An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

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

Independent B&B in an ancient hamlet with modern interiors, immaculate bedrooms and a pleasant wooden terrace for sunny days

In the “green heart” of Italy: great hosts, dreamy views, super pool, and food to fall in love with, including vegetarian

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

A sustainably-designed small, family-run eco hotel within a nature park by the sea in stunning Basque country. Great food too

A seaside inn on Babbacombe Bay with views of sea and sky, rooms to feel happy in, a spa and homely, hearty dining

A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

Perched on a hilltop in a nature reserve, two lovely places to stay. Hike and beach-hop all day before relaxing in the pool

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

A self-catering apartment in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

This classy, refurbished village pub is the community hub, chock-full of locals and a popular destination for foodies. Lovely bedrooms too

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Big beautiful apartments in a serene setting in southern Tuscany, with pool. And courses for everyone - organised by one delightful family