Belmond’s Splendido radiates retro glam – after all, Elizabeth Taylor spent four of her honeymoons here. Following a languid morning swimming in the saltwater pool and exploring the opulent terraced gardens, enjoy a romantic long lunch at La Terrazza (order the catch of the day grilled in a crust of salt).

A glamorous hotel on the tiny Balkan nation's glittering coast, One&Only Portonovi opened in 2021. Highlights include the huge hydrotherapy spa and two beachside restaurants, Tapasake and Sabia, where you can graze on excellent Japanese fusion or Italian while listening to the lapping waters of the Med.

A 19th-century stone building complex at the southernmost tip of the Peloponnese, Kyrimai feels worlds away from the hubbub of Mykonos and Santorini. Splash out and book the 40-square-metre Loft Suite complete with exposed beams, a cosy fireplace and a balcony over the cerulean sea.

On a private pebble beach on the Bodrum Peninsula, Amanruya is a lesson in getting away from it all. As is typical of Aman, Zen-inducing architecture, a top-notch spa and an immersive natural setting are standard, but this one has the added bonus of the terraced beach club and private swimming pool in every standalone pavilion and suite.

A paradise within a paradise, Six Senses Ibiza forgoes flash in favour of bamboo-fringed suites, farm-to-table dining and a focus on all things wellness. Throughout your stay, you can salute the sun on the seafront yoga deck, steam in the hammam, unwind with a gua sha facial massage, sip CBD-infused soft drinks and stand-up paddleboard across glistening Xarraca Bay.   

A former 16th-century watchtower on the north-west tip of Ischia, the low-key sister isle to Capri, Mezzatorre has been a go-to getaway for fashionable types since opening in 2019. Lined in green tiles and featuring its own natural hot springs, the thermal spa will instantly slip you into holiday mode.

A revamped 1950s retreat on the coast between Nice and Saint-Tropez, this boutique bolthole doles out Instagram-worthy vistas, hearty Provençal feasts and fruit-centric cocktails. If you can drag yourself away from the epic saltwater pool – hewn out of the cliffside and spilling right into the Mediterranean – kayaks, paddleboards and snorkels are available to hire.

High above Karavostasi Beach is MarBella Elix, a family-friendly resort. Each of the 146 rooms boasts impressive views of the Ionian Sea but the Maisonette Suite is particularly enticing; it has a wrap-around infinity pool and a large private terrace. There’s also an all-inclusive option that covers dining, drinks and activities.

An elegantly restored 16th-century fortress on a rugged Tuscan island, Forte San Giorgio caters to just 20 guests. Rooms are quietly luxurious, all cream walls, Venetian briccole (woodblock) floors and plush, minimalist furnishings. Outside, loungers surround a stainless-steel infinity pool with stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Italian mainland.

Backing onto unspoilt Livadia Beach, The Rooster is a place to rest, reset and recharge. Take a dip in the pool that comes standard with each natural-stone villa, dine on gorgeous produce straight from the hotel’s organic farm and take part in an energy-clearing smoking ritual at House of Healing, the on-site spa.

Lauded as one of the best resorts, not just in Turkey, but in all of the Mediterranean, D Maris Bay can cater to almost every whim. Want to explore hidden coves aboard a sleek yacht? Check. Take a helicopter tour over the pine-forested coastline? Check. Sip cocktails on a daybed suspended over the sea? Check and check. 

Perched on a bougainvillea-strewn hilltop, Kalesma affords 360-degree vistas of Ornos Bay, meaning you can see both the sunrise and sunset from this serene two-hectare property. Even better, the stylishly pared-back suites are perfectly positioned for watching dawn ascend above the Mediterranean from the comfort of your king-size bed. 

Faustino Gran brings together three 16th-century palaces in Ciutadella’s historic centre, with an orchard-adjacent beach club 15 minutes out of the city and an ancient grotto turned subterranean spa. Don’t miss a day out on one of the hotel’s three boats to make the most of this tranquil stretch of the Mediterranean.

Leave it to the Maybourne Hotel Group (of Claridge’s in London) to open one of the Côte d’Azur’s most sophisticated stays. This 69-room resort has a sleek, modern look, seven dining options, including Michelin-starred Ceto, and a cliffside pool with jaw-dropping views of the Italian coastline to the east and Monaco to the west.

Old-school glamour is the name of the game at JK Place Capri, a gleaming white haven above the island’s bustling port. Following a spin in one of the hotel’s luxury speedboats or a hot-stone massage, practise your Italian over an Aperol Spritz at the lounge bar facing out to the Bay of Naples.

The centre of town may be moments away, but you’ll be hard-pressed to lure yourself away from The Grand Park Hotel’s comforts. There's everything from Michelin-starred food and bars to upscale boutiques and a 3800-square-metre spa for soaking and steaming, the 209-room resort has practically everything you need to switch off.

The spectacular sweep of Mirabello Bay, on the northern coast of Crete, is the location for Domes of Elounda, one of the island’s most sumptuous resorts. Expect a private sandy beach, multiple pools (one reserved for adults), four excellent restaurants, an action-packed kids’ club and 118 suites, villas and residences to choose from, many with plunge pools. 

Closer to the Middle East than Europe, balmy Cyprus is home to some fabulous flop-and-drop resorts. Case in point: terracotta-roofed Anassa, with its 166 airy rooms and suites, beachfront access, four hyper-local restaurants and family-friendly activities ranging from pottery lessons to visiting a nearby donkey farm.

If you’re travelling with kids, it’s hard to beat Puente Romano’s La Casita Club, with its own pool, treehouse, escape room and busy calendar of events including treasure hunts, magic lessons and pizza-making classes. There’s even a chill-out lounge where teens can learn to DJ or hone their TikTok skills.

It doesn’t get much more postcard-perfect than Katikies: right on the cliff edge in Oia, it’s all bright white facades, cobalt-accented interiors and show-stopping caldera views. Don’t miss dinner at Botrini’s, an outpost of the Michelin-starred Athens restaurant, where menu highlights include duck and truffle pappardelle with Peruvian cacao.

You can bet that just about every detail at this 12.5-hectare 19th-century estate, which reopened in 2021 after a meticulous makeover, aims to please. Luxuriate at the spa, venture down to the private beach in a Rolls-Royce and try the spaghetti alle vongole at Palladio, one of six onsite restaurants.

Casa Cook is an adults-only oasis on one of the longest Mediterranean coastlines in North Africa. Think 38 boho-brutalist rooms; a palm-fringed saltwater lagoon; daily yoga, Pilates and tai chi classes; plus the Kitchen Club, an all-day eatery well versed in balancing health (juice shots) and hedonism (the potent North Coast Martini).

Trendy, industrial-chic Dexamenes, a former vineyard on remote Kourouta Beach, tends to be known for two things: its prime waterfront position and wine. Sleep in a refurbished 1920s wine tank, join a yoga class in a giant silo and explore the considerable list of top local drops at the ‘Ex-Engine Room’ restaurant.

Each of Les Bords de Mer’s 19 rooms has a knockout sea view; in fact, most have French doors that open right onto the water’s edge. Amenities include the rooftop bar, restaurant Les Bords de Mer (chargrilled squid is a favourite)  and two compact pools – all done up in neutral hues so as not to distract from the glorious location.

Smack-bang on the waterfront just behind Marina Botafoch, this 152-room resort promises dreamy views of boats bobbing in Talamanca Bay. Naturally, being Nobu, food is a focus: sample salmon tartare with caviar at the signature restaurant; lobster paella at Chambao, the upscale ‘beach shack’; and basil and cucumber martinis by the pool.

For absolute privacy and uninterrupted sea views, stay at one of Maslina’s lavish villas, which sleep up to 10. Sustainability is front of mind: responsibly sourced Croatian oak, terracotta and marble are used throughout, local pines have been reforested and organic veggies come straight from the kitchen garden.

Cosme, a boutique 40-room retreat, does a stellar job of showcasing its cinematic setting. Nestled on the bay of Naoussa – a fishing village turned restaurant and shopping hotspot – the hotel stretches out with whitewashed villas and sun-bleached terraces, open-air eateries and a semi-circular pool, all of which command sweeping views of the azure Aegean Sea.

Carved into the rocky cliffside, this private-villa-turned-12-room hotel is a family-run affair, making you feel like a special guest at Amalfi’s best-hosted dinner party (don’t skip the homemade gnocchi at the open-air trattoria). Most rooms have a private blue-and-white-tiled terrace that’s perfect for gazing at the sparkling Mediterranean during aperitivo hour.

Experience Australian Luxury at these Remarkable Retreats