Carved into the Luberon limestone above Ménerbes, two connected homes form a vaulted stone labyrinth with exceptional architectural character. Set in one of Provence’s most sought-after hillside zones, the estate stands out as a rare example of rock-carved residential design.

Set within the village of Nerola in the Sabina hills, under an hour from Rome, the 11th-century fortress underwent extensive restoration in the 20th century, preserving its medieval exterior while preparing it for hotel and event use.

Set on the banks of the Aube River in Laferté-sur-Aube, this French manor house is set in nearly 20 acres of grounds in a region where Champagne’s rolling vineyards meet the forested plateaus of Burgundy’s northern edge.

Built around 1679–80 as a gift for an Italian princess, it was modelled on the palatial forms recorded by Peter Paul Rubens in Palazzi di Genova (1622)—the influential volume that introduced Northern Europe to Genoa’s Renaissance palaces—the Grade II* limestone house is a rare example of Italianate classicism transposed into the English countryside.

In the 1980s, when Nasser Nakib was a junior architect working in Soho, he used to slip over to Bond Street on his lunch breaks just to stand on the cobblestones. “In Provence you’re in a lavender field and you think, I could die happy here,” he says. “In New York, this block is it for me.”

Gillespie Graham — a defining figure of Scotland’s early Gothic Revival period — designed only two baronial houses, making this estate an unusually pure example of the style. Recent restorations, newly created terraced gardens, and a miniature railway add a distinctive layer of character to the Scottish Borders property.

In a secluded valley just outside Girona, a 19th-century farmhouse restored with quiet precision offers rural privacy, architectural integrity, and a direct line to the Costa Brava — asking just €630,000.

In Givry, a village at the heart of Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise, this former bishop’s residence combines 18th-century architecture, private parkland, and proximity to world-renowned vineyards.

The green heart of Italy is having a moment as the insider’s choice for discreet Italian luxury. With estates like Reschio leading the way, Umbria now rivals Tuscany for beauty and design—without the tourist footprint.

Originally built for the monks of Bath in 1591, this 14-acre estate includes a Grade I-listed manor, a tithe barn, and two guesthouses amid protected historic gardens.