The oldest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Traditional house with a contemporary and imaginative interior; stroll to shops and restaurants, jump in the car to explore Provence

A rural farmhouse B&B with view-filled bedrooms, hearty breakfasts and walks from the door. The Dowies are generous hosts

An exquisitely restored 1850s townhouse, steeped in history, with a sweet garden and within walking distance of the historic centre of Porto

Come for big, peaceful bedrooms with views, delicious home cooked breakfasts and riverside strolls through ancient beech woodland

A lovely old cottage in the grounds of a Provençal mas with a delightful private courtyard, use of a large pool and a magnificent garden

The original Gatehouse for The Rothschild Estate, with elegant rooms, inspiring views and a large private garden with a Shepherd's Hut

A relaxed home-from-home feel at this Spanish house with old-fashioned charm, a big garden and pool and lovely views from every window

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

A 17th-century Westmorland barn, fully renovated with a roomy living space and west-facing garden with views of High Street and Blencathra

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

Amazing beaches, a pub you can hike to, a train to get you to Snowdonia… and your own remote cottage with stunning views

Gather the clans and just come. It's lovely in this 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse and you have acres of wildlife-filled grounds

An eco renovation of an 1800s gamekeepers cottage, now a charming place for couples or families to immerse themselves in nature

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families