This cottage is stylish and serene, beautifully transformed from an old farm building – come for golf, beaches, walks and bird-watching

A gem of a house in a lovely unspoilt village with an intelligent, interesting owner who gives you delicious food and local wines

An idyllic hotel-restaurant in a postcard-pretty medieval village. Warm interiors, a varied menu of local produce, masses to see and do...

An elegant 1892 building, once the village school, now a very comfortable, colourful B&B with warm owners and delicious breakfasts

A mix of bold colours, modern art and vintage finds give this classic French mansion bags of personality

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

In wild Jura, surrounded by fields and heather-covered hills, a secluded farmhouse with cosy rooms and sublime views of Small Isles Bay

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

Garden lovers will flock to this lovely B&B with two spacious suites and delicious breakfasts – a good spot by a quiet hamlet

An oh-so-special B&B in Palermo's ancient heart. This city at the edge of Europe, with its Arab-Norman-Byzantine heritage, is fascinating

A perfect spot with views of hills, forest and vines, below the beautiful village of Castelnau de Montmiral. Walks, wildlife, wine tours...

A tucked-away and peaceful retreat from which to explore the beautiful Dordogne or simply to unwind and recharge

A Regency farmhouse sitting in a wrap-around garden with views to mountain and sea for wonderful walking, cycling and swimming

An authentic, charming and spacious home with garden, pool and lake, deep in the Dordogne valley and decorated with uncluttered elegance

Come for gloriously independent B&B in your own cosy retreat with a belter of a breakfast brought to your door and plenty of local walks

It's not often you get an entire hamlet to yourselves but here it is – 10 traditional stone houses with big communal spaces in rural bliss

Lovely old manor house and clever garden with a relaxed, happy vibe and home-baked or homegrown treats on arrival and at breakfasts

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