In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

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

A place of peace in the hills and a view-filled base for exploring by bike or for experiencing Reiki, meditation, yoga and more

A stunning renovation for this fishing station Ice House on the shore of Gruinard Bay, with magical views, wildlife and Scot-Scandi interiors

An 1800s former watermill, now elegantly converted to give B&B rooms plus a self-catering cottage in the Côte d'Opale, superb for walking

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

Dreamy, divine and close to Borghetto, a romantic escape for nature lovers, city folk... with swans, geese, herons and frog chorus

Come to be doused in nature, tradition and rare Vino Santo at this soulful retreat, girded by orchards between the Dolomites and Lake Garda

The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure

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

A cool little inn lost in beautiful hills, child- and dog-friendly, with happy staff and award-winning food

Immaculate bedrooms, a rustic bar... but there’s more to this place than cool design. The service is superb and the food is lovely

Anouk & Gilles have fine-tuned their welcome. Lounge by the pool and dine exquisitely within their landscaped park

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

Come for the glorious Northumbrian countryside and a neat-as-a-pin cottage with much comfort and a private garden near to the coast

Perched on a hillside between mountains and sea is this charming house in a modern Spanish style, engulfed by a beautiful garden with views