Villa U Casedu

Picture France with its rolling vineyards, exquisite wines and mouth watering cuisine and now add to it an exotic twist of white sandy beaches, warm, azure waters, fresh seafood and wild, salty air and you have Corsica. A more rugged and folkloric version of its Italian neighbour, Sardinia, it has the whole package: culture, fascinating history, mysterious, magical sites and ancient standing stones, a culinary tradition to die for, heady local wines, picturesque villages and those incredible beaches... I, for one, am in love with this fascinating island and my summer tour has brought me to Villa U Casedu on the southern coast near the beautiful Gulf of Figari. In a bid to share this gem of ours with some of our closest friends, my partner and I have invited them to join us here for a few days of luxury living in a private paradise.

We arrive in high spirits; it has been some time since we have seen each other and the romance of the place serves as a perfect setting for our reunion. This jubilant mood turns to one of excitement as we see the little slice of heaven that is awaiting us. Tucked away in the hills by a very pretty little village is a quaint stone cottage with a touch of rustic chic in its tall glass windows and bright, stylish interiors. It has all we could possibly need from a sleek, fully equipped kitchen that even includes a dishwasher, to its own washing machine and comfortable living room with television. Each couple has their own airy bedroom with a white­washed Moroccan feel that adds to that sense of exotic romance, which is epitomised in the outdoor space that boasts a veranda looking out over the hectare of lush land that belongs to the property.

Once we have installed ourselves we reconvene outside and the decision to spend the entire evening here and leave explorations further afield for tomorrow, is unanimous. Putting this plan into action the men are dispatched to the village before the shops shut to buy provisions whilst the women stay behind ostensibly to unpack, etc, which takes all of ten arduous minutes, leaving us no choice but to entertain ourselves as best we can. Gleefully we slip into our swimming costumes, grab towels and sunscreen and dance out to that glittering turquoise pool that has had us transfixed from the moment we arrived. This is where they find us a suspiciously long time later and their bright faces and boyish laughter prove indeed to be the discovery of a local bar and a very tasty local wine, which they have managed to procure a bottle of to toast with over tonight's dinner.

This we do as we watch the sun set over the sea just beyond our fingertips, making ambitious plans for the many marvels we wish to see and we raise our glasses to our home from home. Corsica has won two more hearts before they have even begun to experience the tantalising wonders that it as yet has in store for them!