Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

Overlooking Sospel's 600-year-old cathedral, this historic building was probably one of the original monastic or university buildings clustered round the bishop's throne, and your big bright apartment must be one of the most extraordinary you will find. All the walls, all the ceilings are frescoed, a 20th-century local artist's two-year labour of love. The rooms – two bedrooms (one with French windows to the courtyard), library/sitting and dining rooms – are vast with soaring ceilings, polished wood and honeycomb tile floors. With the Hollands' antique furnishing, the atmosphere is old-style grand yet comfortable and totally undaunting. The excellent kitchen has a door onto the wide terrace for cool dining. When Sospel, a wonderful leafy backwater in the hills, was an Italian town it was favoured by the clergy – and their wealth. It is still lively, in a civilised way (good choice of restaurants), and a great base for fabulous walking, kayaking, fishing and paragliding. The fleshpots of the coast beckon from below and the huge and famous Friday market in Vintimiglia is just a 25-minute drive.