Ok, so a trattoria just off the Florence-Siena motorway may not sound like the most picturesque spot for lunch, but don't be deterred. Bar dell'Orso offers up a classic take on the best of Sienese cooking. Take a seat on the terrace with a view of the perfectly preserved medieval walls of Monteriggioni, and feast on an antipasti plate of cured Tuscan hams, followed by homemade pici - a long, square-edged, thick pasta - covered in a tomato and garlic or pecorino and black pepper sauce. Walk off lunch by taking a long leisurely stroll to the nearby Romanesque church of Abbadia a Isola (for directions have a copy of James Lasdun's excellent 'Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria' to hand).

Bar dell'Orso, Via Cassia Nord 23, Monteriggioni
+39(0)577 305074
http://m.bardellorso.com/Home.xml
Google map: bit.ly/ijlimL

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Think cider, and a bucolic scene of country life in Devon or Dorset may come to mind. But cross the border into Wales, and a surprise awaits. For a glass of scrumpy at its finest, make your way to The Plough & Harrow, a 12th century Welsh inn, 10 miles south of Bridgend. Having walked the spectacular Glamorgan Heritage Coast Path from Llantwit Major to Monknash - enjoying a dip in the Severn Estuary on the way - our day concluded by cradling a pint of award-winning farmhouse cider, sat in the Plough’s gorgeous cottage garden. Selling cider produced by Gwyent y Ddraig - a CAMRA gold medal winning set-up - Barnstormer, Haymaker and Orchard Gold are just three of the delicious traditional offerings currently available.

The Plough & Harrow, Monknash, South Glamorgan, CF71 7QQ
01656 890209

Google map: bit.ly/b7qdUq
www.theploughmonknash.com

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Decorated with an extravaganza of white subway tiles, this Lower East Side haunt snuggled up against the Rivington Hotel is a funky hybrid - think old skool diner meets Islington gastropub.

A great place for brunch, lunch or dinner, traditional dishes like stewed lamb meatballs and Schiller's steak frites hit the right notes.

131 Rivington St at Norfolk St Subway: Subway: F to Delancey St; J, M, Z to Delancey–Essex Sts Mon–Wed 11am–1am; Thu 11am–2am; Fri 11am–3am; Sat 10am–3am; Sun 10am–1am.

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Great place for brunch before taking a tour of the Lower East boutiques. Fish tacos and buttermilk biscuits left me wanting more!

4 Clinton St between Houston and Stanton Sts, Subway: Subway: F to Delancey St; J, M, Z to Delancey–Essex Sts, Mon–Fri 8am–11pm; Sat 10am–4pm, 6–11pm; Sun 10am–4pm.

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After an energy-sapping morning soaking up the rays on Valdevaqueros beach - one of the best along the Costa de la Luz - try lunching at the minute hotel perched on the dunes behind a surf school and shop. Enjoy the typically Tarifan hippy-chic vibe, sitting at oversized wooden tables under generous shady bamboo cover and their delicious array of hearty, green salads and fresh fruit juices make a welcome break after a night of tapas indulgence.

www.hurricanehotel.com/pages/valdevaqueros.htm

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This fourth century AD villa houses truly spectacular mosaics, mostly in suberb condition. Follow the trail of rooms and corridors to enjoy vivid hunting scenes of exotic beasties. Covered with a roof to protect the tiles from direct sunlight, it is worth avoiding the midday sun as the greenhouse effect can make for sweltering conditions!

Villa Romana, Casale, Piazza Armerina
www.villaromanadelcasale.net/

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Sicily has many stunning beaches, but the 7km string of coves that run along the coastline of this nature reserve are particularly special. Grab a map at the information hut in the car park, and make your way along a winding cliff-edge path for 20 minutes and you will come across the first white pebbled beach 20 metres below.

If you can resist the lure of the dazzling crystalline waters a little longer, it is well-worth trudging on another 3km to the next series of bays, which will be less crowded.

A word of warning: it can get painfully hot in July & August, & the path enjoys little shade, so the walk can be torturous without sufficient clothing or litres of water.

There are entrances to the Nature Reserve to the South near Scopello, and in the North at San Vito Lo Capo.

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Hidden in a piazza away from Palermo's traffic clogged streets, Pizzeria Bellini offers a slice of pure Sicilian drama (apt as it sits behind the theatre with which it shares it name). Rock up around 8pm to join the long queue of chattering punters eager for an outdoor table with romantic views of the old Roman wall and San Cataldo's red domes. Sip on deliciously cheap, local, house vino rosso whilst you wait (& it does take a while) for a huge pizza to arrive hot from the wood-fired oven. Look out for regional toppings with sardine, fennel and pinenuts. And, if your stomach can take the strain, indulge in every good godfather's vice - homemade cannoli.

Piazza Bellini, just off Corso Vittorio Emanuelle, Palermo

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Want a taste of Aeolian island luxury, but can't afford the prices over on Panarea? Located on nearby Salina, the lushest Aeolian island in the archipeligo, Signum makes for a deeply relaxing, stylish retreat. After a short hop on the hydrofoil from Milazzo, and a thrilling cliff-edge bus ride to the village of Malfa, drag your suitcase down a winding footpath past traditional white washed houses to a cacti-filled, antiques laden reception.

All the components of a trendy boutique hotel are in place: myriad balconies with splendid sea views, (modest) horizon pool, and vine covered terrace where you can feast on terrific local seafood by candlelight. And don't miss the cute pebble beach, backed by crumbling fishermen's huts.

Hotel Signum, Via Scalo 15
Tel: 0039 090 984 4222
www.hotelsignum.it/

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