An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

Up and away to a truly wild Welsh experience from this ancient stone house sitting on a ridge, with stunning valley and mountain views

White-painted beams, wonky white walls and your own parking spot fairly nearby. You're near the harbour and subtropical gardens

A unique 1900 house and garden on the edge of Lyon, steeped in history and authenticity – a beautiful home with museum-quality objects

Fine contemporary interiors within this half-timbered hillside villa, built with natural materials and with a beautiful pool and jacuzzi

A superb palazzo in beautiful old Florence with 13 design rooms, a cocktail menu and breakfast in your room. Arty, stylish and near the Duomo

A gorgeous inn lost in lush country with hammocks in the garden, sofas in the drawing room and lovely local food in the popular restaurant

Down a track with a delightfully remote feel but near to the coast and with good walking and cycling; views out to sea are awesome

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Vistas of olive groves, village life and the sea; gaze and daydream from this beautiful spot. A Michelin recommended restaurant to boot

Created around a Georgian house, with lake, woodland and fields, this hotel and members' club offers great food, fresh air and much comfort

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

Beauty, charm and tranquillity an hour from Florence, on a bio-sensitive farm known for Chianina cattle and white truffles

Wingham is a pretty village near Canterbury known for its thatched cottages, medieval houses, and a much-loved pub called The Dog

A heavenly setting for this very well-hidden cottage with its own small pool, amazing views and delightful pebble beach below

A summer hideaway by a lively Algarvian village with a pretty garden. Sundowners, a pool, massages, a BBQ and traditional bedrooms

Dominating the village is this historic hotel... all frescoes, chandeliers, splendour at every turn. And a handsome pool, too