5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

A beautifully renovated traditional manor house with extensive gardens and orchard, a pool with a deck in a meadow and a terrace for dining

Foodies and sociable souls will enjoy this lively B&B in a pretty honey-coloured stone cottage with a garden and a very friendly owner

A very thoughtful and peaceful house with a garden for happy holidays with family or friends, surrounded by glorious countryside for walks

A sophisticated and friendly Basque beauty overlooking the Bay of Biscay, in Txakoli vineyard country – prepare to be thoroughly spoilt

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...

B&B as it should be. Home-cooked breakfast in an Aga-warmed kitchen, a comfortable bedroom with garden views, a beach you can walk to

Three very special places to stay on one glorious estate. Gather those whose company you enjoy and immerse yourselves in beauty and history

A hop from the Côte d'Azur is this elegant home: bring friends, explore the garden, curl up on the sofa, dip in the heated pool

Elegant, calm, charming B&B in a 12th-century house surrounded by fields, quiet country roads and vibrant little villages

Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

An elegant townhouse made up of two apartments on a lively piazza a short stroll from the sea. Live like a local in pretty Monopoli

Anglo-Irish meets Italian and Indian; the owners have peppered this charming home with furniture and artefacts from their broad travels

History, tranquillity and genuine warmth in a beautifully restored medieval château, deep in the heart of the countryside

The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure

A pretty retreat in the grounds of a romantic château – you have your own walled garden, with terrace, pool and sunbathing area