The Best Second Home Locations Of 2014

Check out the newest destination picks for a second-home bolt hole with a difference

Ibiza

The clubbing centre of the Mediterranean may be notoriously hip but it is also attracting young families, with people in their 30s and 40s going there with their kids. The island offers you the best second home locations with stylish living and nightlife potential all in one. It also has some of Europe’s best beaches. These are practically empty in the mornings, so you get at least four hours of peace before the younger crew arrives, having slept off the night before - and then you can always retreat to your luxury villa.

Getting there: Airlines flying to Ibiza include easyJet (0871-7500 100; www.easyjet.com) from Gatwick and Stansted; bmibaby (0870-264 2229; www.bmibaby.com) from Manchester and East Midlands; GB Airways (0870 850 9850; www.gbairways.com) from Gatwick; and Thomson (0800-000 747; www.thomsonflights.com) from 18 airports across the UK.

Guatemala

With its spectacular scenery, picture-postcard villages and absorbing cultures, Guatemala is regarded as a hidden gem by those in the know. In fact Central America runs the Middle East a close second as a region of the world that many tourists shy away from, although increasing number of visitors are realising that Central America contains an immense breadth and depth of traditions and landscapes - and that Guatemala, the largest country in the region, has the dual advantage of being both the most intriguing and the least expensive. Whether you fly in for an instant immersion in Mayan culture followed by a high-altitude chill-out at Lake Atitlan, or spend a month or two learning Spanish in the original colonial capital Antigua, Guatemala will add an extra dimension to your travel experiences.

Getting there: There are no direct flights from Britain to Guatemala, however American Airlines (0845-7789 789; www.americanairlines.co.uk) and Continental Airlines (0845-607 6760; www.continental.com) both provide connecting services from about £960 this summer.

Costa de la Luz

The southern part of Spain's Atlantic coast is increasingly popular with discerning second homers from the UK. It hasn't been spoilt by overdevelopment and its towns are still working communities. The Atlantic beaches are lovely: windswept, dune-backed, and with few hotels to mar the view. The area is becoming increasingly popular because it still offers an authentic taste of Spain. Plus there are more and more luxury resort offerings springing up, especially around Tarifa, just registering on mainstream tourists’ radar. The countryside is dotted with Moorish white towns. They aren't on the official Pueblos Blancos trail, which follows a route further to the north, and consequently don't get mobbed by tourists.

Getting there: The area has become more accessible since Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) started its route to Jerez, the most convenient international gateway to the area. In addition, Malaga, some three hours’ drive away, is served by easyJet (0871-7500 100; www.easyjet.com), bmibaby (0870-264 2229; www.bmibaby.com) and Thomson (0800-000 747; www.thomsonflights.com), which together provide departures from more than a dozen different airports across the UK.

Sicily

There's a real buzz building about the largest island in the Mediterranean. Sicily boasts areas of ravishing beauty, wonderful sandy beaches, Europe's tallest active volcano, and an amazingly rich array of architecture. The increased interest is partly because new flight routes have opened up the eastern side of the island. Both British Airways and Air Malta now fly to Catania, and many travellers are taking the opportunity to arrive here, cross the island in a leisurely fashion, and return with Ryanair from Palermo.

Getting there: British Airways (0870-850 9850; www.britishairways.com) and Air Malta (0845-607 3170; www.airmalta.com) fly to Catania from Gatwick. Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) offers a service from Stansted to Palermo. Luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent (0845-0700 612; www.abercrombiekent.co.uk) reports a big increase in enquiries about Sicily this year.

St Tropez

The Provençal fishing village that became an iconic glamour spot in the 1960s may subsequently have developed a reputation for flash and Euro-trash but suddenly it's chic once again. This is not, however, directly attributable to the number of low-cost airlines now serving the area: the sort of people coming here tend not to be bothered about the expense factor. After a few well-known celebs started descending recently the ironic edge has disappeared and once more this is an immensely cool place to be.

Getting there: The nearest international gateway to St Tropez is Nice, served by easyJet (0871-750 0100; www.easyjet.com) from Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Liverpool, Bristol and Newcastle; bmibaby (0870-264 2229; www.bmibaby.com) from East Midlands and Teesside; Jet2 (0871-226 1737; www.jet2.com) from Leeds Bradford; and British Airways (0870-850 9850; www.ba.com) from Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester.