Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

Come to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

Adorable cottages in pastoral peace with views to Wimborne Minster; cook and eat in modern kitchens. Blue flag beaches are close

Hospitable Jorge and Clotilde love nothing more than sharing their colourful, chaotic old house with guests. The farm produce is fabulous

Be warmly welcomed by your knowledgeable hosts at this eco-conscious lodge for four in the Dordogne. Immerse yourself in all things wine

Wild and peaceful small hotel bordering National Park of Guadarrama. Listen to birdsong, hike in the sierra, spend the day in Segovia

Beautiful, and with a delightfully rambling garden, this early 16th-century manor has bags of room for happy days with family or friends

Come to shed your city cares, eat wonderful local food, spend time in simple, authentic surroundings and remind yourselves about serenity

Good bolthole with two terraces offering spectacular views over the historic town, and restaurants and bars a short stroll

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

A classic period property right on the river, perfectly placed to explore the delights of nearby Marlborough

The views take your breath away, the breakfasts are beautiful, and you feel like you're staying in the home of dear friends

Bags of character within and without at this four-storey village house with rooftop views over the mountains, next to a 12th-century church

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

Enjoy southern life in a charming palazzo in Trapani. Come for coastal drives and baroque basilica, hand-twirled pasta and fresh calamari

A gorgeous apartment in the heart of a Jacobean-style manor house with sweeping views over woodlands and the wonderful gardens

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

A large tranquil apartment with garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, just over half an hour's drive from Siena