A gorgeous house, beautifully refurbished in contemporary style, with chic interiors and a swimming pool in a sublime English garden

Sleek modern interiors now grace this ancient building with architectural joys, a courtyard garden and rooftop terrace with views

Remote three-bedroom cottage in Northumberland National Park, with far-reaching views over hills and valleys and walks in all directions

Welcome to a cosy, country-rustic bolthole for four, in a friendly, community village inn, with some of the best food in Shropshire

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Adorable cottages in pastoral peace with views to Wimborne Minster; cook and eat in modern kitchens. Blue flag beaches are close

A niftily restored, open-plan, beamed hayloft, just the ticket for romantics, with gorgeous views of fields and open countryside

Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

On the side of a hill in the little-known Marche, a happy young farmhouse with an elegant saltwater pool, and wonderful meals from Kelda

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

A wonderfully simple and modern studio with stunning sea views in an almost Jurassic landscape, dotted with the owner's sculptures

Come to discover the ancient history of Dornes in a spectacular riverside setting - one point of the famous 'Templar Triangle' of Portugal

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

A grand piano to play and a delicious bed to sink into, at this cool, arty bolthole near Frome. For those who love spaciousness and peace

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

Victorian almshouse with architectural pedigree, sweeping countryside views and easy access to charming local towns