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

Location, location, location – you can't beat it, so look past the dated kitchen and bathrooms and enjoy this light, bright, coastal home

Come for big, peaceful bedrooms with views, delicious home cooked breakfasts and riverside strolls through ancient beech woodland

This hidden valley is the dreamiest part of South Devon. Catch the ferry across the Dart; gaze on the hills; snuggle up by the wood-burner

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

This B&B is a superb base to explore the island's glittering bays, vibrant coastal cities, mountains, valleys and forests

A thoughtfully-renovated cottage in a small hamlet with garden, courtyard and pool. The peace is palpable but you're near to bustling Tusson

A sweet cottage on the estate of celebrated artist Sir Sidney Nolan's former home with 250 acres to explore - a Sawday's Community Champion

Sea views, fulsome breakfasts and plenty of fresh air on a traditional farm. A rustic treat: Southern Italian rural life at its best.

Four pretty apartments perfect for groups. A natural swimming pool, animals roaming and walking distance from a summer boat to the beaches!

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

Delicious vegetarian cooking, a pool, lemon groves and hazy views of the Hyblaean mountains make a perfect escape near Cassibile

You’ll eat well here, among locals who love the food. The village is quiet, the rooms serenely modern. A great base for a holiday en famille

Immerse yourself in 50 acres of peaceful countryside and the fine pool. Generous owners are on hand, Les Eyzies is just a few minutes' drive

Come on down to this working farm for delicious organic food, an on-site sourdough bakery and crisp bedrooms in a pretty farmhouse

Feel at ease in a lovely old townhouse filled with pictures and personality and including a separate loft apartment

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

Help yourself to the farm's strawberries and peaches, hop in the car to Colares, laze on the lovely terraces or simply gaze at the view