2Pamina, Positano

Peeping over the Amalfi Coast, this 17th-century seafront villa has been brought up to the minute with fresh blue-and-white tiles, walls the colour of steamed milk, pops of bright yellow and green geometric fabrics and huge, arched windows overlooking the gardens.

There’s room for nine to spread out over six ensuite bedrooms and two shady terraces. Breakfast is prepared daily in the pretty kitchen by the housekeepers, who also keep the villa freshened up during your stay. And there’s a pool, hidden behind tall hedges in the garden, for serious seclusion.