Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

A fairytale château with ancient roots, now beautifully renovated with lovely bedrooms, terrace, garden and ponds for gracious living

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

A timbered, fire-warmed village farmhouse, home-grown dinners, delightfully French hosts. Deliciously authentic, generous and calm

A very attractive stone building on a smallholding with all mod cons, a bedroom for stargazing, Guest Farm Shop and pretty communal gardens

Welcome to a cosy, country-rustic bolthole for four, in a friendly, community village inn, with some of the best food in Shropshire

Big house with bags of character and easy access to beaches, cafés and cobbled streets, coastal paths and hidden coves

High up and with splendid views of the estuary and harbour, this roomy apartment is a very comfortable base for seaside holidays

Delightful little antique-filled cottage with large walled garden and an allotment near Versailles. Gardeners will be happy

Strolling distance from the village of Seggiano, peace and beauty fill every corner of this ancient, view-filled retreat

A small, charming house with ravishing sea views within walking distance of a bohemian coastal village at the foot of the Teix mountain

Come to be thoroughly cosseted and nurtured in this ancient Presbytery surrounded by rolling countryside with views of the Dordogne river

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

Come here in the summer (it’s closed Nov-April except by arrangement) for candlelit dining, chintzy bedrooms, long views over the park...

An unbelievably stunning setting for this renovated 15th-century villa with garden on a hillside overlooking the famed Florence skyline

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

A gorgeous house, beautifully refurbished in contemporary style, with chic interiors and a swimming pool in a sublime English garden