Forget Byron Bay, Noosa or Jervis – if you’re a Sydney-sider looking to take a long, lazy and luxurious break, I implore you to visit Australia’s answer to Cornwall, the Margaret River.

700km off the coast of Sydney you'll find Australia's best kept secret - Lord Howe Island, a veritable, luscious and magical island paradise, and one of the last paradigms of true relaxation.

This quaint Welsh town comes alive but once a year for the annual Ironman competition, but Tenby and nearby Saundersfoot is also a charming holiday destination in its own right.

Pienza possesses oodles of unassuming Tuscan charm; a quiet, serene atmosphere punctuated only by the chimes of the tower bell; and the soft patter of footsteps through small cobbled streets.

Alpine woods, rolling mountains and turquoise shores greet you at Lake Bled, the hidden jewel of Eastern Europe.