Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

Eight miles from York, near Moors and coast, this smart historic home is just the ticket for families and small groups of friends

An 18th-century listed cottage in a pretty terrace with a private courtyard garden and pond, just a short walk from the high street

A newly-renovated barn in a picturesque Cotswold village with an enclosed front garden and the river Eye at the bottom of the drive

Traditional beamed cottage, tucked in the hills, with views to distant beaches plus colourful gardens and a pool

Fine contemporary interiors within this half-timbered hillside villa, built with natural materials and with a beautiful pool and jacuzzi

Elegant historic house set in acres of grounds transports you to a bygone belle époque (with all mod cons)

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

Come for an oasis of peace - no crowds in the National Park, just olive groves, mountain views and tranquil nature

Come for a sense of complete peace surrounded by country and coast with wonderful interiors to boot – a bolthole for two (plus two)

Take breakfast on the terrace, splash in the fabulous pool. A secluded, friendly, immaculate villa close to golf and surfing beaches

A small, family-run boutique hotel sitting right at the foot of Etna with wonderful views, garden, pool and ambrosial Sicilian breakfasts

A delightful holiday home for a big family or group of close friends. Children and dogs can charge about safely, you can unwind completely

In the heart of beautiful Siena, it's just like staying with a friend, as hostess Paola chats whilst preparing local produce for breakfast

A beautiful villa with a medieval tower surrounded by formal gardens, gentle slopes of perfectly maintained vineyards and wooded hilltops

Chic barn conversion with a swimming pool and country walks from the door; nearby Ventnor has a beach and great places to eat and drink

Beautifully restored medieval hall house – perfect for big family gatherings, with separate cottage, replica steam train and secluded garden