Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

Restored 18th-century farm building surrounded by countryside, with a good pub a short walk away and Lake Windermere a ten-minute drive

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

An entire literary estate on the Brittany coast, with a trio of restored houses, fabulous gardens and a private path to the beach

A 200-year-old village house surrounded by vineyards. Light-filled interiors, lots of art, a garden and your own sparkling pool

Tranquil stone house with a rustic feel, a large garden with a swimming pool and views of the French Riviera and out to sea

A very tastefully restored old stone stable on a gloriously rural estate with woodland gardens, lake and a deer park

An 1820s farmhouse at the end of a quiet road in the North York Moors National Park, overlooking a forest and surrounded by fields

Light-filled retreat full of character and vintage finds, with handmade touches and farm-fresh produce on your doorstep

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

A glorious château near Tours – authentic, huge fun, steeped in family history and surrounded by gorgeous gardens with a serene pool

A nature-filled estate for smart lodge holidays in rural peace with woods and coast to explore, onsite activities and yummy homemade meals

An 18th-century coaching inn wrapped in countryside now a relaxed pub with rooms serving excellent food and drink with 16 inviting bedrooms

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

Comfortable apartment steeped in Breton history, in a beautifully renovated gabarier’s house overlooking the marine estuary

A warm, gracious townhouse in a small town, run by delightful new hosts. Explore chateaux, canoe on the Loire... cycle to Angers!

A sweet retreat for a nature-loving couple, with soul-searching views and the smell of the sea. Logs and Breton cider are on the house...

An elegant, historical building in the heart of Catania - an intimate hotel, yet grand with gorgeous architecture and a wonderful welcome