Take Five for around €850,000

Malta, Zebbug

On the north coast of Gozo island, this four-bedroom house has a cool interior of pale stone walls and floors and exposed wooden beams. With an L-shape layout it creates a natural courtyard and shelter for, and easy access to, the swimming pool. The vaulted kitchen/dining area, with fireplace, overlooks and opens onto this south-facing pool and deck. There is a garage in the basement.
Price: offers around €856,000
Agent: Remax-malta.com

Ireland, Co Kildare

Churches Estate Agent is seeking €849,950 for this five-bedroom, five-bathroom house at 2 Blackdown, Kilteel, Co Kildare.

France, Midi-Pyrenees

This turreted château in Terssac, Tarn comes with a modern kitchen and bathroom but traditional virtues remain such as the terracotta floors (including in the dramatic reception room with a tented red fabric ceiling), fireplaces and elm stairs. The 349sq m, six-bedroom home is under 10 minutes away from the Unesco World Heritage city of Albi. The castle is reached through automated iron gates, up a drive and sits in garden of lawns, trees (including apple, plum, pear, apricot) and mature shrubs.
Price: €849,000
Agent: frenchestateagents.com

Italy, Lombardy

With commanding views of Lake Lugano and the Alps, the 11-bedroom "Villa delle Rose" is in LanzoD'Intelvi. Reached through wrought-iron gates and up a pine-lined drive the 1,000sq m house was built in the early 1900s. The great views are facilitated by terraces, an orangery (with stained-glass doors) and dual-aspect rooms with high ceilings and large windows. Period features include marble fireplaces, parquet floors and decorative plasterwork. There is also a three-bedroom gatehouse.
Price: €850,000
Agent: internationalhorizons.co.uk

Caribbean, St Lucia

On the north-west coast of the island, this two-bedroom house looks out over rich forest and the Caribbean sea, on which fiery sunsets fall. Some of the best views are from the open-plan living area with generous balcony hovering over the vegetation. The house, which has its own swimming pool, is in Marigot Bay, where some of the film Dr Doolittle was shot. La Bas beach is a 15-minute walk away as is Marigot marina and the hidden cove of Trou Voland is five minutes on foot.
Price: €845,300 ($920,000)
Agent: savills.com