A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

Technically in Florence yet immersed in the Tuscan hills: easy comfort, country character, warm wonderful hosts, heavenly views

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

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

Two charming cottages a stroll from the Coast Path, surf school, shop, pub and restaurant. Take both cottages for a big family get-together

A renovated barn, part stone, part wood, resembling the tobacco barns of the area with beautiful grounds surrounded by farmland

A beautifully-restored old cow shed, light and airy, floating over a wildflower meadow in spring and summer. 20 mins from the Jurassic Coast

An unbeatable position on Rutland Water, a Michelin star in the restaurant, a roaring fire in the bar and a swimming pool in the garden

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

Cosy bolthole for two in a tiny hamlet next to a river and pub; walk the hills or spend the day at the unspoiled coast

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

A very swish 1610 house, thoroughly refurbished, in the heart of old Chichester with oodles of space and a surprisingly large garden

Learn about local lore, taste the wines, bliss out in the garden and enjoy the company of Éric and Cathy, warm, humorous and talented hosts

A sweet, very private-feeling annexe in the glorious South Hams with your own west-facing garden

Gaze over sublime vistas, refresh in the plunge pool, cook up a barbecue treat. A Provençal studio, simply furnished and deeply relaxing

White-painted beams, wonky white walls and your own parking spot fairly nearby. You're near the harbour and subtropical gardens

Your own cosy apartment in the once arty, now classy Latin Quarter. An elegant, romantic and peaceful bolthole for 2

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