Es Trenc, Cala Pi & Mallorca's Coves

Drop your bags and get your bearings. A beach day starts best when you're not rushing, so settle in, open the shutters and let the warm air do the rest.

A gently curving bay with calm, clear water that eases you into holiday mode without drama. Spread out on the sand, take a long swim out towards the headland and let the morning stretch at its own pace. The bay's natural shelter makes it ideal for a first dip — no fighting waves, just the Med at its most welcoming.

After the morning in the water, Las Olas is the right call — a proper sit-down lunch where you can finally dry off over something worth eating. Order slowly, no rushing back yet.

A short drive south-west brings you to this compact, sheltered cove where the afternoon sun hits the water at exactly the right angle. The smaller scale means it never feels overrun — just the right size for snorkelling along the rocky edges or stretching out on the pebble-and-sand mix as the heat softens.

Trade the shoreline for a rooftop perch back in Palma. Es Princep's elevated terrace frames the bay and the cathedral as the sky shifts through amber. A glass in hand, salt still on your skin — this is the right way to close a beach day.

On Carrer de Sant Jaume.

Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo is one of Palma's oldest cafés, a marble-and-tile room that has been serving chocolate con churros and ensaïmades for generations. A proper breakfast here sets you up for a long day on the coast.

The drive up through the Serra de Tramuntana is part of the experience — hairpin bends with the mountains on one side and the sea opening below you. La Calobra itself is something else: a narrow torrent gorge that opens onto a pocket of sand framed by sheer limestone. Swim in the clear, cold water between the rock walls and understand why people make the journey.

Back towards Palma, Quina creu on Carrer de la Corderia is the kind of neighbourhood lunch spot that rewards a detour. Honest cooking, a good table, and exactly the right level of energy after a morning in the mountains and the sea.

On the way back from the north coast, Valldemossa's old Carthusian monastery is a worthwhile stop — cool stone corridors, a cloister garden that feels unchanged across centuries, and views over the terraced hillside that put the whole island into perspective. Keep it to an hour and you'll still have the afternoon on the water.

Cala Fornells rewards the afternoon visit — the crowds thin out, the light goes golden over the pine-fringed headland, and the sheltered inlet stays calm enough for a lazy late swim. Walk the rocky path around the cove's edge before the sun drops.

Carrer dels Apuntadors is Palma's most characterful dining street, and Wineing leans into that with a wine-forward menu that suits a slow evening after a full day. Pull up a chair, pick something from the Balearics and replay the day's best moments.

Es Trenc is Mallorca's long answer to the question of what a wild beach should look like — a broad, undeveloped arc of pale sand backed by dunes and low scrub, with water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue as you wade out. Arrive early, walk to your spot and claim the morning before the rest of the island catches up.

Mistral on Carrer del Banc keeps it straightforward and good — the kind of lunch that doesn't try to outshine the morning you've just had. Fresh, well-sourced, easy on the wallet and the energy levels.

Built into the old city walls, Es Baluard is Palma's museum of modern and contemporary art — but just as compelling is the open-air terrace on top of the ramparts, where the sea view is framed by centuries-old stone. An hour here between beaches is the right measure: cool rooms, strong work, and a stroll along the walls before heading back to the coast.

Save Cala Pi for last — a narrow inlet carved between tall pines and pale rock, with water so clear the sandy bottom seems lit from below. It's a short walk down from the clifftop path, but the effort is immediately forgotten the moment you're in. A slow swim, a long float, and a proper farewell to the island.

One last rooftop moment before the island lets you go. The Sky Area at Hotel Almudaina looks out over Palma's skyline and the bay beyond — perfect for a final drink as the day's heat fades and the city lights begin to warm up.

L'Informal rounds off the trip in exactly the right register — confident cooking without the formality, a room with the right kind of energy for a last night, and enough on the menu to make choosing difficult in the best way. Raise a glass to three good days.