Sip a coffee in the old town of Palma, succumb to the dreamy evening light and soak up the view of the Dragon Island or seek adventure on your way through the Torrent de Pareis. Experience everyday Mallorcan life at the Sa Pobla market and visit the windmills in the Marjals de sa Pobla by bike.

Mallorca is still struggling with an image problem - concrete castles and ballermann. This may still be the case in some places, but the Spanish Mediterranean island definitely has more to offer. Away from the tourist paths, one discovers pretty little places, a lot of nature and above all lovable islanders. Especially in the north of the island there is a lot of sea, sand and interesting sights to discover. A good starting point is Port de Pollença with its fine sandy bay against the magnificent backdrop of wild mountain scenery, which attracted the interest of the tourism industry early on. Fortunately, the harbour town was quickly overtaken by other centres. Thus, the town was spared a skyline of faceless hotel buildings. From here, excursions can be organised in all directions.

How about a hike through the Bóquer valley - there and back the easy hike takes about 2 hours and ends in the bay Cala Vall de Bóquer. The area is considered one of the most important bird sanctuaries on the island. Hoopoe, blackcap and kestrel are quite common, with a little luck also the rare black vulture.

From Port de Pollença there are also two beautiful day tours by rental car. One leads on a winding and narrow road to the peninsula Formentor, 15km into the sea and to the Cape of the same name, the most northeastern point of Mallorca. On the way the Mirador de la Creueta attracts. On foot, one can climb over terraces to the view point and enjoy the probably most famous view of Mallorca: the vertical walls of Els Farallons with the small offshore island Colomer. A second day tour leads to the rugged and bizarre main mountain range Serra del Norte, which extends over approximately 100 km in the northwest of the island. One should not miss the side trip to the bay Sa Calobra. At the northern end of the rocky bay forested with pine trees, the Torrent de Pareis flows as a canyon of the island through a narrow crevice into the sea. This natural wonder can be admired on a footpath. On the way you can stop for lunch at Ca'n BoQueta in the cute town of Sóller, a small restaurant with imaginative cuisine in the old townhouse. For railway enthusiasts, there is a 20-minute tram ride between Sóller and the Port de Sóller.

As a change from exploring the island, it is always worth taking a dip in the cool water or how about a sailing or windsurfing course. Port de Pollença is the perfect place to learn the basics of both water sports. The German sailing school Sail & Surf offers courses for beginners and advanced sailors. For those who are not so familiar with the element of water, a bike tour into the mountains or along the north coast is recommended. And what is definitely not to be missed during a stay on Mallorca is a visit to the capital. Palma can be easily explored on foot. Everywhere, cafés invite to stay. A must is the visit of the cathedral La Seu, a gem of gothic architecture.