High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

Enter through an impressive stone arch to discover this 16th-century fortified manor house with a gorgeous communal dining and seating area

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

Come for a big gathering of friends or family and take the whole house plus an extra cottage in the pretty gardens – swim in the pool, relax

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

A picture-perfect village and a beautifully refurbished 17th-century inn with a cracking bar, stylish bedrooms and delicious pub food

An intimate cottage in deepest Cheshire, perfect for exploring Roman Chester, walking or relaxing in the garden

The Test valley is a place of pilgrimage for fly fishermen, but this lovely country inn welcomes all with great food and lovely bedrooms

Find good taste, peacefulness and warm hospitality, steps away from the car-free Via Toledo, in the heart of the city

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

Wake to ocean views, breakfast overlooking the sea and a beach stroll in the afternoon from this smart lodge on the Dunskey Estate

Come to be cosseted in this gloriously peaceful retreat among beautiful gardens with much old-fashioned charm and excellent food

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

A babbling brook, the sound of birdsong and centuries of history steeped into the walls of this medieval barn, plus a heated indoor pool