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The Moors chose another picturesque spot for their “Castle of the King”. The battered ruins we see today, high above the sea on a barren crag, are the remains of medieval embellishments made by Jaume I. It was not effective against pirates, who simply landed at nearby Cala Sant Vicenç, but it was the last stronghold to surrender to Aragonese invasions in the 14th century.

With Moorish origins and Christian additions, this castle never served its defensive purpose well, as raiders simply avoided it. It was demoted to merely a watchtower, and, in the early 18th century, abandoned altogether. Today, its ruins are a panoramic destination for hikers (see also Castell del Rei).

This lofty castle was originally used by the Moors as a stronghold. It proved to be virtually impregnable – conquered only after extremely long sieges, with its unfortunate defenders eventually being starved out. The Christians refurbished the old structure and continued to use it for centuries.

This remote castle was attacked several times over the centuries, each time proving its defences against everything except prolonged siege. Alfonso III finally took it in 1285. The two leaders of the patriots were burned alive by the king, who, in turn, was excommunicated by the pope (see also Castell d’Alaró).

Dominating the entire port, Palma Cathedral (known as Sa Seu) is a glowing man-made mountain of sandstone. The second largest Gothic cathedral in the world, it is also the symbol of the city and the island’s most visited building (see Sa Seu: Palma Cathedral).

A fine Italianate edifice, Ca’n Solleric was built for a family of olive oil merchants in 1763 and converted into a modern art gallery in 1995. It stands at the top of the gracious Passeig des Born, which was created in the 19th century on a dried-up river-bed. This is Palma’s main promenade, similar to Barcelona’s famous Ramblas and the venue of large-scale cultural events. Set among its plane trees are flowerbeds and seats.

Byzantine general who defeated the Vandals here in 533.

The ancient watchtower on one of Mallorca’s most picturesque island nature reserves may date as far back as Roman times. It may not be much to look at these days, but it’s fun just to hike around the unspoiled island and imagine what it must have been like during a raid, with corsairs storming the place and signal fires warning the rest of the island (see Illa Dragonera).