From a fantastic indoor pool to a spacious masterpiece in Cyprus, here is our weekly selection of the best international properties on the market.

1. Unusual, modern 15-bedroom castle

2. Two-in-one swimming pool

3. Incredible indoor pool

4. Huge main room

5. A masterpiece – and spacious too

6. A different kind of ‘green house’

7. Quite a palace

8.Luxurious marbled bathroom

9. Impressive Medieval chateau

10. Villa with internal lift

From a fabulous Mallorcan villa to fantastic mountain views, here is our selection of the very best international properties this week.

1. Parisian winter garden

2. Incredible mountain views

3. Outstanding architecture

4. You might recognise this house from the Da Vinci Code movie

5. Impressive villa in Mallorca

6. Possibly the thinnest pool ever

7. Peace and Quiet

8. Landscaped gardens leading down to the sea

9. Cubic house

10. Amazing terrace

Many British owners of overseas holiday homes have spent the past 18 months watching their properties endure price drops, no doubt much to their discomfort.

Or at least that is the received wisdom. But research released today reveals that,  instead, the weakening pound has increased rather than diminished the value of their overseas investments.

Figures from foreign exchange specialist Close Treasury show that, despite falling prices in France, Spain, Portugal and the USA, and weak price growth in Italy, the dominance of the euro and dollar have – on paper – helped increase the  value of British-owned properties overseas.

A British-owned villa in Portugal which, despite local price drops, may still be worth more today than 18 months ago following recent pound/euro fluctuations

Close Treasury says the collective value of our places in the sun increased by £2.6 billion between July 2008 and December last year – during the lows of the general economic and banking crisis.

For example, during this period prices in France dropped on average by 6.6% but because of the euro’s increased strength against the pound, British owners saw an average rise in value of £10,400 per property. Close Treasury says there are 98,000 properties in France owned by Brits.

In Spain, where some 144,500 properties are owned by British citizens, house prices fell by 8.35% between 2008 and 2009, but the euro difference gave owners a collective gain of £1.1 billion or £7,700 a property.

And even in the US, where the property market has endured the darkest days most Americans can remember, Brits saw the cash-in value of their properties in the land of the free jump by £1,750.

If you saw in 2010 in the same old city, with the same old faces, perhaps you should be thinking about doing something different next year. Ok, so we know we’re 11 and a half months early, but there’s no harm in being organised…

If your resolution for 2010 is to travel more, discover other cultures, or just party around the globe, then spending New Year’s Eve in another city could be just the thing for you.  Here are our top five destinations:

5. Bangkok, Thailand: If you fancy festivities, parades and costumes, this city should be on the top of your list. And if you can’t make it for traditional New Year, you can still catch up with two others during the year: the Chinese New Year mid-January and the Songrank festival in April.

4. Barcelona, Spain: Apparently it’s tradition to eat a grape at each of the 12 strokes of midnight -  it symbolises good luck for the year to come.

3. Paris, France: Paris’ label of the City of Lights suits it well - just don’t get me started on the Christmas decorations. The place to be on New Year’s Eve is the Champs Elysees. Don’t be surprised if people start kissing strangers in the throngs around them when the clock strikes midnight – and don’t forget to shout ‘Bonne Année!’ to one and all.

2. Niagara Falls, Canada: Every year the ‘Party in Niagara’ is organised by the Niagara Parks Commission, with amazing fireworks over the falls at both 9 pm and midnight. Therefore, if the kids can’t stay awake until midnight, they can enjoy an early show.

1. Las Vegas, United States: You can be sure that the city that knows how to party all year long will throw an amazing New Year’s Eve party. If you can make your way through the crowd, join the massive party downtown. It’s got a wine toast, concerts by big-name rockers, and a five-block-long illuminated canopy 90 feet overhead, on which state-of-the-art sound and light shows are shown.

Don’t we all feel the same about the first week of January – you come back from your lovely Christmas holidays and already you’ve had enough of work and are counting down the days to the weekend.

If you want to make the most of this weekend, here is our suggestion: if you love French culture, food and wine or if you’d like to find out  more about life across the channel, then the France Show 2010 might be just the thing for you.

It’s the UK’s biggest French property exhibition, and it sounds like there will be plenty to please everyone – including property, travel and language seminars, a food theatre with demonstrations by Jean-Christophe Novelli, wine tasting, and even a chance to win a Renault Scenic car.

And if you are still not convinced, take a look at 2009 pictures.

The exhibition takes place at Earls Court from Friday to Sunday (8-10 January). Find out more information at http://www.thefranceshow.com/.