Inland from Palma bay, you could certainly find worse ways to spend an afternoon than hopping on a bus to ANDRATX , a small, undeveloped town huddled among the hills to the west. From here, it's another short bus ride through a pretty, orchard-covered landscape to the dishevelled, low-key resort of SANT ELM .

There are plans to expand the resort, but at present it's a relatively quiet spot where there's a reasonable chance of a room in high season, either at the conspicuous Hotel Aquamarín or, preferably, at the Hostal Dragonera, a simple, modern building with clean and neat rooms, most of which offer sea views. For such a small place, there's also a surprisingly wide choice of cafés and restaurants , the best being Na Caragola, which specializes in seafood and has a charming terrace and ocean views.