An 18th-century watermill with millrace and pond, now a smart B&B with a swimming pool and pretty gardens, run by charming English hosts

Tranquil B&B in a house built by the Templars in the 14th century. Go hiking, biking or wine-tasting nearby, or simply relax by the pool

Big house with bags of character and easy access to beaches, cafés and cobbled streets, coastal paths and hidden coves

You'll feel relaxed in this big light-filled house with plunge pool and outdoor cinema; walk along the river with Portugal on the other side

Immaculate bedrooms, a rustic bar... but there’s more to this place than cool design. The service is superb and the food is lovely

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

Unwind and feel part of the family in beautiful rural Yorkshire. The farmhouse is rambling and peaceful, rooms are comfy, breakfast generous

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

Once a coach house, now a split-level place to stay – you can walk to the river and it's just a short hop to central London

Artists, poets, nature lovers, walkers and dreamers will be happy in this simple, airy suite surrounded by a fecund garden and much peace

An airy converted barn with beautiful woodwork and countryside views. Reach riverside restaurants and St Malo within a 15-minute drive

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

Immerse yourself in sentiment and romance at Valeria’s charming Veronese villa. The walls sing with framed opera programmes and music scores

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples

In off-the-beaten-track Tuscany, 2 peaceful apartments in a former haybarn, both carefully renovated with antique furniture

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

Two peaceful olive grove farmhouses, a shared pool with incredible views, hours of hiking along beautiful trails, Pisa and Lucca nearby