The cottage looks down over Lough Swilly, idyllic for boats and safe swims... and the neighbours are friendly, just sheep and cows

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination

A fabulous position for this B&B in Trastevere’s fascinating heart and a very warm welcome from Marco and Gianna - guests love it here

An absolutely charming former cart shed, with a magnificent view of the moated château and the park, with private sauna and shared pool

Live in the lap of luxury in a 600-year-old regenerated farmhouse, enjoy fine fittings, great lighting, games, castle view and infinity pool

A charming nook for two in pretty Barrington village with a foodie pub mere steps away and Somerset at your feet

An attractive, sympathetic barn conversion, full of light, pleasingly uncluttered and hidden down a lane in stunningly beautiful countryside

After a bountiful breakfast of Loch Fyne kippers and homemade scones, head for Oban, gateway to the isles. Return to a dram by the fire

Come to stay in a fine old townhouse with elegant proportions, high ceilings and a rambling, English-style garden close to Mont Saint-Michel

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

Garden and mountain views from this pretty villa for two - Lake Como shimmers below. Pick up morning pastries in picturesque Mezzegra

The central part of a much larger building in a 17th-century hamlet with bright, spacious rooms, shared pool and glorious private gardens

A smart village local with original timber frames, a lively bar, elegant rooms and delicious food from the fields around you

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too

Friendly host, Georgian elegance, welcoming sitting room and bedrooms, tasty breakfasts: the perfect city break in Scotland’s capital