A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

A beautiful main house, a romantic Tower and a lovely old wine barn for celebrations with family and friends

Between Penzance and Helston and close to surf beaches, a perfect place for two. For peace-seekers and lovers of mid-century design

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

Wonky floors and handmade beds in a restored coaching inn for 4, 6 or 8 - sociable evenings round the farmhouse table, walks from the door

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

You're on an ancient packhorse trail just a stone's throw from the coast. There's a timeless feel to this place and the peace is deep

A tempting trio of retreats with unlimited access to exceptional gardens, and a welcome homemade cream tea. Come as a pair, or a small group

A wonderful green getaway with wrap-around views of Norfolk nature; walk Weavers’ Way, birdwatch at Blakeney, enjoy the coast at Cromer

Perthshire country house with contemporary touches. Deer, red squirrels, tawny owls... and the river Tay glints way below through the trees

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Tour the cellars or wander the history-rich château and grounds. A truly pretty place

A stylish hotel, tucked away yet central, an unusually quiet base for exploring Rome just a three-minute walk from the tube station

Come for super ridgeway walks and explore charming towns and villages from this pretty 18th-century cottage in the Chalke Valley

Come for breezy bedrooms, pretty gardens, a serene pool and delicious breakfasts at this gorgeous finca in rural Extremadura near Trujillo

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners