Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

Charming cottage in the Peak District National Park for hill walking, cycling and bird watching, or simply unwinding amid much beauty

A vibrant open-plan space with a wild garden, river for swimming, splashing or fishing and the chance to spot kingfishers and red squirrels

A charming 17th-century village inn, a destination place for foodies and real beer lovers, with very comfortable and stylish bedrooms

The view is pure Canaletto, the vibe is modern and laid back. Just minutes from all Venice’s best bits, but with far fewer tourists

A bright, light newly built annexe flat adjoining a farmhouse and sitting on a hill looking out over a lake and fields beyond to the village

A historic Cornish farmhouse, sitting pretty in its own land at the side of a valley, with comfortable bedrooms and an independent feel

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

A small, trendy hotel, very much of its time, with oodles of style, stunning bedrooms and fantastic staff

A light, spacious villa in the colonial style designed for easy indoor/outdoor living, with garden, pool and the beach just a short stroll

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

A stylish hotel, tucked away yet central, an unusually quiet base for exploring Rome just a three-minute walk from the tube station

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life

A unique opportunity to switch off and unwind in a simple, historic cottage with a terraced, bucolic garden surrounded by wooded hills

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Jagged Dolomite peaks frame every view from this farmhouse with two neat apartments – come sun or snow, adventures in nature await

Character and quirk in old and new design and furnishing – private terraces, a shared pool, great walking, cycling and wine-tasting

Anglo-Irish meets Italian and Indian; the owners have peppered this charming home with furniture and artefacts from their broad travels