The sleepy fishing village of Herdade da Comporta has been
touted as “the new Ibiza”, referring to the Balearics island’s 70s
heyday long before dirty beats and the Air Max crew turned up.
Miles of sand dunes, wild beaches and rolling surf await just an
hour’s drive from Lisbon.
Pego Beach is a quieter option than
Comporta‘s main sand strip, thanks to an absence of
day-trippers. For lunch, hit up Museu do Arroz, the oldest
restaurant in the region, housed in a former rice factory and
adorned with well-loved velvet sofas and global curiosities – order
salt-cod fish and local “green” wine. At the weekend, everyone
heads to Sal’s for kilos of sea bass and prawns washed
down with jugfuls of sangria. Keep it traditional with a stay at
Cabanas No Rio; the converted
twinset fisherman huts designed by Manuel Aires Mateus have
open-air showers and a private pontoon with a kayak conveniently
parked at the end. For a more luxurious stay, Sublime Comporta offers 14 beautiful
suites and several cabanas nestled in 17 acres of pine forest.

Cross an arched bridge over the Atlantic for the
hollyhock-filled village, endless salt marshes and sand-dune-backed
beaches of idyllic Île de Ré.
Begin in St-Martin-de-Ré, perhaps the quaintest of the town on the
island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site where shutters can only be
painted one of 16 hues of blue and green and overhead cables must
be concealed. Book into an elegantly rustic room at Le Corpes de Garde (there are
just seven), then hire a bicycle complete with wicker basket and
spend the day dipping in and out of wildflower meadows, perfumed
vineyards and long sweeps of sand. Stop in La Flotte; smaller than
St-Martin, this is the place to pick up local oysters and mussels,
plump tomatoes and crusty baguettes from the historic food market.
Then it’s off to Plage de la Conche for a picnic. The haunt of
well-heeled Parisians, Île de Ré is best visited in September
when tranquility descends and popular restaurants will always have
room for you.

The most low key of the Balearics escaped the package holiday
boom of the 1980s and has managed to retain its charm.
Sun-worshipers should head south for transparent waters backed by
limestone cliffs; Cala Galdana is set on a nature reserve, while
Cala en Turqueta is a pine-clad cove better approached by boat.
Those seeking solitude should venture to the sandstone cliffs of
the north where you’ll find wide, wild beaches such as Cala Presili
and Cala Pregonda. Start the day with ensaimadas (lard-baked spiral
buns) for breakfast in hotel Torralbenc, where rooms range
from exposed-beam stables to enchanting garden cottages. Saddle up
for an exhilarating horseback ride across Cami de Cavalls (the path
of horses) before retreating for a “pomade” (gin and lemonade – the
island drink of choice) at Cova d’en Xori. The cavernous
beach club opens up to scattered, cotton day beds and ocean views;
cradle a G&T while watching the sun sink into the
Mediterranean.

Oenophiles have been flocking to Médoc for years, but it wasn’t
until recently that this beautiful part of the French countryside
just north of Bordeaux began to attract the laid-back chic crowd.
With more fine vintages per hectare produced here than anywhere in
the world, sampling the region’s grapes is a must – as is staying
in a fairytale chateau. Wrought-iron gates at Beychevelle open to reveal immaculately manicured
gardens and one of the most prestigious vineyards in Saint-Julien;
inside, you’ll find regal interiors where never-ending corridors
are lined with medieval tapestries leading to a treasure trove of
rooms. The region isn’t only known for wine; nearby Soulac-sur-Mer
offers some of the best surf around. Spend the day catching waves
before collapsing around a table at Le
Lion d’Or; the epitome of a bucolic French restaurant, local
chatter ricochets off oak-beamed ceilings, interspersed with the
sound of popping corks. The best bit? It’s BYO and there’s
absolutely no snobbery about it – premier plonk is poured alongside
local crus, both pairing beautifully with platefuls of veal stew
and roast lamb.

Just 20km below Ibiza and reachable only by boat, Formentera,
Spain is an enchanting hideaway offering powder beaches licked
by cerulean waters and dotted with makeshift chiringuitos. Fondly
referred to as Ibiza’s “little sister”, here the authorities have
all but banned beachfront development ensuring fist-pumping super
clubs and high-rise hotels are kept at bay. Explore the islet on
two wheels (electric or push) before heading to the bars at Playa
Migjorn (Lucky Beach Bar and Blue Bar are favourites).
Alternatively, head to Playa de Cavall d’en Borràs where you can
stock up on dutch courage at Beso Beach before ditching your
swimwear -almost all beaches in Formentera are nudist.

After shooting to fame as the filming location for A Girl in
Black in the 1950s, many thought that this tiny islet would become
be overrun with Hollywood starlets and showy mansions. But aside
from a scattering of villas, the majority of this
Greek island remains delightfully stuck in a time warp of
whitewashed streets, working donkeys and fisherman hauling their
daily load. Stay at Cotommatae Hydra 1810, a
traditional bolthole in town where you’ll find a maze of
lemon-scented courtyards, stone parapets and spacious suites. When
it comes to food, lunch should be eaten on the shoreline with
whatever you’ve picked up from the market; for dinner, head to
Téchnē for nouvelle Greek cuisine such as sea bream
and mussels with pistachio saffron. Following that, walk to the end
of Avláki cove and dip your toes in the sea, watching the lights
dance off the flat water. Saunter back via Karamela Zaxaroplasteion
for two scoops of lemon sorbet or local delicacy galaktoboureko
(milk pie) before laying weary heads to rest.

A volcanic outcrop off the coast of mainland Italy,
Ischia is as romantic as Capri is glamorous, thanks to scenic
hikes, tinkling waterfalls and soothing, mineral-rich waters. An
hour-long scramble to the top of Monte Epomeo reveals panoramic sea
views and a patchwork of geometric villages; follow with lunch at
La Grotta da Fiore, a family-run
restaurant carved into the rock serving platefuls of homemade chips
and bruschetta laden with goats’ cheese and smoked ham. Filled with
flora and fauna, the gardens of La Mortella offer respite from the
sometimes crowded beaches below. Located at the end of a dusty
village path, the once-private garden now hosts classical music
concerts in surrounds of fuschia-pink flowers and birdsong. Rid
yourself of any hikers’ maladies with a visit to Cavascura spring; paying homage to the past,
facilities are basic but a soak in the water here does wonders to
body and soul.

Once a forgotten town on the verge of obsolescence, Trancoso and
all its previously forgotten charm is now the beachside Neverland
of Brazil’s 8000km coastline. In the 1970s, the population was a
mere 20 people; it was these “bohemians” who evolved Trancoso but
ensured that its rustic allure was meticulously maintained. While
today it is a hotspot for the rich and famous, Trancoso has proudly
refused to become a gentrified tourist trap of overdevelopment.
Here, there is a singular level of harmony between usually opposing
forces; luxurious boutique hotels are seamlessly incorporated into
the town’s woodwork, traditional cuisine is fused with modern
twists and most importantly, the locals and the tourists have
effortlessly created a bond. In Trancoso, time is discarded along
with any other daily woes. Begin your day at The Coffee Bar, a
relaxed café run by a young local woman and her Australian husband.
After a breakfast of Bahian cakes, fresh fruit and flat whites,
meander over to the pristine beaches and clear blue waters. When
the sun says so, wander through town passing the rows of tempting
boutique stores which sit alongside even more tempting local
restaurants. Arrive at the Quadrado, a car-free square in the town
centre where everyone convenes in the evenings. Enjoy a caipirinha
in one of the Quadrado’s bars and see where the evening takes you.
The trick to Trancoso is not to plan a single thing.