Palma de Mallorca: Why go
Long overlooked, Palma is now a hot destination in its own right. Following a costly restoration programme in the Old City, it gets better each time we visit. Chic boutiques, avant-garde art galleries, modernista architecture, a magnificent cathedral, 2 harbours lined with mega-yachts, leafy promenades, pavement cafes, tapas bars, excellent restaurants and buzzing nightlife. And best of all, Palma is small enough to explore on foot. Easy access makes it perfect for a long weekend away.
The focal point of the city - you can't miss it - is the magnificent Gothic cathedral, La Seu, which dominates the waterfront. Its foundations were laid in 1230 under the instruction of Jaime I and took 500 years to complete. Now the sandstone walls and flying buttresses, spotlit at night, tower over the old town and the adjacent Almudaina palace. From here, wander the maze of narrow lanes, stopping for coffees and creamy ensaimadas, or Sullerica beer and pintxos if it's that time of day; you'll always find your way back to the cathedral.
Head down along the tree-lined Passeig del Born, and beyond it towards Av. Jaime III, for upscale boutiques from Massimo Dutti to Michal Negrin: you'll find fashion, jewellery, leather, and home wares galore. Rialto Living is an institution of tasteful design, El Corte Ingles is the original and best Spanish department store.
If you want to escape town, grab a cab (or an open-top bus) up to Bellver Castle, on a pine-shaded hill 3km to the west, with great views over the city and its harbours. The 14th-century royal fortress, still well-preserved, was built for Jaime II; the ground-floor houses a modest City History Museum.
Photo credits: Andres Nieto Porras, Cezary P, Hedwig Storch, Jose-Luis Filipo Cabana, Thomas Wolf