In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

A grand-looking stone building with fabulous views across the Derwent Valley from the terrace and garden – find quirky rooms and great food

A very pretty Victorian gothic house of limestone and brick, sitting peacefully on the edge of the village, eight miles from foodie Ludlow

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Apartments with a designer touch in a peaceful, evocative setting; private gardens, intimate terraces, infinity pool, stunning lake views and a gourmet restaurant

Friendly inn in the middle of Sedbergh. Lots of bedrooms to choose from, suntrap picnic area, walks in the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep

A delightful coastal cottage with far-reaching ocean views from almost every room, two gardens and a short hop to beach and Coast Path

Come for sublime Highland scenery, birds and wildlife, long walks and complete peace and tranquillity

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

Very relaxed B&B at this 17th-century country house just 5 minutes from the perched village of St-Paul-de-Vence and 10 from the sea

Nature lovers will be tempted to this gem of a village cottage in the Duddon Valley – a truly peaceful slice of the Lakes

A stylish base for those who want to explore the beautiful north – expect good food, stylish interiors and a pretty market town