1 Villa Kymothoe, Agios Yannis, Mykonos (sleeps eight) There can't be many villas with their own helicopter pad. One of three new whitewashed villas overlooking the tiny beach of Kapari, this boasts marble-floored open-plan living areas and the latest music system and satellite TV. Dine al fresco under the wooden pergola on the stone-tiled sun terrace overlooking your own seawater pool or head to the chic restaurants and shops of Mykonos town, just 4km away.
· Price: £1,399 to £1,680 per week including charter flights from Gatwick or Manchester or scheduled flights from Heathrow via Athens. Contact: Islands of Greece (020 8940 5157; www.islands-of-greece.com)

2 House on the Rocks, Kaminaki, Corfu (sleeps six - not suitable for young children) Enjoy stunning views of the Albanian coastline while swimming in this stone-built villa's crescent-shaped infinity pool or sipping cocktails on the large roof terrace. Perched on a promontory below the coast road, this three-bedroom property is set among olive trees and is only 400m from the beach. Hire a motorboat to explore the secluded bays of the north-east coast.
· Price: £564 to £839 including flights from Gatwick to Corfu, car hire, welcome pack and maid service. Contact: Meon Villas (01730 268411; www.meonvillas.co.uk)

3 Villa Laza, Symi (sleeps four) This unusual three-storey, neo-classical townhouse offers fantastic views from secluded terraces and balconies but is only a few minutes' walk from the harbour. Steps lead down from the terrace to a pool enclosed in a summer house. The main bedroom on the first floor has an ensuite bathroom with its own balcony and the other ensuite bedroom is on a mezzanine floor overlooking the sitting room. A number of smart tavernas offer top-class cuisine around the cosmopolitan harbour.
· Price: £523 to £772 including flights from London Gatwick to Rhodes, ferry transfers to Symi, daily maid service and a welcome hamper. Contact: Travel A La Carte (01635 863030; www.travelalacarte.co.uk)

4 The French House, Trisonia, Peloponnese (sleeps 14) Ideal for a family or large group where no one wants to cook. A British cook prepares picnics and all meals in the huge kitchen, as well as doing all the cleaning. The homely stone-built mansion house combines traditional architecture on the outside with a chic French interior. The master bedroom offers stunning views of the Peloponnese mountains from its floor-to-ceiling windows. A huge rustic stone fireplace dominates one wall of the sitting room and is surrounded by bookcases. Children will love the double bunk bed. Other rooms are located in two cottages adjoining a cloistered courtyard in the extensive gardens. These lead down to a small beach for safe bathing, where you can explore the coastline using one of the house's boats.
· Price: £500 to £550 including flights to Preveza from Gatwick or Heathrow. Car hire, transfers and food are extra. Contact: Filoxenia (01422 371796; www.filoxenia.co.uk)

5 The Royal Villa, Elounda Gulf Villas, Crete (sleeps eight) The ultimate in luxury villas. Sit in your fluffy bathrobe while your personal butler serves breakfast on the terrace overlooking the Gulf of Mirabello. The pool has two whirlpools surrounded by a wooden deck. The whitewashed villa has floor-to-ceiling windows, plush furnishings and marble floors. Each of four bedrooms has an ensuite marble bathroom with trompe l'oeil ceiling, whirlpool and dressing room. A sauna, gym, DVD player and satellite TV complete the line-up.
· Price: £8,710 to £14,320 per week for the whole villa. Private car transfers, butler service and cook are included but not flights. Contact: Abercrombie & Kent (0845 070 0620; www.abercrombiekent.co.uk)

6 Villa Irini, Lefkada (sleeps six) Step inside this newly built stone villa at the water's edge and you find a cool, minimalist interior with modern art reproductions and hi-tech kitchen. Picture windows provide fantastic views of the sea and forested mountains behind. The pool sits behind the property on the hillside but gives uninterrupted views of the sea. Safe swimming is possible from a raised platform next to the sea. A four-wheel drive is provided to reach the shops and tavernas of nearby Sivota.
· Price: £691 to £1,317 including flights, transfers, use of car and a food hamper. Departures from Gatwick, Manchester or Heathrow. Contact: Travelux Holidays (01580 765000; www.travelux.co.uk)

7 The White House, Hydra (sleeps two - not suitable for toddlers) Stretch your arm from the plunge pool to reach a cool drink from the patio fridge. In the evening you can relax on the floodlit patio and watch the yachts and ferries in the horseshoe-shaped harbour. The whitewashed villa has marble floors throughout and there are plenty of beaches within walking distance or via water taxi. Be prepared to get fit: the villa is on a steep hill but no cars are allowed - all luggage is carried by donkey.
· Price: £250 per night for a minimum of three nights. Prices are villa-only, excluding flights. Contact: International Chapters (now part of Abercrombie & Kent. 0845 070 0610; www.villa-rentals.com)

8 Olive Grove, Evreti, Cephalonia (sleeps eight) The earthquake that hit Cephalonia in 1953 means it's unusual to find an original stone house on the island made famous by Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Built in 1836, this house combines original features with a modern kitchen, satellite TV and video. Enjoy the private pool or walk through olive groves to the small, shingle beach. A guest cottage provides two more bedrooms and a kitchenette.
· Price: £487 to £750 including car hire and flights from Gatwick or Manchester. Contact: Greek Islands Club (020 8232 9780; www.greekislandsclub.com)

9 Skinos, Nissaki, Corfu (sleeps six) Originally an olive press, the sitting room of this stone-built villa on the north-east coast still houses the massive machinery. It also has wooden beams, antiques and a well stocked library. There's no swimming pool but step down from the terrace and you are on a secluded beach. Walk through a gate in the walled garden to discover another beach. The tavernas and watersports of Nissaki are only a short boat ride or 10-minute walk away.
· Price: £430 to £775 including flights from Gatwick, transfers, maid service and food hamper. Cook on request. Contact: CV Travel (020 7591 2800; www.cvtravel.net)

10 Petrino House, Ithaca (sleeps five) Garden lovers will find it hard to venture very far from this renovated old stone house on an unspoilt island close to Cephalonia. Dubbed the Secret Garden, it is jam-packed with mature flowering shrubs, creepers and gnarled old almond and olive trees. A small swimming pool has recently been added at the bottom of the garden. A narrow spiral staircase leads down to the old wine press, which has been converted into a single bedroom. The waterside tavernas of the tiny harbour of Frikes are only 1.2km away and the beach is a short walk.
· Price: £470 to £665 including flights from London Gatwick to neighbouring Cephalonia, ferry transfers and a car. Contact: Simply Ionian (020 8541 2202; www.simplytravel.co.uk)