Hidden Gems

Two villas on opposite shores of a big lily-covered lake, fed with natural spring water from the Ticino river and surrounded by gardens

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

A very special spot on the Avenue de Champagne, now a UNESCO site, for an apartment and four suites around a bar and boutique

Welcome to authentic Andalucía… a friendly foodie B&B in a farming community surrounded by olive groves, midway between Córdoba & Granada

Two lovely places to stay - come for much charm, peace, sunsets, infinity pool, sauna and gym in this history-steeped countryside retreat

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

A fine 18th-century townhouse on the banks of the Loire beneath the gracious and soaring Château d'Amboise: explore the Loire countryside

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Tranquil B&B in a house built by the Templars in the 14th century. Go hiking, biking or wine-tasting nearby, or simply relax by the pool

A joy for foodies, peace seekers and lovers of period architecture… note the Honduran mahogany banister with inlaid jet and pearl

A gem of a house in a lovely unspoilt village with an intelligent, interesting owner who gives you delicious food and local wines

Do a bunk to the peaceful Tamar Valley and this comely Georgian farmhouse, with dry stone walls and wildflower meadows around the garden

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills

Come for a watery setting by the crystal clear canal (with canoe!) and an elegant house packed with interest, lovely art, much comfort

A huge treat to stay in this fabulous Grade I listed Jacobean manor house surrounded by gardens - a Sawday's Community Champion

A rather grand, opulent house with warm owners, interesting furniture and art and some fine Renaissance architectural elements intact