But for me this is where the heart of Mallorca lies, as much as in the beach resorts and the chic bars of Palma. Go and discover it for yourself - you won't have to be ashamed to admit it any more.FACT FILEGetting thereBritish Midland (0345 554554) and Iberia (0171-830 0011) have direct flights from Heathrow to Palma. Return flights with Iberia are pounds 124 until 21 March; with British Midland, pounds 154 until 17 February. There are numerous charter flights available from regional airports; high street travel agents have access to flight-only deals. The main source of cheap flights is Thomson (0990 502599).AccommodationIf money is no object, stay at La Residencia in Deia (00 34 71 639011) or Palacio Ca Sa Galesa, a beautifully restored palace in Palma (00 34 71 715400); expect to pay at least pounds 100 per night. S'Hotel d'es Puig in Deia (00 34 71 639409) is the hotel mentioned by Robert Graves; double rooms, pounds 65.

Most hotels in Mallorca are pre- booked by package-holiday operators - try smaller companies such as Alternative Mallorca (0113 278 6862) and Magic of Spain (0181-748 7575), which also has self-catering villas.Walking holidaysHeadwater (01606 48699) has a good eight-day guided walking holiday, staying on the north coast at Port de Soller. Prices from pounds 487 in March including flights and accommodation.Car hireThe major firms have offices at the airport and cars can be booked in advance Try Europcar (0345 222525) and Hertz (0345 555888). Local firms offer competitive prices, but beware the small print and make sure the price includes full insurance and VAT. Two good local firms are Serra (00 34 71 269411) and Hasso (00 34 71 261005).

Expect to pay about pounds 100 a week out of season for a small car such as an Opel Corsa or Seat Ibiza.Restaurants in PalmaFor tapas, try La Boveda, Carrer Boteria 3 (714863); for seafood, Caballito de Mar, Passeig Sagrera 5 (721074); for vegetarian food, Bon Lloc, Carrer Sant Feliu 7 (718617), which has a four-course set lunch for under pounds 6; for paella, S'Arrosseria, Passeig Maritim 13 (737447), with large portions of rice dishes in a dozen different styles.Bars and clubs in PalmaAbaco, Carrer Sant Joan 1 (715911) from 9pm daily; Cappuccino Grand Cafe, Passeig Maritim 1 (282162), lunch to late; Club de Mar, Moll Pelaires (403611), lunch to late; Hogans, Carrer Monsenyor Palmer 2 (289664), 12noon- 3am; Made in Brasil, Passeig Maritim (454569), late; Pacha's, Passeig Maritim 42 (737788), 10pm-5am.GuidebooksMallorca and Menorca: The Rough Guide (Penguin,pounds 8.99) is comprehensive and up-to-date; Mallorca and lbiza (Insight Guides, pounds 12.99) is good for photographs and cultural background; Landscapes of Mallorca by Valerie Crespi-Green (Sunflower Books, pounds 8.99) is a useful walking guide.. SOME MEDITERRANEAN resorts have become so notorious that their names have virtually become synonyms for bad taste. Even the least well- known of these have acquired a subliminal, awful presence in the brains of anyone who glances at the holiday pages of teletext or the cheap flights ads in travel agency windows. But isn't this just snobbery of the highest order? Many of the following resorts are excellent places to party and to make pan-European friends They can also be extremely cheap to fly to, out of season. And finally, those flying on a ticket-only basis can easily escape out of town in search of more "authentic" local attractions, if beer and beaches are not their thing.

Bear in mind that for the cheapest seats you are likely to be travelling at odd times of the day (such as 7am from Gatwick) and will need to find late-availability tickets. And because the prices given in newspaper ads are always "subject to availability" you may not get the prices listed. Nevertheless, bargains such as Alicante for pounds 59 return do exist. Honest. LLORET DE MARThis was the first part of Spain colonised by mass tourism and the first to be abandoned by the middle classes. Approach it for what it is: a Butlins- in-the-sun, full of Chinese takeaways, German wurst and pizzerias and you should have fun (though the weather is unreliable out of season). There are still some remarkably cheap pensiones stashed away amid the high-rises Quick escapes: Barcelona, Figueras. Nearest airport: Gerona.BENIDORMThis is almost certainly the most maligned of all Mediterranean resorts.