Sleek, contemporary style with a stunning view. Soak up the sunrise, scuba dive off the Medes islands or simply stroll to the local bar.

Delightful, rustic retreat for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely

You’ll feel nicely independent in this spacious open-plan hideaway surrounded by colourful gardens and Corscombe valley views

Rooms in the house overlook the vineyard, the lodges are surrounded by it - check out the vines, then drink their wine with a good dinner

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula

Tea in the summerhouse, breakfast by the fire, fresh flowers all around this warm family home. Step out to historic Shrewsbury high street

Pomegranates, persimmon and figs, the waft of rosemary on the air... we love this old 'mas' 25km from Gordes, in sweet sunny Provence

An authentic, charming and spacious home with garden, pool and lake, deep in the Dordogne valley and decorated with uncluttered elegance

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

Elegant Victorian townhouse just between Kings road and Fulham Road. Chatty breakfasts with a friendly host - Suzie has the latest info on all things arty

A warm and convivial place steeped in French history with an interesting, kind host who really looks after you. Under an hour from Paris too

Immerse yourself, luxuriously, in beautiful rural Picardy – mirabelle jam, peaceful parkland, walking in the hills – near historic Amiens

Play boules in the garden, swim in the natural pool and enjoy Monica’s wonderful cooking served with local wines at this village farmhouse

A beautifully restored old coaching inn with a vibrant, bustling atmosphere, great food, friendly staff and super-swish bedrooms

A deliciously rural stone house with charmingly simple rustic-chic interiors and saline pool - an hour from Perugia

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

Vibrant, artistic barn conversion in the heart of York, a five-minute walk from the Minster. Convivial place with helpful, friendly hosts

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands