Such a special place, right on the historic Georgian quay – a cosy, friendly place with dogs, children and families welcome in all parts

Wide views over the trees to the glittering loch and the hills beyond will mesmerise; interiors are calm, uncluttered and generous

Well-positioned winery for the whole of the Bordeaux region. Or stay put and learn about the Duhamels’ super organic Cotes de Bourg wines

A stylish Sicilian farmhouse that feels like a home with hotel luxuries. Come for a generous welcome, lovely beaches and gorgeous local food

Your hosts couldn’t be nicer and look after you beautifully – this is a lovely, homely place with a rambling garden

Live like a local at these rustic apartments with a shared courtyard; walk to restaurants and shops, take the ferry to the beach

Perfect château B&B with pointy turrets and pale blue shutters, surrounded by gorgeous countryside, a cycle route and ancient villages

Enfolded in gentle Dorset hills and surrounded by trees, a perfect wooden hut for 2 near beaches, River Cottage HQ and many beautiful walks

Walk, ride, bike or canoe, climb a mountain, head for Hay, then return to a comfortable bar, warm bedrooms and delicious food

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

A charming home-from-home in the Yorkshire Dales with stunning country views; come for Fell walks, great pubs and cosy fireside board games

A timbered, fire-warmed village farmhouse, home-grown dinners, delightfully French hosts. Deliciously authentic, generous and calm

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

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

Comfortable bolthole for 2–6 in the heart of the city. Shops and restaurants on the doorstep, a short drive from the coast and South Downs

An ancient manor from the middle ages, built against a stone cliff with extensive terraced grounds, pool and parkland filled with wildlife

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape