Mallorca’s gently rolling plain comes as a big surprise to the first-time visitor. Bordered to the north by the Tramuntana Sierra and to the south and east by the hills which frame the island’s rugged, lesser-known coastline, it is a patchwork of almond groves, citrus orchards and market gardens.

Forming Mallorca’s geographical heart, it offers easy access to all four corners of the island, allowing you to explore the mountains, the coastal hills, the sandy beaches and the intriguing capital, Palma. But this is a place for taking things slowly. Life seems to be less hurried here, as reflected by the ancient villages and slowly turning windmills whose silhouettes stand out against the skyline, and we suggest you follow suit, enjoying the exceptional service offered by your host at the elegant Apartamentos d’es Pla.
 

As Mallorca is a relatively small island, you can gain a real feel for it over the course of a week or two’s holiday – given that the Apartamentos d’es Pla are in the centre, it doesn’t take too long to access any part of the island with your hire car.
 

Cycling is one of the best ways to explore the relatively flat terrain of the central plain (your host will be happy to arrange for bikes to be delivered to you), while the rugged Tramuntana Sierra is best appreciated on foot, the inviting paths rewarding you with panoramic views. We provide notes for one cycling and three walking routes. The walking routes are in the Tramuntana Sierra, and the starting points are reached by car.

• Mallorca on Two Wheels (grade 1-2, 34km): this gentle circuit introduces you to the fertile plain of Es Pla, a patchwork of cereal fields, orchards, almond groves and pretty villages. You initially head north, with the option of detouring to two megalithic monuments, before swinging west and then south via the market town of Sineu, one of the oldest settlements on Mallorca and the site of a beautiful Gothic church and a renowned farmers' market every Wednesday.
• Delightful Deià (grade 1, 10km, 4hrs): drive to Port de Sóller then catch a bus to hill-top Deià, a very pretty village and a favourite of many bohemians, writers and poets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Spend some time strolling through the cobbled streets of honey-coloured buildings or bathing in the small cove before following the old postman's route along the edge of the Muleta Plateau and descending to Port de Sóller.
• Valldemossa & the Puig des Teix (grade 2-3, 12.5km, 4hrs): described by Chopin as ‘the most beautiful place in the world’, Valldemossa is another village not to be missed. It is dominated by its famous Carthusian monastery which houses a 17th-century pharmacy, Chopin’s piano and an excellent small art collection that includes works by Picasso and Henry Moore. After visiting the village, you can enjoy a rewarding circular walk up into the mountains, passing beneath the peak of the Teix (1,064 metres) for superb views of the coast in clear weather. You then follow bridleways created by Archduke Luis Salvador, Mallorca’s great benefactor, across a limestone plateau before descending back to Valldemossa through woods of holm oaks where wild goats often graze.
• The Orange Valley (grade 2, 11km, 4.5hrs): leave your car in Sóller then take a taxi to the Ses Barques viewpoint and walk along ancient cobbled trails through a deep, fertile valley coated with orange groves. After rising out of the valley, you descend to the coast and follow the spectacular coastal path to the beach at Cala Tuent, enjoying some of the best sea views on the island before returning to Sóller by boat.
 

Also worth a visit is the town of Sóller, with its elegant mansions and Gaudí-esque church, from where you can travel along the nostalgic narrow-gauge railway to the capital, Palma, a vibrant city with modernist architecture, pretty squares, a striking cathedral overlooking the sea and top-class restaurants to rival any major European capital.

To ring the changes, drive along the winding road to the tip of the Formentor Peninsula, all the more dramatic on a windy day, and don’t neglect your immediate surroundings – the central plain is a delightful patchwork of almond groves and market gardens dotted with timeless villages and old windmills.
 

Apartamentos d’es Pla, sleep 2-4
Meal arrangements: self-catering

You will find high standards of hospitality here from your English-speaking hosts, Felisa and her family, and elegant, sophisticated accommodation to match. The family’s pride in their handsome 18th-century manor is evident in the care with which all the estate buildings have been converted into five air-conditioned apartments, beautifully decorated in traditional Mallorcan style. Although this is a working farm where they make their own jams and olive oil, you will be able to relax on your own private terrace in quiet seclusion. The sunsets and views from the estate are exquisite.
Four of the apartments consist of a double or twin bedroom, a kitchen (with a two-ring hob, fridge-freezer and microwave), a bathroom and a sitting room. The fifth has two bedrooms (one double and one twin, each with its own bathroom) as well as a large balcony with seating.

Property & hire car includes: 7 days' category B car hire 
Recommended airport: Palma
Driving time from airport: 0h30
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Start: any day
Last start: by latest date(s) shown above