43 Turkish retreat: set in a forest clearing overlooking the sea near Oludeniz, the 28-bedroom Oyster Residences is ideal for those who love the Lycian coast but prefer to avoid overdeveloped resorts. A week’s B&B, with flights, costs £349 in May, £599 in August, with Sovereign (0870 576 8373, www.sovereign.com).

44 Alternative Croatia: the north of Croatia is opening up this year, with Croatia Airlines launching a new route from Heathrow to Rijeka. If you’ve done Dubrovnik, head to the Istrian peninsula, the Gulf of Kvarner or the island of Rab. A week’s B&B at the four-star Hotel Ros Maris, on the seafront at Rab, costs £410 in May, £570 in Aug- ust, including flights and boat transfers, with Simply Travel (020 8541 2214, www.simplytravel.com).

45 Paxos on the hop: reaching this sleepy Ionian island used to involve an hour’s ferry trip from Corfu, but this summer sees the arrival of seaplane transfers that will operate four times daily and take eight minutes. A week’s self-catering at Villa Faye, which sleeps four and has a pool, air conditioning and daily maid service, costs £490pp in May, £730pp in August, with CV Travel (0870 606 0013, www.cvtravel.co.uk). The price is based on four sharing and includes flights and seaplane transfer.

46 Heavenly Hell: the Isles of Scilly are 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall, but,thanks to the Gulf Stream, have a climate so mild that palm trees and subtropical plants thrive. Wide sandy beaches stretch out under huge skies, and puffins and seals are common visitors. The place to stay is Hell Bay (01720 422947, www.hellbay.co.uk), a hotel on the island of Bryher, which offers boat trips, windsurfing, golf, fishing and diving. A week’s half-board, including activities and helicopter flights from Penzance, costs £999 in May, £1,200 in August. Or pay £869/£1,070 and take the £60 ferry with Isles of Scilly Travel (0845 710 5555, www.ios-travel.co.uk).

47 Albania made easier: visiting Albania has never been straightforward (there are no direct flights from the UK, for a start), but this year you can do it on a six-day tour from Corfu. The escorted trip takes in the historic southern towns of Saranda, Gjirokastra, Berat and Vlora, the Roman remains at Butrint, plus churches, monasteries and beaches. It costs £832 in May, £926 in August, and includes flights to Corfu, boat transfers to Albania, B&B and guides. A second week in Corfu is a steal, from £76 in May, £117 in August. Book with Sunvil Greece (020 8758 4758, www.sunvil.co.uk).

48 Laid-back Le Marche: if you’ve ticked off Tuscany and want to explore a region just as easy on the eye but less crowded (and less expensive), try Le Marche. One of its undiscovered stars is the Palm House, an aristocratic country pile owned by Princess Giulia Panichi Pignatelli and located only a 15-minute drive from the Adriatic beaches. A double room costs £165 per night, B&B, throughout the summer; book with Cognoscenti (0871 750 0070, www.c-italy.com). Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Ancona, 30 minutes’ drive away, from £27.

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