Five Villas on the Adriatic

Italian idyll or Balkan bolthole: soak up sea views from a luxury pad

Villa Meneghello, Croatia

The Meneghello family has run its Palmizana resort on the island of Sveti Klement, near Hvar, for more than a century. Now they have opened this luxury villa on the island of Hvar itself. Rent one of a pair of three-bedroom apartments, or get a larger group together and splurge on the whole villa. It is set in a lush, private garden complete with swimming pool, hammocks and everything else you need for a tranquil holiday.

Villa Meneghello, Hvar, Croatia (00 385 21 71 7 270; www.palmizana.hr). One night’s rental of an apartment sleeping eight starts at €200 (£167); for €352 (£293) rent the whole villa, which sleeps 18.

Trullo Mandorla, Italy

Trullo Mandorla has an enviable position on top of a hill near Fasano in Puglia, and is only a 10-minute walk down to the sea. Underneath those distinctive, 19th-century cone-shaped rooms are three bedrooms with modern interiors and the original stone ceilings intact, as well as a spacious kitchen and sitting room. For al fresco pleasure there’s a large, shaded living area, an outdoor kitchen and a pool, set in a garden of olive trees.

Trullo Mandorla, Fasano, Puglia, Italy (07802 642084; www.trullomandorla.com). Weekly rental starts at £1,500; sleeps six.

Villa Sheherezade, Croatia

This Thirties white stone villa wouldn’t look out of place in a Bond film: terraces, stone balustrades and a vivid blue dome that crowns a stateof-the-art entertainment room. Along with a swimming pool and outdoor whirlpool, there are four staff members on hand to look after you.

Villa Sheherezade, Dubrovnik, Croatia (00 385 20 440 524; www.sheherezade.info). Weekly rental starts at €21,000 (£17,500); sleeps 12.

Villa Jelka, Montenegro

About 700m above the pretty beach of Becici sits this four-bedroom villa with sweeping views from its three huge terraces. There is also a large garden with a pergola, an agreeable spot for leisurely lunches. The medieval old town and bustling beaches of Budva are just a short drive.

Villa Jelka, Becici, Opostina Budva, Montenegro (available through Holiday Rentals: www.holidayrentals. co.uk/p98765). Weekly rental starts at £700; sleeps eight.

Villa San Giovanni, Italy

A 17th-century house on the Venetian island of Torcello, this peaceful haven has a pool, walled garden, orchard, loggia, canal-side terrace and even the remains of a sixth-century church. The cook will come in handy if you can’t make it to the food shop on nearby Burano.

Villa San Giovanni, Torcello, Italy (00 39 02 2951 7755; www.torcestina.com). Weekly rental starts at €8,000 (£6,667), with cook; sleeps 12.