As my children morph into adults, a family holiday feels especially sweet, soothing my ‘empty nest’ nerves for a while. Hiring a villa works for everyone, and it’s cost-effective, too. To make it more fun and, if I’m honest, convince my kids aged 20 and 17 to come along, we all invite a friend or two.
So we plumped for the beautiful Balearic Island of Mallorca. Locals may protest about overtourism in Palma, but we found no animosity in the charming countryside around Pollença, with its honey-coloured stone streets and cathedral in the main square. Still, we stayed respectful and bought local.
We found our villa, Can Gato, via Vintage Travel, which has a selection across the Balearic Islands. A traditional house with terracotta roof tiles, it was a short…