Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

Sleek, contemporary style with a stunning view. Soak up the sunrise, scuba dive off the Medes islands or simply stroll to the local bar.

A 200-year-old typical Mallorcan house with wooden beams, tiled floors, a view-filled garden and a big pool in beautiful Sóller

A deliciously rural stone house with charmingly simple rustic-chic interiors and saline pool - an hour from Perugia

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

Hospitable Jorge and Clotilde love nothing more than sharing their colourful, chaotic old house with guests. The farm produce is fabulous

Small and elegant family-run hotel with airy bedrooms, plenty of private spaces and a bus to take you to the centre of bustling Avignon

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

A scented garden, delicious local delicacies and those coastal landscapes. This place is a sensory feast

A restored Grade II listed flint barn with roots in the 13th century, a serene lily pond and mesmerising views over the South Downs

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

Canoeing on the Tamar, valley walks galore, with the woodland garden a sea of daffodils in the spring. A magical self-catering hideaway

Near to the sea, surrounded by pristine vineyards and sheltered by the walls of an ancient farmhouse, you'll feel secluded from tourists

With incredible views across to distant hilltop towns, olive groves and buzzing bees, this elegant farmhouse has bags of charm

Marvellously quirky bolthole right on Lyme Regis seafront with stunning views; perfect for beach combers and boutique browsers

In peaceful walled gardens, this former convent is a quiet retreat just a stone’s throw from the Riviera coast and the best of Tuscany

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Families can unwind at this lovely old higgledy-piggledy farmhouse in typical southern Algarve style, with a big pool and lush greenery