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You can glimpse this castle from miles away, its rickrack form sprawling appealingly around the crest of its sizeable hill. A citadel of some sort has existed here since Roman times, guarding the sea approach, but the present crenellated classic dates back to King Sanç in the 14th century. You can drive up, if you’re lucky enough to find the right street in the tightly knit little town below, but the walk up from pleasant Plaça de l’Orient is far more fun. Within the walls is a curious little Gothic church, from the flat roof of which you can take in more spectacular vistas.

A link with the Mallorcans of some 3,000 years ago, these Bronze Age ruins of a Talayot village include a massive Cyclopean portal formed from three stone slabs weighing up to eight tons each. Inside are several rooms and an atalaia (watch-tower); and the entire settlement is surrounded by a Cyclopean drystone wall.

During the Christian Conquest, Jaume I found 2,000 Arabs hiding with their cattle in this extraordinary network of caves. However, it was not until 1876, when geologist Edouard Martel entered the grottoes, 46 m (151 ft) above the sea at Cap Vermell, that they were studied. Another early visitor was Jules Verne, whose book Journey to the Centre of the Earth is said to have been inspired by them.

These caves are less interesting than the Coves del Drac or Coves d’Artà. Their name means “fishhooks”, which the stalactites are said to resemble. You get a guided tour and a concert.

Mallorca’s most spectacular cave system is beautifully lit and can be toured in a gondola-style boat.

The castle-like structure stands 4 km (2 miles) east of Felanitx, on top of Puig Sant Salvador, the highest mountain of the Serres de Llevant. Founded in the 14th century, and remodelled in the 18th century, the scanctuary is an important place of pilgrimage. The view includes the southeastern coast of Mallorca. As in other former monasteries, visitors are allowed to stay in basic rooms (see Santuari de Sant Salvador, Felanitx).

Marked as a protected area in 1992, the park incorporates marshes, rocky coasts, beaches, dunes, farmland, pine forest and scrub. Country lanes and easy trails provide access. Look out for herons, egrets, puffins, coots, ducks, finches and rabbits.

This tiny old fishing hamlet is an underdeveloped gem. It probably owes its survival to the simple fact that it has no beach, the closest one being 4 km (2 miles) away at Cala Santanyí. What it does have is pleasant low-rise structures and a friendly array of eateries and people-watching cafés. The Villa Sirena is perched on the promontory (see Villa Sirena, Cala Figuera).

This Talayot settlement was probably established around 1000 BC. Originally, it consisted of five stone structures ( talaiots ) and 28 smaller dwellings. The amazing Cyclopean walls, reaching 4 m (13 ft) in places, would have served as protection, but little more is known about the function of the rooms or the lives of the ancient inhabitants. Be sure to have a drink at the visitors’ bar, which is like something out of The Flintstones .

Cabrera (“Goat Island”) lies 18 km (11 miles) off the mainland. A rocky, bare place and virtually uninhabited, it nevertheless has a rich history. It served as a prison camp during the Napoleonic War and was used as a base by Barbary pirates. It was designated a national park in 1991. Boat trips leave from Colònia de Sant Jordi and take a day – highlights include a 14th-century castle on the island (see Castell de Cabrera) and Cova Blava (Blue Grotto). Keep an eye out for the rare Lilford’s lizard, identifiable by its dog-like face.