Mallorca

Nestled in the crook of the Badia de Palma, Mallorca's capital is the most agreeable of all Mediterranean towns. Shaped and defined by the sea and backed by not-so-distant mountains, it is a city of open horizons and oft-blue skies, with good looks and a festive nature. Surveying it all from a gentle rise is the old quarter, crowned by its colossal Gothic cathedral. Slip away from the crowds that swarm around the trophy sights for just a minute and you will find yourself deep in a labyrinth of cobbled lanes, which call for serendipitous strolls. Take your lead from the locals and wander here at ease, pausing for market banter, boutique finds, snapshots of baroque churches, palaces and patrician courtyards, and lunches that linger long into the afternoon.