MAKE THE MOST OF A BIG WEEKEND AWAY

SHOPPING

If you’re staying in a rental apartment or villa, doing a pre-ordered grocery shop for either the day before (if whoever you book through can be there to receive it) or day of your arrival can prevent both finances and friendships going into the red. Carrefour (carrefour.com), Eroski (supermercado.eroski.es) and El Corte Ingles (elcorteingles.com) all offer Ocado-style deliveries around Spain (some also cover the rest of Europe), so you can pre-debate about the quality of your balsamic and how far an exorbitant jar of white asparagus will stretch. Supermarket aisle bickering is not becoming, especially when you’ve come to get away from having to argue over what does and doesn’t constitute a balanced breakfast. Let one person do the shop – checking in with everyone’s basic dietary preferences, of course – and let the others transfer the funds at the end. Mums are used to making the weekly shop stretch, so let go, trust in “the organised one” and instead worry about what shoes and clothes to pack.

EATING

Picking a restaurant for seven hungry stomachs isn’t easy, and everyone’s idea of the perfect meal can differ substantially depending on tastes, money and general appetite. Discuss first what everyone would deem a reasonable amount to spend (and consume) during a meal, and book ahead to save disappointment – or disagreements. Choose a range of restaurants – local cuisine, international and perhaps a sushi joint for good measure – so all bases are covered, even if everyone

i Be prepared: if you’ve rented a villa, maximise time by the pool by pre-ordering groceries, and book ahead for restaurants, right doesn’t love every single choice. When it comes to splitting the bill, be mindful if there are some not drinking (or paella-ing). But don’t be a party pooper – if you’ve come along for the ride, go big or go home. Book ahead and, if you’re opting for Mallorca as we did, don’t miss Ombu restaurant (ombupalma.com) for a broad selection of international tapas including mini burgers and tuna tartare cones in the heart of bustling Palma; Flanigan (flanigan.es) for a smart, classy, and authentic feast in the chic Puerto Portals; and Balneario (balnearioilletas.com) on Illetes beach for a delicious laid-back lunch by the sea (where you can also reserve sunbeds for the day).

FLYING

Airport mode is a real thing in our house, where even the mildest natured turn satanic when faced with a speedy-boarding queue.

Always assume you’ll get an excess baggage charge (they got us for both flights but only told us on the return), so pack a foldaway holdall – just in case you need to decant and carry those impulse Zara purchases. Cost per excess kilo amounts to far more than the charge for an extra bag when split between a group, so you could save hundreds of pounds by just being prepared. House of Bruar (houseofbruar.com) does a great foldaway nylon carry-on, ideal for lastminute weight gains (although unfortunately can’t do much about those mysterious shrinking “short” shorts). On that note, always buy enough snacks to stretch – they’ll all change their minds about the mini Toblerone 20 minutes into the flight.