Get a taste of la dolce vita in this boutique resort perched high above Sorrento, gateway to the dazzling Amalfi coast

Come here in the summer (it’s closed Nov-April except by arrangement) for candlelit dining, chintzy bedrooms, long views over the park...

A village setting for this family-friendly cottage-in-a-row with private garden next to the owners' pretty 17th-century thatched house

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

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

Close to the honeypots of Domme and Sarlat, a hideaway for 2 in an ancient French hamlet. The apartment is serene, the views are glorious

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

A wonderfully comfortable light-filled house with long views, a sandy beach to walk to, fabulous walking and wildlife and a superb kitchen

An adorable whitewashed crofter's cottage on the Wern Estate with pretty gardens, a bird-filled woodland and glorious walks from the door

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

A beautifully restored listed barn of Westmorland stone sitting in a conservation area village in spectacular walking country, near Appleby

A thoughtful cottage, full of warmth and cheer with lovely art and delicious pops of colour. Come for beautiful walks and much wildlife

Enjoy convivial gatherings from this Georgian country house with acres of land, gardens and woodlands just a short hop from Durham

Head inland for grand walking or to the glorious coast from this very pretty cottage with a private garden, suitable and safe for dogs

Slow down, discover the quieter side of the island - volcanic rocks, clear seas from hidden beaches and César Manrique's Jardín de Cactus

Large, unpretentious and very comfortable family house in splendid isolation with swimming pool, tennis court and well-tended gardens

Bring family or friends to this beautiful 16th-century stone manor house standing in a tiny hamlet in the heart of the Dordogne