A cracking English inn with open fires, great food, gorgeous rooms, happy staff, lovely gardens and well-kept English ales

The oldest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Spacious bedrooms, friendly hosts and a classic English country house in a peaceful hamlet with walks from the doorstep

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

Glorious views across Northumberland countryside from this peaceful and comfortable cottage with almost an acre of garden

This elegantly restored house with stunning views to snow-capped peaks is a testament to the owners' love of art and antiques

A stylish mountain chalet under the watchful gaze of Mont Blanc, with a private chef, hot tub and sauna

A charming nook for two in pretty Barrington village with a foodie pub mere steps away and Somerset at your feet

A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

A 19th-century bothy in remote, rugged countryside on the edge of the Cairngorms, for walkers, birders and seekers of peace

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

Stunning Tuscan views over the Tiber valley from the gorgeous pool and gardens and very comfortable living spaces at this home-from-home

Just the ticket if you want to escape from the hurly-burly and wind down with fresh air, good food, walks in nature and sublime views

A gracious 17th-century manor house and a pretty Grange hidden down a tree-lined drive and with stunning views over woodlands

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

An expansive and generous 13th-century Catalan farmhouse, restored with verve and colour in the Pyrenees - a wonderful spot for groups

Unwind in a hammock, in the pool, in a balconied rose-coloured bedroom - meander local markets, pick a pepper, cook up a feast and have fun