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 hilltop setting for this ancient fortress with an illustrious past. You stay in apartments or farmhouses inside or outside the walls

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

Picture-perfect Andalusian houses with private, colourful gardens, stunning mountain views and sparkling pool; utterly relaxing

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

Rustic, quirky and layered with history, this is an exquisite slice of traditional Sicilian life, with welcoming and generous hosts

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

Cast yourselves away to this beautiful island and a bright, spacious apartment with a rooftop terrace bang in the middle of the town square

An enchanting Belle Epoque villa with a terraced garden and superb views across palm trees and vines to Mont Saint-Michel

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

Step into the valley region from this beautifully restored 17th-century house surrounded by saltwater and freshwater canals and lakes

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

You have complete independence in your own wing beside the owner's house, with much space, a sparkling pool and balconies with views

A little gem tucked on a rural Northumbrian estate with other cottages. The rugged coast and lovely Alnwick make for super day trips

A richly atmospheric elegance infuses this fire-warmed inn. Venison from the park, crab from Cromer, walkers and dogs happy in the bar

A peaceful, beautiful place to wake up in and to return to after glorious walks, with no near neighbours apart from curious sheep