A romantic retreat with a pool in the heart of the wild and wonderful Lot valley - come for bracing hikes, river swims and stunning views

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden

Sea views, fulsome breakfasts and plenty of fresh air on a traditional farm. A rustic treat: Southern Italian rural life at its best.

A small, delightful hotel, perched on a high hill within a 14th-century convent with stunning views, garden and pool - very special indeed

Medieval manor house and busy farm. A welcoming atmosphere, big bedrooms, breakfast in the baronial great hall by the cosy log fire

Peaceful B&B above Sorrento with a splendid garden and incredible views from the terrace. Walk to restaurants, explore the Amalfi Coast

Come for summer breakfasts of pastries fresh from the local bakery, afternoons reading by the pool and long, lazy lunches

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

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

Gorgeous rooms and splendid breakfasts – for sybarites, history-lovers, cyclists and canoeists - bang in the middle of ancient Long Melford

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

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

White-painted beams, wonky white walls and your own parking spot fairly nearby. You're near the harbour and subtropical gardens

A beautiful old building with generous windows, arched doorways and opulent interiors in the glorious countryside by a fairy tale château

Just half an hour from Siena, a peaceful apartment with shared garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, a short walk to Monticiano

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Choose one of six uncluttered, beautiful spaces within this elegant Georgian coach house on the Denton estate, for restorative country stays