'Pinch me' views over Lake Como, a stony beach below, Varenna on your doorstep... these chic apartments are in an idyllic spot

Enter through an impressive stone arch to discover this 16th-century fortified manor house with a gorgeous communal dining and seating area

A beautifully designed B&B for foodies, cyclists and walkers in a village surrounded by trees just 15 minutes from the coast

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

Friendly host, Georgian elegance, welcoming sitting room and bedrooms, tasty breakfasts: the perfect city break in Scotland’s capital

Historic 19th-century maison de maître, perfect for a gathering of friends, within walking distance of the old town’s charms

A 15th-century hotel and spa with beamed lounges and two restaurants, standing proudly on the high street

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Rooms are good value, breakfast is taken overlooking the garden and there's superb veggie food next door - a Sawday's Community Champion

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden

A quirky hotel with enthusiastic owners in an authentic Andalucian town, just ten minutes up winding roads from Marbella

Manor house in the grounds of a quintessential 18th-century French château with pretty gardens and lots of space just 3kms from Bayeux

A bright and spacious cottage set against a backdrop of woodland for days spent happily reading by the wood-burner or lunch on the sun deck

A serene retreat basking above the Algarve with sea views from the garden and pool, and charming Moorish details

Warmth and comfort on the Pink Granite Coast where the wind and waves lull you to sleep, and bedrooms overlook the cedars or the sea