Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

'Pinch me' views over Lake Como, a stony beach below, Varenna on your doorstep... these chic apartments are in an idyllic spot

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Special back-to-nature, stargazing loft for couples and families, on a nature-filled estate in Piedmont

A mid 1800s converted farmhouse and a cottage in a quiet hamlet with private gardens and lovely grounds, just 15 minutes from the coast

A lovely old 19th-century inn by the sea with hand-pumped ales, fresh local and seasonal food and spoiling bedrooms, some with sea views

Your very own château in the Dordogne for big family get-togethers and special celebrations

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Stone farmhouse on a country estate, family-run for centuries. Views of the towered gatehouse, pool and tennis court, a walk to the river...

Garden and mountain views from this pretty villa for two - Lake Como shimmers below. Pick up morning pastries in picturesque Mezzegra

Come for the gorgeous, wild North York Moors and this very pretty 1911 stone cottage in the grounds of an elegant manor house

A pretty little cottage in a holiday hamlet surrounded by fields, just a stone's throw from the coast and Binic for happy escapes

Wow. The sort of place you long for on dreary days - inspired architecture, heavenly views, delicious home-cooked food, a lake for swimming

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

A very tranquil spot with views of rolling countryside, the East Mendip Way on the doorstep and good pubs within walking distance

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

A nature-filled estate for smart lodge holidays in rural peace with woods and coast to explore, onsite activities and yummy homemade meals