Getting the flavour of…

An island of your own off Anglesey

A tiny private island with two holiday homes off the coast of Anglesey, Ynys Faelog offers an Enid Blyton-ish air of adventure – and “more than a dash of 21st century luxury” too, says Pamela Goodman in The Times. It sits in the Menai Strait, near the 19th century suspension bridge linking Anglesey and the Welsh mainland, and can be reached by car, across a causeway at low tide, and on foot, over a walkway at high tide. There are 11 double bedrooms – five in one house, and six in the other, which also has a hot tub, a barbecue, a fire pit and a tennis court. Both command “sensational” views from terraces and picture windows. The only “niggle” is the lack of safe swimming, due to the currents in the straits – but Anglesey itself is ringed by beautiful beaches. The larger house costs from £2,546 per week (ynysfaelog.co.uk).

Perfect peace on Alicudi

With strict limits on development, Sicily’s seven

Aeolian islands are “still largely off the beaten tourist path”, says Rebecca Winke in The Daily Telegraph. All are beautiful, and “characterful” in their own ways, from “bustling” Lipari and verdant Salina to Stromboli, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, with its “simmering pools of molten lava”. For a particularly peaceful break, head for Filicudi – or Alicudi, which is even more remote, and “a haven for those seeking nature, solitude and a brief escape from the modern world”. With only 100 year-round inhabitants, it has no streets – only steps and mule paths – and is steep-sided enough to offer some tough hiking, despite being only a mileand-a-half wide. Hire a boat to reach its beaches (mainly stony inlets) or catch a ride with a local fisherman “for a few euros”.

A visit to buzzing Bangalore

Known as India’s Silicon Valley, Bangalore (pictured) is one of the country’s most energetic and “forward-thinking” cities. It is also wonderfully “liveable” (if you can cope with the air pollution), and thus “very visitable” too, says Cathy Adams in The Sunday Times. There are few “big-ticket sights” (the 18th century summer palace of Tipu Sultan is worth a look, as is the 19th century Bangalore Palace, which was modelled on Windsor Castle). But the city also has great nightlife and a dynamic cultural scene (including good theatres and art galleries), and – at 920 metres above sea level – it is wonderfully cool, with “gorgeous” parks. All in all, it makes for an “authentic” introduction to India, and is a “handy gateway” to the country’s south, with nearby destinations including Nagarahole National Park (for tiger-spotting) and the hill station of Coorg (a “chilled-out” escape favoured by Bangalore’s “smart set”).