink.

The two most beautiful Tramuntana villages — Valldemossa's monastery where Chopin wintered, and cliff-clinging Deià of artists and a hidden cove. Postcard-perfect stone lanes and mountain views; an easy, gorgeous half-day drive.

The wild, cliff-edged cape at Mallorca's northern tip — a dramatic drive to a lighthouse with the Tramuntana falling into the sea, and a dreamy beach on the way. The island's grandest view.

Vast caves on the east coast filled with stalactites and one of the world's largest underground lakes — where a live classical concert plays from little boats on the water. Pure theatre.

A perfectly walled medieval town in the north — honey-stone lanes, a lively market, and Roman ruins just outside. A lovely change of pace from the coast.

Mallorca's most beautiful natural beach — a long stretch of white sand and shallow turquoise water backed by dunes and salt pans, with no high-rises in sight. Bring everything you need.