Creative owners have made a gorgeous, arty space for couples or a small group of friends; good beaches and Salcombe are close

A small yet elegant place for couples or small groups to enjoy the open countryside, rest, join a cooking course or book a massage

A charming comfy cottage with wood burner, delicious hilly views, walks radiating from the door. We didn’t want to leave!

A large cottage by the walled garden on a peaceful estate with oodles of space for big gatherings and views over a lake and mature trees

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

A self-catering apartment in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

A spacious courtyard, two ancient yews and this lovely restored house ooze charm - swim, cycle, walk in glorious countryside, taste cognac

Provençal charm floats through the ground floor of this 18th-century home in a vineyard near Lorgues. Walk, cycle, swim, enjoy the peace

A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Gather your loved ones and come for colourful, exuberant interiors, an absolutely gorgeous covered veranda and a pool with moveable floor

An Art Deco hotel in Lisbon's heart – all wood, chrome and marble, trendy lights, period photos in the bar, and the funicular to Bairro Alto

Retreat to a classically styled, elegant apartment for four - private and peaceful - in a characterful, super-central area of Rome

It's quiet among the lavender plants... bees humming, sun shining. Splash in the shared pool, visit lovely villages, taste local wines

A hugely spoiling place to stay with gardens, plunge pool, hot tub and sauna - part of the village pub, farm shop, brewery and Wellness Barn

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