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

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

A special little house, renovated with huge style, filled with beautiful objects and with a delightfully quiet and secluded private garden

Hidden in a beautiful, timeless valley with gorgeous gardens, mellow stone bridge, views and rushing river, is a very special place to stay

A sweet bolthole around a courtyard on a smallholding, extremely comfortable, bright and spacious inside and with a communal garden

Charming farm cottage in a meadow next to ancient woodland and with breathtaking views. A haven for bird-watchers and walkers

Glorious Elizabethan manor house lovingly furnished with exceptional art and antiques by its welcoming owners

A classic French beauty of a place; home to an engaging young family who love to entertain and look after you with great care

Historic village inn with wonderful cooking and a Provençal-style courtyard garden; drive to the Jurassic Coast in half an hour

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

A cottage in a conservation village with logs in the burner, sloe gin on the table, and a good dining pub you can walk to

This warm and friendly little hotel is on a mission - to give you really good food, excellent wine and a very comfortable night's sleep

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

In Andalusia, step through an ancient wooden door into this Moorish-inspired townhouse with a pool and tapas bars just moments away

A lovingly converted eco barn overlooking a wildflower valley in arty Pembs. For honeymoons and mini moons... a slice of heaven!

Pomegranates, persimmon and figs, the waft of rosemary on the air... we love this old 'mas' 25km from Gordes, in sweet sunny Provence