You’re right in the midst of Portuguese life here: cafés, shops and restaurants buzz and there are panoramic views from the roof terrace

Retreat to this sweet, peaceful cottage with suntrap courtyard garden enveloped in rolling hills just a short hop from the Jurassic Coast

Grand Scottish home with stunning views & a tea-and-shortbread welcome. Historic castles, local festivals, golf, East Lothian beaches abound

A lovely listed cottage, just stumbling distance from a good pub in a quiet village surrounded by spectacular walking and cycling country

Return to warming fires after hiking in Ireland's highest mountains. Two traditional cottages on the outskirts of pretty Killorglin

Perfect for families - a glorious farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields. Rooms are huge and children can roam free in the vast gardens

A large, attractive 18th-century house with sweeping lawns, outdoor seating areas and two free-standing baths by an ivy-clad wall

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

Elegant Regency rectory full of charm, with walks in all directions, views to gaze at and kind, generous hosts. A rare place

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

A stylish, thoughtful and impressive place for a family holiday, in a dreamy Charentais landscape with the odd sheep to keep you company

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

A stunning setting in acres of citrus groves for this lovely old farm with 16th-century roots, a big pool, hammocks and a restaurant

Enjoy views of the South Downs from this converted milking parlour for 2 or 4 - fill up on the breakfast hamper and head out on long walks

A contemporary house with fabulous views in a quiet setting just steps away from the beach, shops and restaurants - the best of Galicia