Cosy boltholes

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

Delightful little antique-filled cottage with large walled garden and an allotment near Versailles. Gardeners will be happy

High on a hill, in the lee of a 17th century farmhouse is a sleek and stylish studio for those who like walking, fine dining and culture

An enchanting hideaway with sensational views in a flowery English semi-wild country garden, near Sissinghurst and Great Dixter

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

An hour from Edinburgh, this large estate wrapped in ancient woodland & steeped in history is a super outdoorsy retreat – dogs welcome too

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

At the gates of a country estate, two quirky hexagonal lodge houses with private outdoor seating and acres of grounds for walks and picnics

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river

A peaceful, very stylish bolthole for 2 on the doorstep of glorious Holyrood Park, with Edinburgh’s sights a stroll away

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

A light larch-clad space for lovers, or a retreat for walkers and writers in pretty Orford, once a medieval sea port but now on the river

You’ll feel nicely independent in this spacious open-plan hideaway surrounded by colourful gardens and Corscombe valley views

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

Retreat to a classically styled, elegant apartment for four - private and peaceful - in a characterful, super-central area of Rome

Lovers will be happy here in their own sweet space with a bird-filled garden. All you will hear is the river flowing gently past you

Picture-perfect Andalusian houses with private, colourful gardens, stunning mountain views and sparkling pool; utterly relaxing