Oodles of charm: donkeys, hammocks, wines from the estate, beds wrapped in Venetian linen, and a pool with a view of the Bay of Policastro

Do not follow the sat nav to get here €" the owner will come and find you, in little San Giovanni a Piro! The roads wind up into the mountain countryside, the sea glistens in the distance, and cherry trees line the dusty track€¦ we've never tasted fruit so delicious. The estate is self-sufficient (jams, wines, salamis, olive oil), the old palazzo is like a fascinating museum, the walls of your own house are a metre thick, and the style is cool rustic chic €" with a dash of theatricality. Walls are white, floors are matt terracotta, there are lovely pieces of driftwood positioned in innovative ways, and a kitchen that's sheer delight, with a great big fireplace and a stainless steel stove. Where the animals once lived, the cook now prepares your breakfast. You get seven bedrooms (two on the ground floor), a piano to play, a pool to splash in and heaps of space €" come for a special occasion. The field-like garden is charmingly unkempt, with two donkeys to carry picnics and hammocks slung between trees (one fits six kids). Views reach to the Bay of Policastro €" a seven-minute drive.