Specialising in luxury villas in the Mediterranean regions of

Sicily and Puglia
in Italy,
The Ionian and Sporades islands in
Greece and Corsica
in France, The Thinking Traveller has villas
exclusive to them (so you won’t find them listed anywhere else
online). If you’re a little last minute, search by the tab “summer
’19 availability” to avoid the heartache that is falling in love
with somewhere that’s already spoken for.

Sip wine. Eat cheese. Repeat. We can’t think of many summer
scenarios that surpass dining al fresco under the
Tuscan sun on the terrace of your private villa. To help
realise the daydream, Tuscany Now & More has a
plump portfolio of properties to choose from. It offers a dedicated
English-speaking concierge team and experiences such as truffle
hunting and cooking classes available in house, so you’ll have a
hard time narrowing it down to just one.

Hand-picked places and premium villas are baited words for
holiday makers seeking a bespoke break. With an emphasis on France,
Italy, the Caribbean and well-heeled rural Britain, Oliver’s Travels – which was set up in 2003 by pals
Ravi Sabharwal and Oliver Bell – gives us great comfort when
booking a getaway with friends.

James Villas robust offering – 3,000 properties (and
counting) across 60 countries – from “classic” (think quirky
cottages) to “signature” (showstopper homes for those who demand
more from their holiday) means that agreeing on somewhere to call
home for the next 10 days is easier than you’d expect.

For a slick stay, Mr & Mrs Smith luxury villas in Tuscany and
the Balearics promise private-home perfection. Lap it all up from
the comfort of your hopelessly chic living space – where fully
stocked kitchens and Aesop bath products are considered standard
amenities. Those seeking the privacy of a villa partnered with the
perks of hotel-style service can choose from Smith’s hotel villas
edit.

From the “super swanky” to “smaller houses”, Scott Williams properties run the gamut in their
offering. A French chateau neighbouring an art museum or a staffed
house in Morocco (with a tennis court, just in case) are easy to
arrange. In fact and combination or permutation can be catered to –
heated pools, live-in chefs, skippered yachts, personal trainers…
you name it.