The most magical islands of the Mediterranean are beautifully evoked in the first book in this major new series. Some, like Capri, are already well-known; others, like Croatian Vis, are just entering the consciousness of island travellers.

* Brijuni, off the coast of Istria - once the private home of President Tito - is now one of the region's most exclusive hideaways.

* Hvar, a verdant ridge rising out of the Adriatic, was once an outpost of the Venetian empire and consequently enjoys a legacy of elegant architecture, as does neighbouring Korcula, sometimes referred to as `Little Dubrovnik'.

* Capri and Ischia have always attracted travellers, and all their delights are fully explored in this book. Procida is less well-known, but its ?shing port of Corricella became famous as the setting for the ?lm Il Postino.

* Corfu, Rhodes and Mykonos have been included from the galaxy of Greek island gems, but so too have delicious Santorini and the less familiar Zakynthos.