Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

The capital of the Balearic Islands, beautiful Palma is famous for La Seu, the massive Cathedral of Santa Maria overlooking the bay. The adjacent Alumdaina Palace has been a royal residence since the 14th century, and the Gothic-style Bellver Castle houses the city's history museum. The Juan March Foundation Museum boasts a permanent collection of 70 works by the most important Spanish vanguard artists of the 20th century. Beachgoers will find abundant options offering water sports, sailing, horseback riding and more, and shoppers should check out Avenue Jaime III and the tree-lined Passeig del Born. The rest of Mallorca holds plenty of appeal as well, from the Carthusian monastery where George Sand and Frédéric Chopin once stayed to the remarkable stalactites of the underground lake known as Cuevas del Drach.