Casa Miralles, Costa Brava
If it's size you're after, Casa Miralles, a 13th-century stone farmhouse in the heart of Catalonia, is as big as it gets. It sleeps 30 in all but there are only 11 rooms, so some guests will have to share with up to three others if the place is to be filled. At least the queue for the bathroom won't be too bad — it has nine in all. It also has huge dining and living areas, wood beams and original features — a games room and a large garden with pool.
Price from £3,717 (Dh19,708) per week (£124, or Dh658, per person based on 30 sharing; £169, or Dh896, if 22 sharing). Sleeps up to 30.
www.holidaylettings.co.uk
Villa Faye, Crete
On a hillside near the village of Vrisses in the rural heart of Crete. But only a 15-minute drive from the Blue Flag beaches of Georgioupolis, Villa Faye makes a great base from which to explore the island. The old house has been renovated into a smart three-bedroom, two-bathroom villa, with a large terrace and built-in barbecue, covered gazebo and pool, all with views of the White Mountains.
Price from £1,150 (Dh6,091) per week (£192, or Dh1,017, per person). Sleeps six.
www.freelance-holidays.co.uk
Ta' Marie, Gozo
This Gozitan townhouse is tucked away in the hilltop village of Zebbug in the north of the island. Inside you'll find four bedrooms, four bathrooms and an open-plan living area, mixing stained-glass windows, exposed stonework and antique furniture. Outside there's a courtyard-style terrace with a swimming pool, built-in barbecue, large Jacuzzi and roof terrace that features views across the village rooftops to the Ta' Pinu basilica.
Price from £1,150 (Dh6,089) per week (£192, or Dh1,017, per person). Sleeps six.
www.vintagetravel.co.uk
Villa Monti à lu Marinu, Corsica
Villa Monti à lu Marinu on Corsica's southwest coast enjoys one of the best views over the Gulf of Valinco. It sleeps up to 12 people, with four bedrooms arranged in two wings, plus two more rooms reached via steps from the terrace. Wake up to the bread van that calls daily with fresh croissants. Nearby sights include Campomoro beach and the little fishing port of Porto Pollo.
Price from £1,819 (Dh9,625) per week (£152, or Dh805, per person). Sleeps 12.
www.directcorsica.com
Es Mol de Son Maiol, Mallorca
Stay in this recently restored farmhouse in Santa Maria, an unspoilt rural region in the heart of the island. Once the home of a miller, the farmhouse has four bedrooms (one double, three twins) but can sleep 11, with additional sofa beds. It has a spacious living/dining area and huge glass picture windows that fill the place with light. The garden has a stone-covered terrace and a swimming pool and there is a tennis court. Bicycles are also available for the use of guests.
Price from £1,607 (Dh8,506) per week in high season (£146, or Dh771, per person). Sleeps 11.
www.pureholidayhomes.com
Ponset, Mallorca
This charming, renovated farmhouse in the southwest of the island has an idyllic countryside location. It dates back to the 1920s and features vaulted ceilings, terra cotta floors and many original features. Kick back by the gated swimming pool, which has magnificent mountain views. Several sandy coves are only a short drive away.
Price from £1,381 (Dh7,290) per week (£197, or Dh1,040, per person). Sleeps seven.
www.mallorca.co.uk
Olive Farm Villa, Crete
Located among olive trees, oleander and hibiscus, just a 15-minute walk from Agia Marina beach, this villa sleeps up to 12 in five bedrooms and has four bathrooms, two sitting rooms and several balconies. It also has two outdoor pools, two indoor heated swimming pools and a gym.
Price from £1,540 (Dh8,126) per week (£128, or Dh675, per person). Sleeps 12.
www.holidaylettings.co.uk
Casa Teulada, Sardinia
A drive along a scenic 30-mile coastal road leads you to this gem of a villa, located on the southernmost point of Sardinia. The two-bedroom property has a Moroccan feel, with terra cotta walls, deep blue tiles, ornately carved wooden furniture and a large stone terrace. Spend your days exploring the little bays and coves that characterise this coastline.
Price from £477 (Dh2,515) per week (£119, or Dh628, per person). Sleeps four.
www.holidaylettings.co.uk
Villa La Paloma, Costa Brava
While away a midsummer's afternoon lapping up wonderful sea and country views from your terrace and pool, tucked among lush gardens. The three-bedroom house has an open-plan kitchen/dining room and an airy sitting room, with wood floors and homely furnishings. The harbour resort of Tamariu, with its Blue Flag beach, cafés and restaurants, is just a short drive away.
Price from £1,192 (Dh6,286) (£199, or Dh1,049, per person). Sleeps six.
www.pci-holidays.com
Maison Rose, Grolires, French Riviera
Originally a village house and adjoining barn, Maison Rose has been lovingly transformed into a self-catering villa. It sleeps 12 in five bedrooms and has a spacious living room — originally the barn — and gallery kitchen. There's an outdoor kitchen with barbecue, heated pool and sun terraces, and the house is a perfect base for exploring the French Riviera.
Price from £1,944 (Dh10,230) (£162, or Dh852, per person). Sleeps 12.
www.homeaway.co.uk
Villa Manzanillo, Cyprus
Located on the southwestern tip of the island, this four-bedroom hillside villa is perfect for large families or groups of friends. It's a short drive from Coral Bay and offers easy access to the Akamas peninsula, with its spectacular landscapes and deserted beaches — although, with the villa's terrace and infinity pool, you'll find it difficult to tear yourself away from this idyll.
Price from £1,495 (Dh7,865) per week (£187, or Dh984, per person). Sleeps eight.
www.pureholidayhomes.com
St Vincent, Croatia
This renovated stone villa is tucked away in a quaint medieval hamlet in south-central Istria, near the town of St Vincent. It sleeps ten in four bedrooms and is beautifully designed, combining original wood beams and exposed stone walls with bright modern furnishings. The walls surrounding the property offer privacy around the stone-decked pool and there's a covered terrace with barbecue.
Price from £1,380 (Dh7,260) (£138, or Dh726, per person). Sleeps ten.
www.homeaway.co.uk
Auxella Gran, Mallorca
Situated between the sleepy villages of Moscari and Selva, at the base of the Tramuntana mountains, one of the best things about this finca is its countryside views, best admired from the saltwater swimming pool, complete with cascading edge and adjoining sun terrace. The property mixes exposed beams, stonework and tiled floors, and sleeps eight in four bedrooms (two doubles, two twins). It is within easy driving distance of beaches and bustling Palma.
Price from £1,236 (Dh6,504) per week (£155, or Dh816, per person). Sleeps eight.
www.villas4you.co.uk
Villa Cornelia, Croatia
This traditional stone villa is located at the top of Mimice, a quaint village of old stone buildings and narrow cobbled streets. It sleeps up to ten over two levels (one double, four twins) and has a lovely terrace with sea views and steps that lead down to the garden. Throw on your flip-flops for the 500-metre walk to the sea and two child-friendly beaches or hop into the car to the beaches at Brela, Baska Voda, Tucepi or Makarska, all within 30 minutes.
Price from £1,900 (Dh10,000) (£190, or Dh1,001, per person). Sleeps ten.
www.hiddencroatia.com
Villa Zoe, Skiathos, Greece
This traditional stone villa is located in Vigles, in an old part of Skiathos, characterised by its narrow winding streets and impressive old houses. It has one bedroom and a double sofa bed in the lounge, which has fabulous floor-to-ceiling windows leading to a balcony with sea views. It also has a garden with a barbecue. Visit nearby Bourtzi, a tiny peninsula in the harbour, which used to be a Venetian citadel and is now home to an open-air theatre hosting concerts, art exhibitions and puppet shows throughout the summer.
Price from £690 (Dh3,634) per week (£173, or Dh911, per person). Sleeps four.
www.pureholidayhomes.com
Casa de los Espejos, Andalucia
This delightful 250-year-old Andalucian townhouse, called "The House of Mirrors", is the result of a painstaking three-year restoration. Just 100 yards from the main plaza in Alhama de Granada (about 45 kilometres from the coast), the townhouse boasts 360-degree views of the church and the castle from its rooftop terrace. Inside, furnishings are eclectic and rustic — exotic fabrics, oriental weavings and mirrors of every shape and size, the mementoes of a lifetime's travels throughout Spain, South America, Thailand and India. It has four bedrooms and a large sitting room, a dining room and a games room.
Price from £910 (Dh4,793) (£114, or Dh600, per person). Sleeps eight.
www.los-espejos.com
Villa Pandia, Cyprus
This three-storey villa may not have the character of the island's older properties but it has the luxury. Just 300 metres from Fireman's Bay, one of the best beaches in Cyprus, it sleeps 12 and has large living areas and two kitchens. Kick back after an afternoon exploring Kapparis village with a dip in the pool or hot tub.
Price from £1,950 (Dh10,269) per week (£163, or Dh860, per person). Sleeps 12.
www.holidaylettings.co.uk
Koknar Evi, Turkey
This three-bedroom villa is situated in the Islamlar village in the foothills of the Taurus mountains. It has a private pool, terraces and gardens and makes for an ideal base for travellers looking to explore the craggy, soaring peaks, along with the scenic spots for which the Lycian coastline is famed.
Price from £895 (Dh4,712) (£149, or Dh786, per person). Sleeps six.
www.vintagetravel.co.uk
Mandarin House, Rhodes
Stay in a beautiful 200-year-old stone house in the traditional village of Koskinou, just a short drive south of Rhodes Town. Built on three levels and recently renovated, it has beautiful mosaic pebbled hand-worked floors, two gorgeous bedrooms — all white walls and colourful fabrics — and lots of elegant restored furniture. It has two terraces with sea views and a courtyard (with an old mandarin tree) and is only a short drive from sandy beaches, village shops and markets.
Price from £530 (Dh2,790) per week (£133, or Dh702, per person). Sleeps four.
www.pureholidayhomes.com
Zarbo di Mare, Sicily
The location of this stone-built house is unbeatable: an olive stone's throw from the sea, on a beautiful stretch of coast on the northwest tip of the island. There's a vine-clad courtyard behind the house, a shady terrace with a barbecue at the side — a perfect spot for breakfast — while suppers can be had on the front terrace overlooking the sea. The house is simple but homely, with two twin bedrooms and an open-plan sitting room with kitchen. There's no pool but with the sea so close, you won't miss it.
Price from £732 (Dh3,854) per week (£183, or Dh966, per person). Sleeps four.
