Hear the rooting of wild boar and the odd splash of the pool. For those who love fresh air, great food, and the sweet hills of Umbria

An 18th-century listed cottage in a pretty terrace with a private courtyard garden and pond, just a short walk from the high street

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

Wend your way down steep paths to Durgan beach, explore the magic of Charles’s wonderful garden and feast on Caroline’s super breakfasts

A peaceful retreat with yoga and activities to restore and renew, in the Andalusia hills between Granada and the Mediterranean coast

A fairytale château with ancient roots, now beautifully renovated with lovely bedrooms, terrace, garden and ponds for gracious living

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

A stone built 18th-century tower in a pretty valley dotted with fruit trees for quiet and relaxed days recuperating from life in the city

A converted stable on a peaceful farm surrounded by acres of countryside - a Sawday's Community Champion

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

A stunning veranda wraps itself around the house: doze off in a wicker armchair or sip a drink at dusk as the sun melts into the valley

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Wander down a pebble path to this large, light holiday home near La Rochelle. Eco-friendly, accessible to all, and perfectly peaceful

For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

A beautifully designed wooden lodge with hot tub on the deck, glass-front wood-burner, plenty of space and complete immersion in nature

For lovers of tranquillity and simple pleasures with a private pool, tennis court, stunning views and forty acres to explore

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool