Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

Just the ticket if you want to escape from the hurly-burly and wind down with fresh air, good food, walks in nature and sublime views

Artistic souls will like it here, and those who enjoy shared meals & getting to know other people in dramatic countryside; Arezzo is 40 km

In a leafy, peaceful part of Frome - a very civilised bolthole for two. A big garden is yours to share, friendly owners live next door

A great spot for two plus two, with a decked area that gazes on copses, stream and treehouse. Wallow your cares away in the hot tub

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

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

An attractive, sympathetic barn conversion, full of light, pleasingly uncluttered and hidden down a lane in stunningly beautiful countryside

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

Restored 18th-century farm building surrounded by countryside, with a good pub a short walk away and Lake Windermere a ten-minute drive

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars

A delightfully untouched and simple cottage and garden for old-fashioned family seaside holidays just a short walk to Mawgan Porth beach

Visit Florence, Arezzo, Siena… or revel in the beauty and peace of Casa Zia, surrounded by wilderness and lovely birdsong

Hilltop paradise with a pool, spa, and a wild-open setting: perfect for hikers, bikers, painters, wine lovers! Large groups welcome

A grand spot with superb Peak District views for this secluded, immaculate conversion of a handsome stable block - spacious and light

Six cosy cottages for couples (babies and dogs welcome) on this gorgeous eco farm with enclosed gardens, a summer pool and treatments

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!