Long afternoons flicking through the sun-cracked pages of a novel, poolside; al fresco dinners rustled together from local market jaunts; endless games of cards into the still evening, always to a lazy cicada chorus. There is nothing quite like a Mediterranean summer holiday, when you forget what day it is and while away hours on a sun lounger or on morning ambles for fresh bread.
It recalls the delicious boredom of childhood – one technology cruelly wrenched from us – where the crunch of brittle grass underfoot is observed and the eye is afforded time to trace the outline of the hills and soak in the surrounding bucolic oomph. Sleek, otter-like bodies surge from pools and flop onto warm towels, and along the coast, friends nurse gin and tonics with tight, sun-kissed skin as the water in the bay turns still and tar-like.
Aside from its cavernous, beamed ceilings in the communal space, its divine hotel-grade beds and fragrant pluck-a-lemon-for-your-gin-and-tonic citrus groves, the real perk of this polished-rustic villa is its location. Perched on a Val Di Noto hilltop, with a fresh exterior mimicking the traditional arched Sicilian Masseria, and an interior more reminiscent of a Nantucket family escape, Villa Luza is a mere eight minute drive from Noto, and 15 or so minutes from some of Noto’s best beach clubs and the unsullied (and seriously beautiful) Vendicari Nature reserve.
It’s the ultimate base for exploring Sicily’s South East Baroques – having marvelled at Noto’s Cathedral, palaces and age-old pastry institution, Caffé Sicilia, you can venture on to Modica’s hilltop haze, Scicli’s crumbling, jewel box palazzos and Ibla Ragusa’s Brother’s Grimm cluster of pastel palazzos and dinky houses, all blinking across the Hyblaean mountains. Or you can head north, via Ortigia and onto Toarmina’s Slim Aarons scene (White Lotus territory).
But you’d be forgiven for staying put, soaking in the views that stretch as far as the Tyrrhenian, taking the edge of the Sicilian heat with the villa’s angular infinity pool, and cooking up a storm in the al fresco kitchen and barbecue area. It’s well worth booking breakfasts and traditional Sicilian dinners here through The Thinking Traveller, and organising a private tour of Sergio Fiorentino’s Noto-based gallery and home.
Price: From £6,928 per week
Casa Luza, Sicily
Casa Luza
Wilderness Whisperings, Kefalonia
Perched high in the Kefalonian mountains for extraordinary views across the harbour and twinkling Ionian Sea, this Plum Guide villa is a subdued, earthy ode to laid back Greek Island life. Contemporary architecture and lines are softened with natural hues and blonde wood – the sunken firepit is a particularly smooth touch for card games or sundowners. Just behind it lies a long, lovely slither of a pool that tips over the edge of the villa, saving the best views for those wallowing in its heavenly warm water. Stylish touches abound, from the sleek modular sofas and polished concrete floors to the minimalist, open-plan living areas’ peachy walls, gently dressed in modern art. Honey-drizzled Greek breakfasts are included in the price and the uncrowded white sands of Ivo beach are a mere two-minute drive away.
Wilderness Whisperings, Kefalonia
Plum Guide
Envisage a lush garden and oasis-like pool carved into a Roman stone quarry. Zu Nillu on the ethereal Italian island of Favignana occupies a large part of the mythical Cala Rossa and lays claim to one of Europe’s coolest, most photogenic pools. Framed by majestic palms, the villa is chiselled from the same quarry sandstone in labyrinthine formation, edging down the quarry with porous windows inhaling the salty air. Lunch can take refuge under a pergola in the sun-dappled courtyard, or in the garden – essentially front row theatre seats for the sparkling coastline and Caribbean-grade waters. Interiors mix laid back, bare stone island living with antique flourishes (chandeliers, Italian lace bed throws, gilt mirrors). Gardens redolent with fig, pomegranate and carob trees snake towards the dramatic pool sliced from the quarry in one, delicious chunk, then onto the outdoor theatre flanked by weathered stone columns and outdoor shower. Not only does Zu Nillu have direct access to the Cala Rossa’s gin-clear waters, it is gloriously secluded, with no nearby villas claiming the same heart-tugging views that can stretch as far as Sicily on a clear day.
Zu Nillu, Sicily
Zu Nillu
Not all newly built villas seize on a contemporary design brief. Classically dressed and designed Koukos sits in the pine-clad hills of Corfu, along the island’s famously swish north-east coast (Rothschild territory) – a privileged perch which serves up spine-tingling views across the Ionian Sea, all the way to Albania. Far from old fashioned, interiors lean towards a fresh classicism – organic tones and locally-sourced materials, crisp white linens and more country-club-than-coastal-chic in the sumptuous bedrooms. The Cottage and Studio Bedroom are ideal for those wanting a degree of separation, though the terrace and abundant lounging areas typically see to that. Koukos is really all about the pool area (particularly with two housekeepers, a chef and front-of-house assistant included in the fee), which, along with the al fresco fireside seating space, has been cleverly designed with entertaining in mind.
Price: from £12,000 per week
Koukos, Corfu
Koukos
Surging from olive groves that lie a few kilometres from the sea, Casa Fernandez is a flawless synthesis of contemporary design with classic, Salentine references. Every inch of this reimagined Puglian masseria is Instagram gold, from its artfully restrained courtyard (where the light toys with the architecture) to the smooth creamy barrel-vaulted ceilings from which modern, artisanal-style lighting is suspended. A cacti flanked hot tub is the after dinner delicacy those who take down time seriously dream of, along with the casa’s very own spa for herb-infused afternoon pummels or post sunbathing facials. Gallery-grade living areas and bedrooms are spread over two ground floor wings, all of which convene in a beautifully pared down courtyard, dominated by a pool and that unfiltered Pulgian sunlight. A large, arched iron gate interrupts the courtyard walls, offering flashes of the olive groves that appear to tip into the sea (the beautiful beach of Torre Gianvani are only 2.4 km away). Al fresco Puglian-style evenings under an unpolluted starry sky tend to roll out within the courtyard walls, with a superb outdoor kitchen and barbecue area.
Casa Fernandez, Puglia
The Thinking Traveller
Another North-Eastern Corfu beauty, Villa Kypialli is submerged in lush, cypress-studded hills with sweeping Ionian views across the island of Kaparelli. Inside, a fresh, white-washed canvas is dressed in modern (though not fiercely contemporary) furniture with a Hamptons-style symmetry and sophistication. The large en-suite master enjoys its own private terrace and dressing room, while all rooms spill onto a vast sunny terrace, levelled above the pruned gardens and olive trees below. On rainy days (a rarity in these stretches), guests can hunker down in the home cinema and even during that retreat from the midday sun, the double height pitched ceilings set an airy, spacious tone – ideal for families who my want to find their own patch to read in or indulge an afternoon siesta. Kitchens are fully equipped for all budding chefs, and open seamlessly onto the barbecue terrace alongside a knockout infinity pool. Returning guests tend to rent a boat from nearby Kassiopi or San Stefano, pooting along the coast to secret coves and some of the Greek islands’ best tavernas.
Price: From £8,770 per week
Villa Kypialli, Corfu
Villa Collective
Villa Veda, The Peligoni Club, Zankynthos
A glimpse at Zankynthos (Zante’s) other, more alluring and less clubby side, The Peligoni Club has long been a hit with families. From tots to teens, the club famously keeps children busy with a raft of activities – sailing, tennis, cycling, windsurfing, pool parties – while parents can have some down time in the spa or lean into the activity menu themselves. Scattered along the coast and perched high above a glistening Ioanian are a series of villas belonging to the club, with contemporary Villa Veda and its clean-cut infinity pool a recent addition. Staggering sea views are framed by pines and a verdant scrub, best viewed from sun loungers shaded by olive trees of the al fresco dining table over evening barbecues. Rooms are white-washed and positioned for theatrical sunrises, with the hallmark indoor-outdoor flow of a Greek villa. And while the pool steals the show, with its crystalline water and surrounding deep-cushioned sun loungers, the outdoor bath tub is an unexpected perk, tempting a midnight soak beneath a ceiling of stars.
Price: From £3,950 per week (Peligoni Membership is from £250 per week)
Villa Veda, The Peligoni Club, Zankynthos
Holly Farrier
Villa Boffalora, Lake Como
With its privileged hilltop perch high above Lake Como and surrounded by dense forest, Villa Boffalora is a hair-raising (blow-the-budget) stay of architectural reverie. Three floors of grand salons gently blend contemporary style with high, frescoed ceilings and materials reflecting the surrounding natural splendour. Rooms awash with oats, creams and greys are illuminated by the natural light spilling in through period-style windows, one of which frames a grand piano. A mediaeval watchtower previously stood in Villa Boffalora’s place, whose ancient walls can still be traced around the terraced gardens. Each bedroom enjoys its own balcony from which to observe the comings and goings on the lake or admire the spines of the pre-Alpine landscape as they disappear into the clouds. While many of Lake Como’s fabled villages and towns are within easy reach, along with the cable car, a dramatically placed infinity pool, star gazing on the rooftop terrace and rounds of pool have been known to keep guests within Villa Boffalora’s ancient walls for days on end.
Price: From £39,140 per week
Villa Boffalora, Lake Como
Villa Peduzzi
Casino Doxi Stracca, Puglia
This magnificent aristocratic pile in Alezio embodies that perfectly Italian blend of noble heritage and contemporary flair, with sweeping, stone vaulted ceilings, long linen curtains and Nordic lighting that livens up the ancient walls. A sparkling pool, sliced into the garden’s honey-hued ancient stone, tempts early risers in for a pre-breakfast dip, while a subdued canvas inside is decorated with Iznik ceramics, European antiques and tapestries. Enrobed in acres of olive groves and vineyards just seven kilometres away from historic Gallipoli and its glorious beaches (notably Baia Verde), this 18th century villa serves up an unusual degree of privacy. It also delivers on illustrious history, featuring secret revolutionary meetings against the Bourbon regime and as the home to Epaminonda Valentino, one of the revered patriots during the Neapolitan revolution in 1799, whose memorial took place in the villa’s baroque chapel (having perished in chains).
Price: From £8,303.55 per week
Casino Doxi Stracca, Puglia
Casino Doxi Stracca
Villa Zambonina, near Verona and Venice
For affordable wow-factor, sprawling Villa Zambonina can absorb a gang of 18, and it’s not far from Verona or Venice for day tripping and easy transfers. Set on a large farming estate on the rural fringes of Verona, this Palladian beauty is a feast of frescoes, antique marvels and trope l’oeil paintings and is divided into two wings with a courtyard at one end and Italian gardens at the other. Sunbathers sprawl out alongside the pool on teak loungers, gazing longingly at Zambonina’s romantic architecture before returning to their novel. A pergola lining the pool keeps all meals al fresco in the summer months, though guests may want to test drive the opulent dining room for just one night in the shoes of 17th century Italian aristocracy. A housekeeper is included within the price, with further housekeeping staff and chefs available at extra cost.
Price: From £4,415 per week
Villa Zambonina, near Verona and Venice
Villa Zambonina
Villa Il Campanile, Umbria
Those under the Umbrian spell (courtesy of Stanley Tucci’s ‘Searching for Italy’ series) can bag the 14-person Villa Il Campanile – an artfully restored ancient church on a vast, privately-owned patchwork of olive groves, vineyards, truffle woods and organic fields. Nature enthusiasts will be in their element with the villa’s location, at a protected valley the foot of the mighty Monte Tezio, guaranteeing an abundance of wildlife sightings and unspoilt meadows to roam. A sitting room filled with grand pianos, tapestry and cosy sofas now occupies where the congregation once sat for services, with floor-to-ceiling windows pulling in the bucolic Umbrian landscape. A refined dining room shoots off the side of the church while six double (or twin) bedrooms have been cleverly carved into a farmhouse just opposite – a master smugly enjoying a working fireplace and its own terrace with steps leading down to the garden. The deft and dutifully sympathetic renovation alone is enough to schedule a week of summer into this beguiling Umbrian beauty, but the clincher is the pillared pool area and resplendent surrounding gardens, where palms, cypress trees and wisteria paint and elegant pastoral picture.
