JUST a two-hour flight away and blessed with beaches and long sunny days, Mallorca has long been a favourite with British holidaymakers says ELLA BUCHAN

And with the launch of Mallorca Rocks in Magaluf - a hotel complex with big-name acts from the Ibiza Rocks team - it is becoming a party paradise to rival Ibiza.

We've found the best ways to enjoy the island, whether you're after culture, clubbing or chillin' out.

Click here now for amazing offers to Mallorca!

FAB FOR FAMILIES
PALMA Nova is a neighbour of Magaluf but it's much more family friendly.

SLEEP: Aparthotel Aquasol, in the heart of Palma Nova, has a large pool, above, First Choice Kids' Academies and evening entertainment. The hotel is made up of apartments but you can choose to go half-board. First Choice has seven nights' selfcatering family holidays in Mallorca at the three-sun Aparthotel Aquasol from £385 per adult, £235 for the first child and £270 for the second, flying from Gatwick. See firstchoice.co.uk or call 0871 664 9019.
EAT: Bar Olas serves up gut-busting "full monty" breakfasts. Kids will love the friendly owners.
DRINK: Near the beach, try Blue Bar or Banana Joe's for a chilled-out vibe.
DO: Play crazy golf at Golf Fantasia, costing around £8 for adults and £5 for kids for 18 holes. A must is the Pirates Adventure show in Magaluf, a dance show with fire-eaters, swordfights and acrobatics. There is a family show with panto-style humour and a slightly ruder adults' one - £26 per adult and from £18 per child at piratesadventure.com. Or chill by the pool as the kids use their energy at the free Kids' Academies.

CLUBBER'S PARADISE
MALLORCA Rocks opened in Magaluf this May and looks set to rival Ibiza Rocks as a haven for music-loving party people.

SLEEP: To be at the centre of the action it has to be the Mallorca Rocks Hotel itself. Just 300 metres from the beach and close to the nightlife, the adults-only hotel is spread across 12 main buildings. These are dotted around a huge lagoon-style pool - a godsend for hungover souls. For more information, visit ibizarocks.com/mallorca-rocks-hotel/
EAT: Try Marbella, which has a sunny terrace, or Happy House on the beach which has plenty of choice for vegetarians.
DRINK: Expect pool parties and entertainment at the hotel day and night.
There are also three bars, including Rocks Cantina. And, of course, Magaluf is teeming with bars and clubs, including the Banana Disco or Icon to get you in the mood for dancing.
DO: It's all about the music. The Courteneers play on July 19, Dizzee Rascal on July 26 and Pendulum on September 6. In the daytime, aside from the pool, activities on offer include football, basketball, volleyball, multi-use court, table tennis and darts. beach, which has plenty of choice for vegetarians.

Want incredible deals to Mallorca? Click here now...

ROMANTIC RETREAT
THE east of the island is less touristy than the busy resorts in the north and south, with deserted beaches and a promenade for arm-in-arm strolls.

SLEEP: The chic Gran Sol Hotel in Cala Bona has a large decking area around the pool and a sleek indoor pool and gym overlooking the beach. The whole hotel faces water, giving you lovely views from your balcony.
Thomson offers a week's half board at the five-T Gran Sol Hotel from £812 per person departing from Gatwick. See thomson.co.uk/majorca or call 0871 231 4787.
EAT: The hotel offers breakfast and dinner buffets with a mixture of English and Spanish fare. Prices for eating out vary, with baguettes costing anything from £1.50 to £6 and bottles of San Miguel from about £1 to £5.
DRINK: The lively bars in Cala Bona range from English pubs to cocktail bars with pretty terraces.
DO: Hire a bike from one of the shops on the strip in Cala Bona, around £6 for two hours, and pedal along the stunning beaches of Cala Millor and Sa Coma.
Stop for lunch and a swim in pretty Porto Cristo, seven miles south of Cala Bona.

CITY CULTURE
MANY visitors head straight from Palma to the beach resorts but they're missing out on a gorgeous city with striking architecture, cool bars and sandy beaches, which are much quieter than those outside the city. Palma is perfect for a long weekend.

SLEEP: Hotel Portixol is 10 minutes from the centre but feels like another world. It looks over the pretty port of Portixol where beaches lined with bars curve away in each direction. Try to book one of the two duplex Port Houses which have hot tubs on the roof. Priced at about £200 a night in low season. See portixol.com or call +34 971 27 18 00.
EAT: Pa amb oli (bread and oil), a kind of self-assembly bruschetta. Rub garlic over your toasted bread and add olive oil, tomato, salad and cheese, Iberico ham, flaked fish or tuna. Try Sa Llimona on Calle de San Magi, a cavernous café packed with locals.
DRINK: El Divino in Paseo Maritimo has rows of bars and clubs. A bridge crosses from the main club to an open-air pool overlooking the port.
DO: Visit the cathedral with its museum displaying religious paintings and silverware.
The Arab bath building Banys Arabs, constructed in the 10th Century, has a small courtyard and two rooms of the baths open to 10 people at a time, costing about £1.50 for adults and free for children.

TOTAL ESCAPE
HIGH on the northern slope of the Tramuntana Mountains, above, the village of Deia manages to be quaint and cool. It's the perfect place to retreat and relax, making it popular with celebrities and artists.

SLEEP: Hotel des Puig is a cute hotel with rooms and separate apartments, plus a hotel and garden area. Prices start at around £60 for a double room for sole use. See hoteldespuig.com.
The best known and one of the priciest hotels in the village is La Residencia, once owned by Richard Branson - Princess Diana used to stay there. Non-guests can book treatments at the spa. See hotel-laresidencia.com.
EAT: Most of the restaurants are pricey, but the food is delicious - try Sa Vinya, which has a lovely heated garden area and serves Mediterranean cuisine. And Es Raco des Teix serves up Michelinstar dishes with amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Log on to esracodestreix.es for more details.
DRINK: The only bar is Sa Fonda, so everyone goes there, including celebrities. You might spot Peaches and Pixie Geldof as dad Bob has a house in Deia. It's a fun place with live music and cheap drinks.
DO: The location makes Deia perfect for walking in the valley and around the hills, lined with crops, vines and fruit groves.
The sandy bay of Pto Soller is a 15-minute drive from the village, and Pto Vallesmossa is an untouched spot reached by a steep, winding road - worth it for the seclusion.

GETTING THERE
MONARCH fly to Palma in Mallorca from a host of airports in the UK.

They include Luton, Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester airports.

Prices start at £47.99 one-way, including taxes.

See monarch.co.uk to book.