France – £320,500

This little 18th-century Normandy cottage in the Lisieux region — prime Calvados countryside — is only 40 minutes from the sea. It has three bedrooms and has been beautifully renovated with bare-brick walls, a modern kitchen and a wood-burning stove.
Chestertons International (020 7201 2071; www.chestertons-international.com)

Mallorca – £267,000

In the tranquil nature reserve of Sierra de las Nieves, a 10-minute drive from Puerto Banus, this characteristic three-bedroom town house enjoys panoramic mountain, lake and sea views.

Like all the best second homes it’s ideal for all seasons: it has marble flooring, underfloor heating, hot and cold air conditioning and a sunny south-west-facing terrace with private pool. It’s part of complex of houses that share gardens, a concierge and 24-hour security.
Chestertons International (020 7201 2071; www.chestertons-international.com)

Croatia – £389,000

In the village of Sustjepan, outside ancient Dubrovnik, this beautifully renovated 19thcentury house is just 80ft from the sea, with coastal views.

Spread over three levels and separated into two apartments, it has three bedrooms, a sizeable pool and a barbecue area among pine trees.
Savills (020 7016 3740; www.savills.co.uk)

Lincolnshire – £465,000

The aptly named Bluebells enjoys an elevated position in the little village of Roughton, Lincolnshire, near Woodhall Spa. A thatched 17th-century cottage with four bedrooms, it has recently undergone extensive refurbishment, but retains charming period features such as exposed timbers, inglenook fireplaces and traditional latch doors.
Robert Bell & Company (01526 353333; www.robert-bell.org)

South Africa – £475,500

Set on a canal on peaceful, exclusive Thesen Island — part of a multi-award-winning, manmade marina development in the Knysna estuary on the Western Cape — this sunny and spacious five-bedroom property comes with its own private gazebo and mooring.

The island has tennis courts, cricket nets, a squash court, beaches, a maze, a communal vegetable garden, a clubhouse, an 18-hole putting course and a bird sanctuary.
Savills (020–7016 3740; www.savills.co.uk)