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You’ll live like a Greek god or goddess at this uber-stylish, adults-only haven, which was hailed ‘’ in the 2024 World Travel Awards. Here, authentic Cretan dishes are served at La Brise de Mer poolside and Perle Noire, with a time-honoured dinner menu inspired by organic ingredients and grandmothers’ recipes. Drift between the pool, sun lounges and beach, before indulging in spa treatments utilising Cretan herbs. 

Set along the coast between pretty Chania and ancient Rethymno, is the ultimate base for exploring Crete and its iconic beaches, like Falasarna and Balos Lagoon.  

Bohemian chic is the aim of the game at this boutique, adults-only oasis amid Mykonos’ legendary nightlife. The typically Cycladic white façade of is set against an infinity pool with sweeping sea views. What truly sets it apart are the sun lounges suspended over the water—spacious enough for you and someone special to set up for the day, diving in from your seat as you please. 

Along with the Instagrammable open-air gym and ultra-bougie Soma Spa, the resort takes a note out of Dionysus’ book with dance parties, chef battles and mixology shows for a taste of the high life.

is Santorini at its most dreamy—the whitewashed buildings, unparalleled sunsets and postcard-perfect cliffside villages are all elevated by the resort’s five-star villas and suites, featuring private pools or jacuzzis. Locally sourced volcanic rock and natural wood reflect the landscapes of Oia.  

At Alios Ilios Restaurant, perched above the Aegean Sea, feast on modern Greek cuisine as the infinity pool, ocean and sky blend into endless shades of blue. 

The palatial sits right on the water’s edge (quite literally, there’s no sand or road in between) and boasts 16th-century-inspired stone architecture and avant-garde style. Marble finishes and grand columns greet you at every turn, like the arched doorways behind the pool that lead straight to the bar.  

The treatment rooms at the Bodyna Spa are almost biblical. Each stone archway towers above the water and is open to the elements, with the ocean breeze drifting through. Afterwards, waltz down to the sun terrace and take the ladder straight into the ocean. 

The Miami-inspired turns heads with its Art Deco umbrellas surrounding the palm-lined pool, spilling onto the powder-white sand of Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol. The resort is home to Azure Beach—the iconic beach club brand originating in Dubai—serving pan-Asian cuisine and handcrafted cocktails to a sun-kissed soundtrack. 

With five distinct dining venues, a super-sleek spa, and more than 15 golf courses in the vicinity, there’s no reason to leave this adult playground. But considering you're in the stomping grounds of the rich and famous, Marbella’s Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury boutiques are worth checking out. 

, a one-time 19th-century finca, is now a pastel pink retreat, ready to become your Barbie dream house this Euro summer. Set on 30 hectares of land in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Menorca, this resort features just 43 boutique rooms with access to the secluded, pebbled beach of Cala Llucalari. 

The chefs of the restaurant and bar source ingredients from the onsite garden and local producers, crafting a Mediterranean menu served on a sun-drenched terrace – it doesn’t get more European than this. 

Perched on a private promontory on Sardinia's west coast is , which enjoys panoramic views across to the Balearic Islands from its prime position on the very edge of the Mediterranean Sea. The Sardinian retreat of Italy's aristocracy until the 1940s, this five-star hotel still speaks the language of luxury with crystal chandeliers, Persian rugs and period furnishings, making you feel like royalty you are. 

The la dolce vita lifestyle continues to the spa; it’s decked out with a fitness area, massage and treatment rooms, a sauna, a Turkish bath and an indoor seawater pool.  

This cliffside Italian fairytale resort is located just a 20-minute shuttle service from Taormina—a town in Sicily, probably best identified by millennials as the setting for the second season of The White Lotus. Traditional wide arches and handcrafted terracotta detailing enhance Baia Taormina’s authentic charm, while the beach is just steps down the hill.  

Each level of the hotel is staggered down the cliffside—the quaint terrace (where you’d be eating breakfast) looks out over the pool, which just so happens to overlook another pool. 

with blue-and-white-tiled rooms, Italian feasts washed down with limoncello and a misty Mount Vesuvius sitting across the sparkling bay, days at Parco dei Principi Sorrento are straight out of a storybook. That's not to mention the saltwater pool hidden amid three hectares of botanical gardens and the tunnel carved into the rock leading to a private beach. At Gio Ponti restaurant, floor-to-ceiling windows frame sea views, while the Poggio Siracusa restaurant opens in summer on the private beach pier, serving freshly caught seafood. 

A European summer and the Amalfi Coast go hand in hand, and a stay in Sorrento (with its links to Capri, Amalfi and Positano) offers easy access to its rugged cliffs and pastel-toned fishing villages with fewer crowds.