Fine wine, fantastic food, sunny weather and stunning beaches; it\u2019s easy to see why the South of France attracts so many holidaymakers from the UK and beyond. The region is just one of several destinations covered by Oliver\u2019s Travels<\/a>, who offer luxury rental properties \u2013 from country cottages and\u00a0swanky\u00a0chalets to lighthouses and grand castles \u2013 across Europe.<\/p>\n

Of course, choosing where to go and which glamorous villa to kick back in for a week or two is just one requirement on a holiday planning hit list. There are lots of other little choices that come into play. Do you set off in summer or winter? Do you hire a car or attempt to master the public transport network? Do you fly or take the ferry? Not to mention deciding which activities to try and, crucially, what and where to eat.<\/p>\n

This is where we came in. Oliver\u2019s Travels asked our expert travel writing team to produce a series of destination guides that would inspire\u00a0holidaymakers and help them navigate the ins and outs of some of their most popular rental regions. We took on guides to a wide range of destinations, from Ibiza<\/a> to the Algarve<\/a>, Scotland<\/a> to Mallorca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most recently, we wrote about Aquitaine<\/a> in south-west France. Planning a visit? Then scroll down for an extract.<\/p>\n

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Aquitaine Travel Guide<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why Visit?<\/strong>
\nTo say a destination has \u201csomething for everyone\u201d seems like just another tired travel clich\u00e9, but in the case of Aquitaine, it\u2019s one that this region genuinely lives up to. With Atlantic beaches, buzzy cities, medieval villages and chateau-dotted countryside in its armoury, as well as forests, mountains and vineyards aplenty, this vast and astonishingly diverse region is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser no matter who that crowd that may be. Whether coast or castle, city or country, vines or pines, Aquitaine\u2019s menu of offerings is lengthy; choosing what to prioritise in the time you have is the tough task here.<\/p>\n

When to Visit?<\/strong>
\nAquitaine enjoys a temperate climate, which means that \u2013 with the exception of a few of the higher-altitude mountain villages \u2013 it never becomes unpleasantly chilly. The coastal regions are particularly toasty thanks to the warming Gulf Stream influence, with spring arriving early from around mid-March. If sunbathing is on your agenda, it\u2019s best to stick to summer, when the mercury rises to anywhere between the late 20s up to late 30s (Celsius).<\/p>\n

Autumn is an exciting time to arrive in Aquitaine, particularly for wine enthusiasts. Between mid-September and mid-October, the harvest will reach full swing. During this time, many wineries will be up to their ears in grapes and hence will close their doors to visitors. Other wineries, however, will offer opportunities to join in with the picking and crushing. The Pyrenees vistas are particularly pretty at this time year too, as the leaves turn a gazillion shades of gold, orange and red.<\/p>\n

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Getting Around<\/strong><\/p>\n