Quaint barns dotted among truffle oaks and rosemary, each one constructed the old-fashioned way and close to the Dordogne and Vézère

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars

Immaculate apartments with private patios and well-equipped kitchens share oleander-bright gardens and a chlorine-free pool

Grand, elegant, sumptuous – a bucolic bolthole for happy holidays in much comfort, with stunning green views to lake and deer park

Stay in a celebrated French author’s holiday home, beautifully restored and tucked among pines next to one of Brittany's loveliest bays

A cracking English inn with open fires, great food, gorgeous rooms, happy staff, lovely gardens and well-kept English ales

Beautifully refurbished inn with good food, calming rooms and the South Downs all around. Chichester, Petworth and Goodwood are close

Shed your urban cares here with a gorgeous living space, woods and meadows to wander and stunning views of The Black Mountains

A delightful old Quinta within a Quinta. Find banana trees, vines and lots of greenery within a 20-minute walk of the centre of town

Bountiful breakfasts, the warmest of owners and Breton adventures. Enjoy romantic ruins, quaint villages and delicious seafood suppers

Rooms in the house overlook the vineyard, the lodges are surrounded by it - check out the vines, then drink their wine with a good dinner

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

Modest and authentic, a top-floor apartment in an eco-friendly Provençal farmhouse, with dogs and hens. River swims are a stroll away...

Come for peace, art, photography and go out for delicious food near Galicia’s ‘seafood coast’. One of Spain’s undiscovered gems

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Come for the rural charm of this cottage. Green as far as the eye can see, near a village surrounded by rivers. Wellies essential