At the heart of fascinating Palermo, splendid aristocratic hosts welcome you to their historic family mansion filled with heirlooms

Fresh, inviting bedrooms with leafy garden views and a pretty church next door. Moffat's spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall nearby

Stay on a secluded private estate by the sea - once the home of the brilliant French writer, Colette

Rest, restore, and explore... from this smart, successful Cotswolds’ gastropub with ancient beams, roaring fires and truly pretty bedrooms

A slice of rural heaven close to the Pembrokeshire coast - good rooms, hearty food, wonderful walks and beautiful beaches wait

Characterful and family-friendly apartments on this lovely wine-country estate: great hosts, glorious grounds and pool, home-grown food

An ancient thatched cottage near Dartmoor with a warming log fire in winter and flowers inside and out in the summer

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

Gorgeously restored villas with breathtaking views. Chill out on the terrace, sample the owner’s homemade wine, and the wood-fired pizza!

An elegant townhouse made up of two apartments on a lively piazza a short stroll from the sea. Live like a local in pretty Monopoli

An attractive converted stable with covered veranda, private garden and views over rolling countryside, minutes from the coast

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

An exquisitely restored 1850s townhouse, steeped in history, with a sweet garden and within walking distance of the historic centre of Porto

A cosy bolt hole near medieval Cartmel with woods, meadows and wildlife – great for walkers in this quiet part of the South Lakes

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

Charming 4-star gîte in an 11th-century castle in the foothills of the Pyrénées. Spectacular views, leafy terrace and wild swimming nearby

A soothing, deeply romantic bolthole with simple interiors and its own little private garden, next to a winery and surrounded by vineyards

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter