Spend restful days in a verdant garden, slip into the cooling pool, sip wine on your private balcony, stroll into arty Benissa

Three spacious manor apartments with views for big gatherings of family or friends. Walk to the beach or the pub, play tennis and croquet

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

Slow down! Swim, soak in the jacuzzi, taste Campanian cuisine and wine, explore the national park, pop to Agropoli's beaches... be pampered

Sheep's Head Way is reputedly one of the best walks in Ireland. Come back to roaring fires, a Rayburn, art and style – terrific restorations

In the National Park with all its glories (Ashbourne for antiques, Chatsworth for history, Bakewell for its market), a sweet village cottage

Sea views, fulsome breakfasts and plenty of fresh air on a traditional farm. A rustic treat: Southern Italian rural life at its best.

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

A humdinger of a pub, hidden in a sleepy village in the Surrey Hills, oozing character and charm and with delicious food and comfy bedrooms

Friendly hosts, good food and clever design in this house looking over Kilmartin Glen. Slow down, watch the sunrise and marvel at the peace

A heavenly setting for this very well-hidden cottage with its own small pool, amazing views and delightful pebble beach below

Big, beautiful Moorish-style villa for parties of up to 10, near mountains, coast and Granada. The rooftop views are jaw-dropping…

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss

Unwind in glorious Northumberland with beaches, proper dunes, ancient castles and two cosy cottages with open fires, sea views and gardens

Bring boots, maps, your dog and an appetite for high places and deep comfort in this restored farm conversion

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

Full of country-hideaway chic, this special holiday home is in one of the loveliest parts of the Var, surrounded by 10 private acres

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