A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

A hugely seductive and stylish special place - with magnificent views, pool and bikes, vineyards and hilltop villages to visit

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

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space

A handsome little château perched on the edge of a verdant valley, with wonderful views, lots of space and a rambling garden

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

A very generous amount of space in this beautifully restored annexe with heated pool and outstanding views over the East Devon AONB

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

Welcome to a beautiful space for six in Sicily’s chocolate capital - baroque jewel Modica. Laze in the garden, dip into the pool

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

Come for home-baked bread, eggs from the hens, arrays of fresh fruit, and fabulous river views... your hosts do lovely B&B

You’re wrapped in parkland here and close to the coast, gardens and war memorials. A treat of a stop-over for foodies

Light, airy rooms for couples in an Asturian villa - home-baked breads, organic dinners and lovely country walks, 40 minutes from coast

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

Remote three-bedroom cottage in Northumberland National Park, with far-reaching views over hills and valleys and walks in all directions