Northern Mallorca

Northern Mallorca is the island's heart and soul, bundling coastal drama, cultured towns with spirited fiestas, a twinset of white-sand bays and an exciting portfolio of adventure sports into one enticing package.

The Serra de Tramuntana is at its most fabulous where the range culminates on the Cap de Formentor, flicking out into the Med like a dragon's tail. The road that wraps around its cliff tops elicits gasps of wonder from drivers and cyclists. Across the water, the pine-forested peninsula of Cap des Pinar is hiking heaven. Elsewhere, kitesurfers, cliff jumpers, scuba divers, cavers and paragliders harness its unique coastscapes and steady breezes.

Resorts here have a low-key, kid-friendly vibe. Inland, towns have retained an authentic Mallorcan air: from medieval-walled Alcúdia to Pollença, with its cafe-rimmed plazas, pilgrim trails and live-to-party summer festivals.