Mallorca has thrown away its J and the lager louts with it. For high-class comfort and a peaceful pace of life, head to the side of the island that mass tourism forgot.

THE Balearics have been transformed since I was a youngster. Like a generation of Irish people, I've partied in Santa Ponsa, on a cheap-as-chips Club 18-35 holiday. In those days, the island was fairly rough and ready and called Majorca. Now it's Mallorca, and it's the playground of the rich and famous.

If you want to see the undiscovered side of the island the market leaders, specialising in island breaks for all budgets, are Mallorca Farmhouses. They've got a huge portfolio of properties dotted around the island a world away from the resorts of Palma Nova, Santa Ponsa and Magalluf.

We stayed in Finca Porassar, which offers the best of both worlds -- rural living that's on the edge of a fascinating town, Ca's Concos. Think of all those Channel 4 shows where some rich couple fall in love with a farmhouse and convert it into a luxury mansion and you start getting the drift.

The best part, though, is that you don't have to go through the ups and downs of creating your own dream home -- it's already there for you. And when you're sharing with a family group, the costs come down enormously, meaning it's the kind of holiday you can do on a budget.

Balmy

First impressions were breathtaking. The 250-year-old finca (farmhouse) was simply enormous. Sleeping 10, it boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a spanking new 10m pool and air conditioning throughout.

Best of all, it's got a delightful outdoor kitchen (complete with sink, fridge, microwave and oven) where you can enjoy al fresco dining in the balmy temperatures.

Did I mention the weather? While Ireland was suffering its recent deluge, temperatures soared into the high 30s.

And it's perfect for kids or larger extended family groups. We went as two couples with three children. As soon as we arrived the kids togged out and plunged into the pool. Then these city kids had the time of their lives chasing after the chicks who wandered into our garden from the adjoining farm. They were amazed by lemons growing on the trees and grapes dangling from the vines growing up the side of our terracota-coloured farmhouse. They loved the huge two-level sitting room, with an alcove where bread was baked generations ago, and the little cave below where the pigs were kept by farmers from bygone times.

Not that you're in the middle of the sticks here. Far from it. On the edge of the charming little town of Ca's Concos, we had a choice of four restaurants within a few minutes' walk, a bank, various shops and bars.

One great meal in the Es Canto restaurant came to €105. Yup, €105 for four adults (two having enormous T-bone steaks or freshly caught fish) and three children. That's seven starters, seven mains and desserts, wine or beer and soft drinks.

Across the road is the celebrated Rapa Nui, a high-class establishment with a good tasting menu for €25 a head, that's a gastronomic spot on the island.

In every villa you get a good guide to the local region, and our rep turned up the day after we arrived with plenty of tips for restaurants and sightseeing.

On a scenic drive through the countryside, you'll hit the bustling holiday resort of Cala D'Or inside 15 minutes. A sprawling collection of fishing villages and holiday complexes, it boasts great nightlife (not a lager lout in sight) and stunning beaches.

Bustling

The main beach -- Cala Gran is a bustling place, but it's nice to know that even the main hotspot in this part of the world is a Blue Flag beach. And the shoals of tiny fish who swam around us as we took a dip seemed to like it too.

Nearby, in Cala D'Or's swanky marina is one of the King of Spain's favourite restaurants, Port Petit (www.portpetit.com). If you haven't got a king's ransom to feed the whole family there, try a bite of lunch. If the fish was any fresher, it'd be biting you, and the set menu for lunch is €19.95.

Cala D'Or proper is about as busy as it gets in these parts. There's a whole strip of bars and restaurants and it's a resort geared to couples and families.

It's the kind of place where you'll get to see the GAA on the box, get a three-course pizzeria dinner, with drinks, for three for less than €30, and down a €2 pint of beer in one of the many happy hours around town.

Down the road it's a different world as you reach the laidback fishing village of Porto Petro, an effortlessly classy place.

Secret

Further south, down some winding roads through the beautiful countryside, is Cala Llombards -- a beach that the locals have been keeping to themselves. Virtually tourist-free, it has just one bar/restaurant, a small cliff to dive from and cobalt-blue waters that seem to have been borrowed from the Caribbean.

North of Cala D'Or, and again mere minutes' drive, is Porto Colom, where, sipping a cafe con leche (milky coffee) in one of its good value restaurants, you can watch the mega yachts gliding along, or little fishing boats puttering past you.

Picture perfect villages, bustling resorts, fabulous beaches and countryside -- it's got it all in these parts.

And the best bit? If the pace of even this laid-back life is too much, you can drive home in minutes to your own private palace and read a book by your own private pool. Ah, bliss.

- Mark Evans