Gather family or friends and take both villa and cottage. The terraces and gardens have long views, the pool is roomy and the peace palpable

A recently renovated and very comfortable stand-alone limestone cottage with fabulous views on the edge of the Easton Walled Gardens

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

All the bleached beauty of the beach inside this comfortable cottage; a dining terrace with uplifting sea views and arching views of Kerry

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 monastic grange full of grandeur with luxurious interiors to keep you comfortable. Enjoy a pool, gardens and Margate on the doorstep

A serene apartment for 2 in the old fisherman's quarter in Olhão, close to amazing beaches. A special place for nature lovers and foodies

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon

A new-build in local stone with vast windows gazing out at the meeting place of three beautiful lochs, surrounded by 12 acres of croft land

An unbelievably stunning setting for this renovated 15th-century villa with garden on a hillside overlooking the famed Florence skyline

Thoughtful red brick barn conversion on a working farm. Peaceful, practical and within easy reach of outdoor activities

Popular with families, this Glen of Rannoch mountain-view cottage with a homely atmosphere is a cheerful place to stay year-round

Deep in undulating countryside, three pretty stone cottages with a shared, family-friendly saltwater pool and charming, generous owners

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

A wonderful old 1397 village inn, filled with history and character. Find gracious bedrooms, roaring fires, good food and a pretty garden

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

A semi-detached 19th-century stone cottage, scrupulously renovated with indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and terrace in a quiet spot

A delightful mix of old and new in a conservation village with a four-acre garden that attracts all the local birds. Guests love it here