Dalmatian islands Croatia

Back in the 1970s, Greece epitomised the island holiday idyll. With beautiful stretches of unblemished sand and waves seemingly trained to lap at your toes, it had everything the discerning sunworshipper could want. But, things change, and while Mykonos, Crete et al, are as beautiful now as then, these days it’s a wee bit trickier to find your own secret stretch of paradise. And that’s where Croatia comes in. Not only is it well endowed when it comes to that olive grove and lemon tree Mediterranean feel, but it has options. There are around 720 islands of which about 650 are uninhabited, so finding that lesser-trodden path won’t be tricky. As a bonus, Croatia doesn’t join the euro until next year, so paradise comes at a bargain price.

While the better-known islands off the coast of Split are swarming during the summer with luxury yachters and backpackers alike, the cluster off the coast of Dubrovnik is comparatively quiet. Tangerine trees and palms grow lazily around Renaissance palaces and medieval monasteries. On Korcula, you have the island setting we all dream of; not only are there sandy, pebbly and rocky beaches of every description, but also gnarled cypresses and terraced vineyards. The Lešic ´ Dimitri Palace has brought a new level of luxury accommodation to the island too; in the restaurant you can sample octopus, cooked traditionally in embers. And if Korcula’s secluded coves aren’t quite private enough, you can hire a boat to the neighbouring, uninhabited and very tiny island of Vrnik – a favourite among the locals.

Thirteen kilometres south, you have Lastovo which is all hills, karst valleys, coves and sweeping bays. It’s a tad livelier, diving opportunities are good, and for history buffs it’s ideal – occupied by Roman emperors (they were in it for the wine), Greeks, French, British and Habsburgs, the island has many stories to tell.

What’s best about south Dalmatia, however, is the diversity. It’s not all predictable sparkling blue waters and sandy beaches: Mljet is one-third national park and the greenest island in the country. With only one hotel and a few private rental properties, it has woods so dense you’ll forget you’re in the Med. Until, that is, you reach the gentle shoreline with water so clear you can spot underwater sea life...

Baix Emporda Spain

Too often lumped in with the brash all-inclusive tourist resorts that line south Costa Brava, Baix Emporda is a far cry from the allday-English breakfasts and the electric blue-stained pools of the package hotels nearby. Instead, it has everything that makes a Spanish holiday worthwhile – beautiful beaches, long tapas-filled nights, and a certain, indefinable Iberian energy – but without quite the crowds of, say, some parts of Andalucia.

Both coastal and inland Baix Emporda have their particular draws. The former is characterised by rocky cliff outcrops, dropping down to turquoise sea; towering pines with emerald foliage; jumbles of pastel houses, cluttered in front of pretty (but sometimes postcardsized) beaches. Much of the area is made up of second homes, owned by Spaniards, and so the vibe is discrete, laid-back, low-key. Inland, things become notably rustic; the gentle rolling countryside is dotted with Roman and megalithic monuments, prehistoric caverns and medieval towns that time has forgotten – and very few foreign visitors. The calendar year, both inland and on the coast, is measured in vibrant festivals, not days; whether it’s Carnival, Festa de Sant Joan or a cork-stripping festival, there’s always a reason to party, and the local Catalan charm is infectious. As is the colour of everyday life – you can see how Dalí, who was born in Costa Brava, developed his vivid palate. You can even visit the castle he bought his Russian wife, out in Púbol.

Town-hopping, from just north of Palamós to Begur, is enough to keep you occupied for several days. The stretch of fishing villages, many of them grown into electic hubs, have quirky galleries and shops, and restaurants overlooking the sea. Medieval Begur is the obvious place to make base; perched at a point where coastline arches both east and west, its castle looks like a knobbly grey crown on the plateau above. Outdoor activities are on tap – it’s a great spot for snorkelling – but the greatest sport here is people-watching, and it’s no accident that it also has the best beaches in the area. Head to the bustling Placa de la Vila when you’re feeling peckish; days start and end in this part of the world with pa amb tomàquet, slices of bread rubbed with tomato, salt and olive oil, but you’ll also want to sample arròs negre (rice with cuttlefish ink) and of course, the famous crema Catalana. Sleep off your meal at Aiguaclara, a bright ten-roomed, family-owned hotel.

Elsewhere on the coast, relaxed Palafrugell has a beautiful old quarter, and Calella de Palafrugell a seafront of tiny coves, along which sit turn-of-the-century houses. The lush Cap Roig botanical garden is a must-see; the courtyard opens to a panorama of the water that will make you pinch yourself to ensure it’s real. Llafranc has golden beaches, and Michelin-starred Casamar, with seafood dishes to remind you why you’ve come to Spain – if the views don’t first.

Languedoc France

Rather than the filmmakers, multi-millionaires and sunburnt American tourists you find in Provence, neighbouring Languedoc is the reserve of fisherman, up-and-coming winemakers, and old farming couples. It’s where real, working France comes to holiday. And other than perhaps a lack of pristine beaches, it’s a wonder more foreign visitors don’t succumb to the region’s rugged charms.

Languedoc is enormous, so knowing where to start, and where to head can be daunting. Montpellier is the capital of the region and, while not without its charms, the picturesque market towns, with their slow pace, sun-bleached squares, towering plane trees and gentle breezes wafting aromas of rosemary and bay, is where the southern French magic really happens. In the east, medieval Uzès is dominated by towering Roman aqueducts; its market, hawking locally pressed olive oils and dozens of Roquefort varieties, provide perfect fodder for a lazy afternoon picnic. Seven miles south of the city, in Sanilhac, Le Tracteur changes its menu daily, serving the likes of local pork cheek or grilled razor clams. West of Montpellier, there’s picturesque Pézenas, with its 14th-century cream stone structures, and boutique shops; it’s also home to petits pâtés, small, sweet, lemony meat-filled pastries, some sort of long-lost cousin to the mince pie.

Then there’s the wine. With about 240,000 hectares of vines (that’s about three times the amount of Bordeaux) and 25,000 producers, there’s a lot of it. You can find just about anything – rich, brooding

reds, sticky, unctuous dessert wines, crisp and fragile whites, vibrant roses. Hire a car and push west, through the weathered garrigue, a scrubland of bushy, stunted Mediterranean growth, which lends unique character to so many of the wines. You’ll encounter field after rolling field of vineyards, from the steep schist slopes of Faugères, north of Béziers, to far west in Limoux, at the foot of the Pyrenees. Scale the hilltops of the village Roquebrun, which clings to mountains above the Orb river; explore the Romanesque chapels and churches in Minervois, and sample fruity, carignan-dominanted reds. Many wineries offer accommodation, whether in gîtes or rooms; Chateau Haute Fontaine’s lands, outside Narbonne, sprawl over 283 hectares – quite the playground for exploring, whether your interest be in their AOC Corbières vineyards or trekking on the Massif, a nature preserve.

Of course, what would Languedoc be without its coastline? Once more a hub for shipping boats than pleasure cruisers, this is classic, unpretentious French seaside. In Sète, waterside restaurants jostle for space, each offering platters of locally reared oysters and jugs of refreshing Picpoul de Pinet; and while it’s not always the most refined affair, it’s half the price you’ll pay in Cannes.

Northumberland England

A world away from the buckets and spades of Blackpool or kissme-quick hats of Cornwall, we have Northumberland, home to some of Britain’s most breathtaking coastline. Wild, unspoilt, with huge swathes of sandy beaches, its rugged beauty and wealth of history makes it perhaps the most perfect bit of seaside around.

The site of the first English kingdom, and a key strategic stronghold since pre-Roman times, if there’s one thing Northumberland does well, it’s castles. Each has its own personality, from brooding Bamburgh, with its ties to the legendary King Arthur, to Alnwick (more recognisable to Harry Potter film fans as Hogwarts). The remains of Dunstanburgh, and the story that goes with it (execution, sieges and the lot), is enough to send chills up your spine even on a sunny day.

On Holy Island, which was one of the centres of Christianity during the Dark Ages, you’ll find the worn sandstone remains of a 12th-century priory – and perhaps spot some rare birds or an elusive grey seal. From most of the castles you can find a coastal path leading to a cosy pub, and a short way from Dunstanburgh, The Ship Inn is one of the best. At night, snuggle down with a pint of one of their 12 home-brewed beers and a hot fish pie or lobster picked straight from the local waters.

Should you need more bracing exercise to work up your appetite, the coastline here is up to the task. Miles of untouched, blissfully empty beaches make for unforgettable treks. Some, like Beadnell or Sugar Sands, have wrinkled golden sands, hinting to their counterparts in sunnier climes; others are proper rambling affairs, like the untamed, boulder-laden Amble Links. Whichever you choose, you’re likely to witness craggy peaks, glimmering rock pools and burnt orange sunsets that characterise the region.

Any British seaside holiday requires charming seaside towns, with all their eccentricities (and top notch fish and chips shops, too). Seahouses is a cute spot in which to make your base, at the quaint Bamburgh Castle Inn. Alnwick, with its handsome stone buildings, has its famous garden, boasting one of the world’s largest treehouses. At nearby Howick Hall, the former home of the Earl Grey, tuck into a cup of the famous blend and a fruit-studded border tart. Craster, of course, is home of the famous kippers. And Berwick-upon-Tweed’s Elizabethan ramparts were once the only thing protecting the English from the Scots and French.

Le Marche Italy

Tuscany is hard to beat. Everyone thinks so – and that’s exactly why at the height of season, it’s packed. But, its neighbour, Le Marche, remains remarkably unblemished by mass tourism; framed by the Apennines and the Adriatic, its coastline may be given over to sunseekers, but the interior remains like the romantic, rustic Italy in films.

Food is one of Le Marche’s biggest trump cards; after all, how could you have a bad holiday when there is maccheroni with braised duck sauce, or porchetta with grilled polenta involved? Whether you’re in the cobbled towns or an agritourismo in the middle of fields of sunflowers, you’re never far from a good meal, and local specialities to look out for include olive all’ascolana (fried olives stuffed with veal), ciausciolo (a spreadable salami) and cicerchiata, balls of fried sweet dough fashioned into ring shapes using warm local honey.

The undulating, fertile hills of the region are dotted with ancient villages and towns; travelling from one to the next, popping into markets or downing an espresso at a quiet café, all makes for the most relaxing of summer breaks. Urbino, a Renaissance hill town 30km from the coast, is the birthplace of Raphael and is brimming with architectural masterpieces. Its 15th-century domed Palazzo Ducale drips with detailed ornamentation; viewing takes the better part of a day, especially when you stop off at the interior’s National Art Gallery, which features works by Raphael. Not far from Urbino, Valle Nuova is an organic agritourismo where you can dine on pastas with homereared meats and homemade wines. It also offers cooking classes.

If Urbino is Le Marche’s northern hub, Ascoli Piceno is its southern; with buildings constructed from the local grey-hued travertine, it is unlike anywhere else. The Palazza dei Capitani del Popolo, in the pretty square, is one of region’s most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture. Part of the fun of a trip to Le Marche is discovering the other towns for yourself, but make sure you included Cingoli, a walled hill town with sweeping panoramas across the countryside. If the view from here isn’t quintessentially Italian, nothing is.