Welcome to a beautiful space for six in Sicily’s chocolate capital - baroque jewel Modica. Laze in the garden, dip into the pool

Warm hospitable agriturismo for foodies, designers, wine enthusiasts and all who love the 'real' Sicily. A happy place for families, too

With stunning coastal views and family farm surroundings, these cottages are bright and roomy; plus wood-burning stoves and indoor pool

A Georgian townhouse full of character for an epic family and friend get-together. The best of Hay is a stroll away

Come to shed your city cares, eat wonderful local food, spend time in simple, authentic surroundings and remind yourselves about serenity

A soothing, deeply romantic bolthole with simple interiors and its own little private garden, next to a winery and surrounded by vineyards

Towering 5 storeys above lively Palermo, a gracious B&B with sunlit rooms, lovely Sicilian hosts and breakfast in fine china on the terrace

An ancient coaching inn opposite the church in the prettiest village – just the ticket for weary travellers who deserve nurturing

Peaceful converted barn on a remote working farm – pet the donkeys, wild swim and row on the lake, warm up around the wood-burner

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

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

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle with private garden and surrounding parkland

At the gates of a country estate, two quirky hexagonal lodge houses with private outdoor seating and acres of grounds for walks and picnics

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

A very grand façade for this handsome Charente village house with a beautiful, peaceful garden, creamy stone walls and olive trees

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration