Rolling lawns, Georgian glamour and countryside views – gather the gang for slow days, wild walks and starry Northumberland skies

Climb Snowdon - or take the train. Swim, cycle, visit Nat Trust houses. A deliciously quirky retreat for 2 (and babe-in-arms) near Anglesey

A handsome Georgian townhouse pub in Newbury, with a name steeped in local lore and Donnington Castle just up the road

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

An absolute peach of an apartment on the first floor of this iconic building with stunning views over the harbour and St Michael's Mount

A small, stylish hotel lost in the country with beautiful rooms, excellent food, fine walking and a river passing directly outside

Get a taste of la dolce vita in this boutique resort perched high above Sorrento, gateway to the dazzling Amalfi coast

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Books, meadow flowers, a rocking chair by a cosy fire at this treasure-trove cottage of beautiful things - down tiny lanes in west Cork

A spick and span little hideaway full of character in a manor estate cottage. Explore the gardens, walk to the beach in 25 minutes

Thatched cottage perfect for families; surfing at Croyde, walks on Exmoor, sunny barbecues in the garden and cosying up by the wood-burner

A serene retreat in a residential area of Ragusa, with the historic centre just a short distance. Enjoy pool, spa and gardens

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

Gaze over sublime vistas, refresh in the plunge pool, cook up a barbecue treat. A Provençal studio, simply furnished and deeply relaxing