At the heart of fascinating Palermo, splendid aristocratic hosts welcome you to their historic family mansion filled with heirlooms

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

Stylish eco barns with generous hampers - Threshing Barn sleeps 8, Hay Barn 2. Close to village, beach & pub, with friendly owners close by

Your friendly hosts offer you stylish bedrooms, swims in the heated pool, and wonderful dinners and wines. Cahors is only a 10-minute drive

Stunning design and buzzing community vibe. This pod is for 4 (+ 2) and the lower floor is fully accessible - a Sawday's Community Champion

Winter fires, a summer pool, and gorgeous food all year round... Live slow in the hills of

A stately retreat, an oasis of calm and beauty. Picnic on the lawns, enjoy a glass of home-produced prosecco beneath a centuries-old tree

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

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture

Cakes from the host & eggs from the hens. Bring a party, bring the dogs, and soak up the history from a very fine house in the Cotswolds

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

A large cob and stone Devon farmhouse in a sheltered dip near to Rosemoor and the coast, with valley views over the garden and pond

An airy converted barn with beautiful woodwork and countryside views. Reach riverside restaurants and St Malo within a 15-minute drive

Cosy apartment for two in a cluster of farm buildings near Hawkshead, surrounded by countryside and with a good pub a stroll away

Enjoy views over the lake, eat good food in the restaurant, sleep in antique-filled bedrooms, have a proper rest

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

A lovely farmhouse in Lot with acres of garden and a summer kitchen. Come ‘en famille’ for food, wine and lazy days by the pool.