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

Light and sunny annexe with your own entrance in the centre of vibrant Buckfastleigh with lovely gardens, for couples plus a child or two

Vibrant, artistic barn conversion in the heart of York, a five-minute walk from the Minster. Convivial place with helpful, friendly hosts

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

Modern comforts, traditional cosiness and a warm welcome. There are walks from the door, country houses to visit and a pub in the village

This fine old Dordogne house is run by well-travelled owners, has superb views and is a luscious mix of old charm and contemporary design

Tradition and comfort on the border with Wales, a welcoming country-house hotel with warm rooms, pretty gardens and delicious food

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

Bright and spacious barn for two and a baby on the South Downs Way, close to Brighton and the coast

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

Four pretty apartments perfect for groups. A natural swimming pool, animals roaming and walking distance from a summer boat to the beaches!

Immerse yourself in sentiment and romance at Valeria’s charming Veronese villa. The walls sing with framed opera programmes and music scores

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Provençal charm floats through the ground floor of this 18th-century home in a vineyard near Lorgues. Walk, cycle, swim, enjoy the peace

Snug, simple and delightful casitas with private entrances and courtyards interlink for groups. Stroll through the olives, bask by the pool

A sparkling house for two overlooking azure waters, starry skies and Stromboli’s light show - that’ll do nicely grazie

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

A pretty upside-down cottage, formerly a dovecote, lovingly restored with sustainability the focus