Mallorca

Short breaks to Palma de Mallorca may come with a hefty helping of surprise -Spain's famous holiday island offers much more than just sun, sand and sea. Palma is beautifully situated in the yacht-speckled Bay of Palma, with an old quarter holding vestiges of a long and proud past.

By day you can discover cobbled streets, café-lined squares, Gothic churches and broad avenues bursting at the seams with shops. At night, city breaks to Palma de Mallorca come into their own, with a party scene that gives Madrid and Barcelona a run for their money.

The numero uno sight awaiting discovery on short breaks to Palma de Mallorca is the massive cathedral, La Seo. Started in 1230 - and still not quite finished - it's a breathtakingly majestic assembly of spires, statues, pillars and arches, topped off with ornate features crafted by some of the major artists of the time.

The surrounding area holds many other gems, including the Moorish citadel of Palau de l'Almudaina, and the Banyas Arabas, Arab baths dating back to the 10th century. Energetic types can get the most out of city breaks to Palma de Mallorca by hiking up to the hilltop Bellver Castle, for fabulous views of the city and the bay. Afterwards, catch your breath on Passeig de Born, a tree-lined boulevard humming with outdoor cafés and bars.

Unless all you're after is sea and sand - in which case you'll spend short breaks to Palma de Mallorca bunked up at a beach resort - the city also makes a great base from which to explore the island's laid-back towns, rugged mountain scenery, and hidden sandy coves. Who knows, you might even bump into Michael Douglas or Claudia Schiffer (just some of Palma's celebrity regulars) on your travels.