Don't get us wrong, we love a good summer villa fling, but autumn days have got us hankering after quieter beaches, sleepier villages and a good pre-winter dose of vitamin D. Read our round-up of covetable, character-packed homes-away-from-home before you book your shoulder-season getaway - just don't blame us if you never want to leave.

From Puglia to Palma: 11 villas from The Thinking Traveller we're falling for

Puglia

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Masseria Belvedere

Puglia

This bedazzling Puglian villa will take you straight back to the 16th century, when the original masseria was built. Now, having been painstakingly restored, the L-shaped building houses eight bedrooms across the main farmhouse and separate honey-hued stable block. It’s the villa’s bathrooms that really steal the show for us, though. Hewn into cave-like corners of the masseria’s old stone walls and featuring sleek contemporary fixtures, we wouldn’t blame you for mistaking them for a design-led urban spa.

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Trullo Rosmarino

Puglia

Embodying the spirit of il dolce far niente (the Italian art of idleness), this conical-roofed traditional Puglian trullo has been meticulously converted into an idyllic five-bedroom home. Tranquil rural surroundings mean that peace and relaxation are the order of the day. Flit through elegant arched French windows and out into the garden’s sensuously scented walled courtyard, then float in the aquamarine pool, before unwinding and resetting in the villa’s hammam-style sunken stone bath. Oh, and there’s also a yoga instructor and masseur on speed dial, should you need another wellness fix.

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Masseria Acquadolce

Puglia

A typical restored Puglian farmhouse from the outside, this sweeping sandstone masseria is, in fact, anything but. For starters, it has its own massage room, with a masseuse available on request. Then there’s the roof terrace, which offers panoramic views across the olive-carpeted Salento countryside, plus a jasmine-scented alfresco dining area that’ll make you wonder whether there’s any point in going indoors at all. Trust us, though, when we say that there is: you’ll be met by lofty vaulted ceilings, delicate metalwork chandeliers and a supersize fireplace for snuggling up in front of on autumn evenings.

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Villa Eterea

Puglia

Swoon-worthy contemporary design and an elegant, heatable infinity pool that melts into the verdant horizon are the standouts of this five-bedroom Puglian villa. Perched above the town of Fasano, its terrace – which runs along the entire facade of the ground floor – overlooks swathes of moss-green hills and pretty whitewashed towns, with Puglia’s Adriatic coastline visible in the distance. We doubt you’ll want to leave the restful cocoon of these four walls, but should you feel a pull to explore the surrounding area, you’ll find a good restaurant within walking distance, along with a handful of quiet beaches just a short drive away in La Valle d’Itria.

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Sicily

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Rocca delle Tre Contrade

Sicily

Looking more like a fairy-tale dolls’ house than a real-life 12-bedroom mansion, this sugar-pink villa on Sicily’s east coast is handily situated halfway between Catania and Taormina, and within prime striking distance of the quiet beaches of Vendicari and Capo Passero. The real dealmaker, though, is the pad’s peacock-blue infinity pool, with its uninterrupted views across the glittering Ionian Sea. The interiors aren’t exactly bad either: the villa’s dining area has won an architectural award for its crafty pairing of restored original features with contemporary industrial flourishes, such as elegant reclaimed furniture, polished concrete floors and magnificent floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

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Casa Luza

Sicily

Framed by the baroque town of Noto and Vendicari Nature Reserve, this Sicilian bolthole combines traditional architectural styles, contemporary design and impeccable local craftsmanship to stunning effect. You’ll have the run of six double bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with calming, muted interiors, high beamed ceilings, dangerously comfortable sofas and pebble-grey stone flooring. The entire villa is set across one floor, so we’re earmarking this one as the ideal base for a multi-gen getaway.

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Don Venerando

Sicily

Sea views, sumptuous beds and a softly steaming, palm-fringed heated pool are all that’s really needed for a brilliant autumn break in our book. Five-bedroom Sicilian villa Don Venerando has all three of these ingredients, and more. Think chic, metal-framed four-poster beds, rainfall showers, French windows and balconies that offer postcard-worthy views of Mount Etna in the distance. Perched just outside the village of Carruba, this crash pad makes the perfect base for exploring Sicily’s Ionian Riviera, although we wouldn’t blame you if you never ventured beyond its four gorgeous whitewashed walls.

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Tenuta della Cava

Sicily

This visionary stone-built villa fuses classic Sicilian architecture with modern interior design, creating an idyllic space for rest and relaxation. And when we say relaxation, we mean serious R&R with all the bells and whistles, including an indoor-outdoor Jacuzzi, sauna, hammam and even an organic vegetable garden. Kitted out with four en-suite bedrooms and both an indoor and outdoor kitchen, this killer crib makes our list thanks to its superb spa credentials and party-palace potential.

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Angheli

Sicily

Infinity views of manicured emerald vineyards, undulating hills and the sparkling Med are all yours for the taking with this heavenly Sicilian home. You’ll have six chalky-white en-suite double bedrooms to fill – five of which have their own balconies for private vineyard-gazing – as well as a heated infinity pool and gym to help you burn off all that pasta. The villa overlooks Belice Nature Reserve, a stretch of the winemaking town of Menfi’s coastline that has received over 20 Bandiere Blu awards for the cleanliness of its cobalt waters.

Mallorca

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Palacio Can Ferrer

Mallorca

A palatial pad set in the heart of Palma, we’re choosing this Mallorcan gem for its prime position, tucked down a quiet lane in the centre of the old town. Outside, wraparound terraces overlook the city’s terracotta roofs and an imposing 13th-century gothic church. Inside, pale pine beams prop up the villa’s light-filled five bedrooms, while marble-walled showers take centre stage in the bathrooms.

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Rural

Mallorca

This 18th-century farmhouse restored by award-winning local architect Antonio Obrador is a serious ode to Mallorcan craftsmanship. Standing pretty amid 15 acres of peaceful green pastures, almond and carob trees, the villa benefits from four oatmeal-coloured double bedrooms, a glorious swimming pool in which to do your morning lengths and a wood-burning pizza oven that will make dinner plans a no-brainer.

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