8 beach holiday villas you’ll never want to leave
Where to soak up the sun
It took the owners five years to transform a derelict former farmhouse into a bright and airy villa. ‘Our leitmotiv has always been to combine the best of Italy from tradition to modernity,’ they explain. Photography: Hannes Henz
Via Welcome BeyondLe Marche, Italy
In the kitchen, a stainless steel island contrasts with exposed brick walls, its sharp edges offering a counterpoint to the curved arched doorways of the farmhouse. Contemporary insertions inside the original structure are painted white, giving them a sculptural feel within the historic frame. Photography: Hannes HenzLe Marche, Italy
The 6 bedroom villa is sited in the Marchigian countryside, on the Adriatic coast. Nearby Monte Conero beach is one of the region’s finest, with bright blue water and pristine white sand. Photography: Hannes HenzComporta, Portugal
Designed by architect Pedro Ferreira Pinto, this single-storey villa is a stone’s throw from Pego Beach on the Alentejo Coast, voted Portugal’s best for its clean waters and sand. Built in a protected nature reserve, the house is raised on stilts, ensuring it touches lightly on its surrounds. Its landscaped gardens blend with the surrounding dunes. Via Modern HouseComporta, Portugal
The interior courtyard offers privacy and shade, while the front deck looks straight out onto the beach.Comporta, Portugal
Sleeping up to 6, the villa has 3 large bedrooms: a master en-suite and 2 king-sized doubles. The living room features a suspended fireplace – which, let’s be honest, you’re unlikely to need in one of Europe’s hottest regions – and wraps around the interior courtyard. A large decked area is the perfect spot for taking in the sea views.Fox Island, United States
This house on Fox Island, Washington, nestles into a sloping, 1.5 acre plot of woodland just a short walk from the beach. Via AirbnbFox Island, United States
Anderson Anderson Architects used prefabricated panels to build the structure, lengthening and shortening them according to the slope of the site.Fox Island, United States
Huge vaulted ceilings feature throughout the 3-bedroom property, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that bring the outdoor woodland setting inside. White walls and varnished wooden floors add to the ‘soft minimalist’ interior aesthetic, which is furnished with midcentury leather sofas.Fidar, Lebanon
Designed by Raëd Abillama Architects, Fidar Beach House sits on the ruins of a medieval castle outside the ancient city of Byblos on the northern coast of Lebanon. The house has incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea and is set 10 meters back from the cliff edge. Steps from the front of the villa provide direct access to the beach below. Via AirbnbFidar, Lebanon
Built from concrete and stone, the house blends into its rocky surrounds. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the Mediterranean, further blurring the boundaries between the built and the natural.Fidar, Lebanon
Accommodating up to 13 people, the house is split across two levels with private bedrooms on the lower floor and public living spaces at the top of the house. A minimalist interior design continues the use of concrete and sparse furnishings that let the sea views do the talking.Giorgos-Zacharopoulos-Aenaon-Villas-cliff-viewSantorini, Greece
Blending traditional Cycladic architecture and contemporary Greek design, the villas feature curved white walls and smooth surfaces, juxtaposed against the rocky, volcanic surrounds. Inside, a brilliant white colour scheme is softened local quarried stone and wood. Photography: Giorgios ZacharopoulosSantorini, Greece
The complex has a private swimming and plunge pool with uninterrupted views of the Aegean Sea and viewing platforms that face east to west, catching the sun all day long. And for those days when you fancy venturing a little further afield, the towns of Imerovigli and Oia are a short drive away. Photography: Giorgios ZacharopoulosValletta, Malta
The architect owner of this studio apartment restored the 18th century building in 2013, mixing raw concrete finishes with Maltese tiling, local stone and vintage furniture. Via Boutique HomesValletta, Malta
Though compact, the third floor flat has an expansive, south-facing terrace, which overlooks the harbour and offers views of the historic Fort St Elmo.Valletta, Malta
The 1-bedroom apartment is located on Valletta’s main street. The beach is just a short walk from the apartment.A Pobra Do Caramiñal, Spain
Dezanove House is a sprawling holiday villa on the Arousa estuary built by architect Iñaki Leite, using recycled bateas from the local mussels industry. Photography: Adrian Vazquez
Via Dezanove HouseA Pobra Do Caramiñal, Spain
The aged wood is used lavishly throughout the building. The house is divided into two distinct volumes: the main living space is an expansive oblong, framed on both sides by full-length windows that offer uninterrupted views of the sea. A second, volume houses 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Photography: Adrian VazquezA Pobra Do Caramiñal, Spain
A winding wooden staircase from the house leads down to a semi-private beach below. Slightly off the beaten track, coastal northwest Spain is noted for its natural beauty and exceptional beaches. The nearest town is A Pobra do Caramiñal, while beaches Cies and Ons – listed in The Guardian’s Top Ten Beaches in the World in 2008 – and the Dunes of Corrubas National Park are also within a short drive of the property. Photography: Adrian VazquezVenice Beach, United States
This LA house’s four main spaces are ‘pods’ connected via walkways, which create fluid movement between indoors and outdoors. Custom moulded concrete floors and reclaimed wooden walls form the main structures – and colours – of the interior space. Via OnefinestayVenice Beach, United States
In the central courtyard, a shaded lap pool – chemical free, of course – offers respite from the heat and is flanked by the greenery of palm trees and plants. Naturally ventilated, the 4-bedroom house harnesses heat during the day for use at night.Venice Beach, United States
Located on McKinley Avenue, the property is just a short walk from Venice Beach, famed for its Ocean Front Walk – a 2 ½ mile pedestrianised promenade where artists, performers, fortune tellers and vendors all ply their trade.1 of 24
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