A hilltop setting for this ancient fortress with an illustrious past. You stay in apartments or farmhouses inside or outside the walls

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

Treat yourself to a bit of a rest with the one you love at this dreamy gîte in glorious countryside, with pool, garden and gorgeous walks

A spacious, luxurious family retreat, remote but close to Audierne. Watch surfers shoot the waves as seagulls wheel above

A beautifully renovated traditional manor house with extensive gardens and orchard, a pool with a deck in a meadow and a terrace for dining

A wonderful old 1397 village inn, filled with history and character. Find gracious bedrooms, roaring fires, good food and a pretty garden

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

A traditional stone bergerie high on a hill and surrounded by woods with east-facing views over the valley for stunning sunrises

Portuguese elegance, artistic décor, breakfast on a fountain'd patio or by the fire: a treat. Step out to a kaleidoscope of Lisbon city life

Beautiful light-filled eco-homes in Loch Lomond National Park – Scotland’s treasures are easily reached from here

A light and bright converted milking parlour in a rural idyll with a barbecue hut, a spa overlooked by horses and a shared hot tub

Near Southwold - rich colours, fresh flowers and exotica! Fields for the dogs, walled gardens for you, logs, umbrellas, digital showers...

A magnificent medieval tower in the grounds of an 18th-century château sitting in a dreamy valley. Come for superb gardens and architecture

A contemporary house with fabulous views in a quiet setting just steps away from the beach, shops and restaurants - the best of Galicia

Nestled next to the main house, this feels part cottage and part townhouse, making a cosy retreat just a couple of miles from the coast