As temperatures rise again, the first rays of sunshine tickle the skin and nature comes to life, the Mediterranean gardens of Italy and Greece are the most beautiful place to unwind in complete relaxation and harmony. These eight villas by The Thinking Traveller, the premier address for luxury holiday villas in the Mediterranean, enchant not only with their design and uniquely private service. The green oases, where palm trees provide shade, flowers shine in bright colors and rosemary bushes make the air smell like vacation, provide unforgettable moments.

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Don Arcangelo All'Olmo, Sicily

Strada 13 Olmo Calanna 95018, Riposto CT, Italy
donarcanglo.com.

For the great Arab civilizations, gardens were a matter of perfection, of creating an earthly paradise of sensual delights. They were meant to inspire wonder, to convey a sense of total well-being, to envelop the visitor in fragrant tranquility, to evoke otherworldly pleasures, and to offer refuge from the mundane. The gardens of Don Arcangelo all'Olmo were also designed according to these principles, harmoniously surrounding the marinated pool at their centre.

Trullo Terra Dolce, Apulia

Contrada Paradiso, 72017 Ostuni BR, Italy
trulloterradolce.com

The owners of Trullo Terra Dolce, who are artists and potters by trade, have created a beautifully landscaped garden that is a feast for the senses: verdant borders are planted with a vibrant variety of shrubs, fig trees and centuries-old olives provide shade, lush vines wrap outdoor seating and dining areas, fragrant jasmine lingers in the air, and paths of warm honey stone wind through green lawns and lead to the sparkling azure pool.

Kolokithi Bay, Sporadic Islands

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The gardens of Kolokithi Bay in Greece cleverly combine the natural features of the Alonissos coastline, such as wild aromatic oregano and rosemary, fragrant soil, shady olive trees, umbrella pines and rocks sculpted by time, with subtle landscaping. These include a winding network of pathways, low growing ornamental shrubs and grasses, a series of sociable terraces as well as a stunning infinity pool and private access to the paradisiacal bay below.

Don Venerando, Sicily

Str. 6, 95018 Riposto CT, Italy
donvenerando.com.

Don Venerando has an impressive horticultural background: the villa's owners run one of the largest nurseries in the Mediterranean and are founders of the Radice Pura garden festival. The villa's pretty façade is framed by an elegant parterre with towering palms, while on the side facing the sea, lawns, low shrubs and bougainvillea form a brightly coloured backdrop to the heated pool.

Linera, Sicily

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Linera's venerable age is reflected in the gardens, which are a magical oasis of mature, lush greenery. The lawns, alternating with terracotta terraces and interspersed with lava stone walls, provide the perfect base for a magnificent selection of palms, succulents, flowering plants, pergola climbers and ornamental shrubs. Outdoor dining and lounging areas are dotted around the grounds, with a magnificent heated pool in the centre.

Trullo Rosmarino, Puglia

Contrada Santoro, 46, 72017 Ostuni BR, Italy
trullorosmarino.com

The grassy meadows and olive groves beyond Trullo Rosmarino's dry stone walls flow seamlessly into the lower area of the property's gardens. Gradually, they transform into manicured lawns and beds of shrubs, fruit trees and flowering plants that line the pool. Roses and bougainvillea frame the white walls of the traditional trullo, while a walled kitchen terrace with an array of aromatic herbs provides a lovely spot for al fresco dining.

Panayia View, Ionian Islands

Epar.Od. Magouladon-Afiona, Arillas Magouladon 490 81, Greece
panayiaview.com

Panayia View creates a deep connection with nature: olive trees bathe the villa's white and sienna facades in a green-grey hue. A colour scheme that continues in the gardens, where climbing plants, creepers and aromatic herbs harmonise with silver stone walls. Dreamlike terraces connected by seemingly hidden paths provide the ideal spot for sunbathing as well as gentle views of the sea and space to relax, unwind and dine in exquisite seclusion.

Ortensia, Sicily

Via Antonello da Messina, 93, 95021 Aci Castello CT, Italy
villaortensia.com

The gardens of Ortensia have been lovingly landscaped by the owner, an eminent Italian architect. The extensive lemon groves that surround the house give way to a pristine green lawn that frames the cyan blue pool, while the fertile soils of Mount Etna produce numerous flowers, shrubs and trees. Vigorous climbing plants scale the exterior walls, uniting the house and garden into a harmonious whole.

Picture Credits: The Thinking Traveller