5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

Remote barn in the middle of Northumberland National Park with views for miles, wonderful walking trails and clear starry skies

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

Live out all your bohemian dreams at this arty villa, with garden and plunge pool, perched above the glittering Riviera.

A marvellous spot overlooking Rutland Water for this 1760 former hunting lodge with good seasonal British food and very comfortable bedrooms

All you'd hope for, and more! Enormous rooms, marvellous beams, majestic views and wines from their vineyard

A timbered, fire-warmed village farmhouse, home-grown dinners, delightfully French hosts. Deliciously authentic, generous and calm

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

Historic 19th-century maison de maître, perfect for a gathering of friends, within walking distance of the old town’s charms

An 18th-century watermill with millrace and pond, now a smart B&B with a swimming pool and pretty gardens, run by charming English hosts

Delightful hamlet of beautifully restored cottages with a pool, surrounded by fields, forest and deer. The perfect spot for a digital detox

A light-filled studio with a sweet private terrace on the estate of a 16th-century manor - river views, glorious gardens and pure peace

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

A light, spacious villa in the colonial style designed for easy indoor/outdoor living, with garden, pool and the beach just a short stroll

A grand spot with superb Peak District views for this secluded, immaculate conversion of a handsome stable block - spacious and light

A small, trendy hotel, very much of its time, with oodles of style, stunning bedrooms and fantastic staff

A comfortable and characterful 1775 gatekeeper's lodge on the Mount Congreve Estate with access to the magnificent gardens