Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

A beautiful villa with a medieval tower surrounded by formal gardens, gentle slopes of perfectly maintained vineyards and wooded hilltops

Very private and comfortable rooms with their own entrances at this generous B&B with glorious gardens and views to the Black Mountains

On the banks of the river Avon, a handy Park & Ride from Georgian Bath, this charming pub is hugely popular, and rightly so!

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

Utter peace in a simple, beautiful space with a sculpture garden to wander, an art studio to visit and walking and cycling on Dartmoor

In an leafy quarter of central Milan, 2 inviting apartments run by generous Jane. Perfect for families and romancers

Hideaway in the hills complete with private pool and outdoor kitchen. Spend days hiking or on a sun lounger - perfect for families

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

Rustic charm and homely hospitality – this 12th-century hideaway in a medieval village is perfect for slow days, wine and wandering

A surprisingly roomy interior for this pretty chocolate-box cottage in the middle of the village, just a ten-minute walk from Lulworth Cove

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

A cosy nest on the ramparts of an ancient fishing port, with sparkling lagoon views from a top-floor living area

An expansive and generous 13th-century Catalan farmhouse, restored with verve and colour in the Pyrenees - a wonderful spot for groups

Bedrooms with terraces and views over St Michael’s Mount Bay. Explore the gardens; walk from the door to glorious beaches

The holiday starts on the bumpy track along to this Arts & Crafts style modern house with plenty of space and a wrap-around garden

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone