Escape to your own barn. Brimming with beams and natural colours - surrounded by peaceful lavender-filled gardens and corn fields

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

A grand old chartreuse, dating from 1649, with terrace, garden and pool surrounded by tranquil countryside and near a pretty village

Come to be doused in nature, tradition and rare Vino Santo at this soulful retreat, girded by orchards between the Dolomites and Lake Garda

A stroll from the village, this comfy house in its terraced garden comes with a keen-cook's kitchen, a generous terrace and pool

A spacious and bright old sandstone farm building with private garden, all one one level and with lovely views over fields and countryside

Your own cottage sitting room downstairs and a swish bedroom up – breakfast in the courtyard before venturing forth to discover Canterbury

Hilltop farmhouse converted into a light and spacious, contemporary country house where vintage and modern happily mix. Stunning views, too

Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

A little gem tucked on a rural Northumbrian estate with other cottages. The rugged coast and lovely Alnwick make for super day trips

Come for glorious walking countryside and warm fuss-free Sally, who gives you freshly baked scones when you arrive and beautiful bedrooms

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

Beautifully restored house with a literary history, no neighbours and private access to a sandy bay beyond the pines

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

A gorgeous old gardener's house in grand Belle Epoque style, filled with every comfort and sitting in the grounds of a magnificent château

Generous, fun house, perfect for family gatherings. Head down the hill for sandy beaches or let kids and dogs run wild on the Purbeck coast