Free-spirited travellers rejoice! A super house on a volcanic Sicilian island – hike, sail, dive & immerse yourself in local life

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

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

A wonderful drive over the mountains to the wild side of Skye with its moody lochs, heather-covered hills and this restaurant with rooms

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

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

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

A compact eco-serene bolthole in bustling Modica's historic heart with glorious views over the baroque rooftops. Beaches are 20 minutes away

A beautifully designed wooden lodge with hot tub on the deck, glass-front wood-burner, plenty of space and complete immersion in nature

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

Traditional and modern mix beautifully and bedrooms are quietly elegant. Relax and drink in the views over orchards and the Sierra Nevada

Nature lovers will be tempted to this gem of a village cottage in the Duddon Valley – a truly peaceful slice of the Lakes

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

Gaze over to glorious Curemonte from the pretty cottage, loll by the pool, play games in the barn. Bring friends and book the main house too

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

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

Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town