Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

Delicious vegetarian cooking, a pool, lemon groves and hazy views of the Hyblaean mountains make a perfect escape near Cassibile

Bags of character within and without at this four-storey village house with rooftop views over the mountains, next to a 12th-century church

Come to be wrapped by wind and waves from this unique nest with an outdoor bath facing west - nature lovers and adventurers will be seduced

Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

A gem of a house; spacious, warm and hidden in a lush garden. Get together with friends to explore medieval villages and the Costa Brava

A luxurious 1920s manor house with superbly stylish rooms, secluded gardens and a heated pool; close to the Picardy coast

A stunning veranda wraps itself around the house: doze off in a wicker armchair or sip a drink at dusk as the sun melts into the valley