Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

Cosy bolthole for two in a tiny hamlet next to a river and pub; walk the hills or spend the day at the unspoiled coast

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Rustic, sophisticated, relaxed, charming… ancient Follonico is all these things, and gazes on the loveliest hills in Tuscany

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

A heartwarming 250-year-old pub with roaring fires in the flagged bar, attractive bedrooms and a special welcome for children and dogs

A welcoming retreat with lofty rooms, a sunny garden and the perfect plunge pool. Come for slow days and wine country adventures

A flamboyant place! You're in the heart of this charming market town, just a hop from the river and a stroll from pretty squares and bistros

A lovely, spacious 1830s house in the heart of arty Westport with nearly an acre of garden, an apple orchard and the river running past

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

Five beautiful and fully accessible cottages on an organic farm for restful retreats with family or friends – a Sawday's Community Champion

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Your very own love nest: frolic in the outdoor rolltop, hunker by the wood-burner, bask in the gardens... near Lakes and Dales

An airy converted barn with beautiful woodwork and countryside views. Reach riverside restaurants and St Malo within a 15-minute drive

A super upside-down house perched on a cliff in bustling Saundersfoot with glorious views over the beach and the Atlantic

Come for Goodwood and good fun - simple, relaxed old farmhouse style with quirky touches, a lovely garden and long views

An 18th-century coaching inn wrapped in countryside now a relaxed pub with rooms serving excellent food and drink with 16 inviting bedrooms

A beautiful house with Pyrenean views, generous hosts and wonderful hiking, biking and skiing nearby. A rare pearl