SARDINIA, ITALY

Best for: Lovers who swoon whenever they hear, see, speak or taste Italy.

Attractions: Kath And Kimderella may have put us off the Amalfi Coast but luckily it didn’t put us off Italy. Ditch the cities and head, instead, to the island of Sardinia, which missed the messy rush to mass tourism. This is Italy as it should be: cute BnBs, easy to get around, and – allora! – arguably the best beaches in Europe, rivalling Capri. Part of an archipelago nestled off Sardinia, bijoux island La Maddelena is also home to the Italian Navy. It’s as if time stopped in 1985 with clubs called “discos” and video rental shops. Add in dramatic views of nearby French island Corsica, boasting snowy peaks until late spring… perfecto!

Distractions: Aside from all the handsome Italians with flirtatious eyes, the only real problem here is the food… it’s bellissimo! Out with the diet and in with the carbs. Pane carasau (Sardinian bread) is served hot with sea salt, olive oil and sheep milk’s cheese. Tartare di scofano con fragole is fish with strawberry antipasto, and they have the most tantalising gelato on Earth. But let’s keep that a secret among us!

Romance Factor: You know how everyone always swoons in gooey movies about Italian food, the moon and amore? Well, ciao bello, this is where the planets truly align. Sardinia is everything romantics dream it is – sun, sand, sea and plenty of able Italian seamen on hand. What’s not to love? Gay or nay? Think pink. Twice! Now a protected area, Sardinia’s Spiaggia Rosa is a unique pink sandy beach. Hire a boat to admire this fairy floss-coloured rarity. If that isn’t gay enough, how about gaggles of wild pink flamingoes sashaying and shante-ing as soon as you swoop in from the airport?