A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

Settle in, relax, enjoy the local food - walk the dramatically beautiful coast path, explore rich West Wales from this handsome old house

One of five cottages on the Wern Estate, all comfort and charm, with a garden for kids, rockpools at Black Rock Sands and a mountain railway

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

A pool, pines, and hosts that give you figs from their garden! Stroll to a pizzeria through the olive groves, return to 2 lovely apartments

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

A gorgeous eco-build set in a wildflower meadow a short walk from thriving Presteigne and with a shepherd’s hut for spillover

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

An old farmhouse in a hilltop town deep in wine country, with a charming owner intent on ensuring you make the most of your stay

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

Between Penzance & Helston, close to Praa Sands, is a beautiful bolthole for 6. Good for garden lovers & peace-seekers – dog-friendly too

Three luxurious apartments sleeping up to 10 people altogether, set within an elegant Georgian manor house in the Wye Valley AONB

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

Three airy gîtes set in 300 acres of vineyard and gardens. A welcoming base for exploring the marvellous Minervois – 15km from Carcassonne

A lovely Victorian cottage on a quiet village road, traditional and comfortable inside and with a fully enclosed garden at the back

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden