A delightful holiday home for a big family or group of close friends. Children and dogs can charge about safely, you can unwind completely

Big house in peaceful lush oasis among the bananas, vines and aloe vera, a 20-minute walk down into Funchal

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

You’ll eat well here, among locals who love the food. The village is quiet, the rooms serenely modern. A great base for a holiday en famille

A large tranquil apartment with garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, just over half an hour's drive from Siena

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

Jagged Dolomite peaks frame every view from this farmhouse with two neat apartments – come sun or snow, adventures in nature await

A foodie and friendly reinvigorated old pub, with floor to ceiling estuary views. Bring the dog and hit the coastal path

Quirky art hotel in the heart of trendy Brighton – there's a great bar, stylish rooms and wonderful breakfasts

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture

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

A traditional Breton stone cottage, two minutes from the sea, with a large, leafy garden and glamping with activities in the summer months

Settle into an unhurried pace of life on the coast. Comfortable houses and an eco-friendly garden; yoga, massages and riding can be arranged

Explore woodlands, farmland and gardens, plunge into the heated pool, dine at Flora Restaurant at Trelowarren. This is civilized luxury

Enjoy the wine festival, cycling and hiking in spring and early summer, the truffles in November, and warm hospitality all year round

Converted stables on a fruitful and beautiful estate with gardens, sculpture walks, wildflower meadows and a farm-to-fork restaurant

An oast house B&B surrounded by countryside and with a blooming garden; walk to the village pub, drive to nearby stately castles

A peaceful cottage for 2-4 between the Dales and the Moors, with swallows in the barn, an idyllic village, and a garden to explore