If you want to come to Venice as an open-hearted traveller rather than a tourist then this is the place for you - just walk to everything

Special back-to-nature, stargazing loft for couples and families, on a nature-filled estate in Piedmont

An old pub with a new lease of life: smart buzzy eatery downstairs and two bright, spacious apartments upstairs - just minutes from the Heath

A stylish farm renovation with pools, gym, and flower-filled gardens - find rural tranquillity close to Brittany’s most famous landmarks

Art-inspired B&B in a former silkworm factory. Swim in the eco-pool, feast on delicious food, explore Avignon, Arles and Roman ruins

A sparkling restaurant with stylish rooms well placed for exploring Pembrokeshire’s hills, coastal path and sandy beaches

A classic French beauty of a place; home to an engaging young family who love to entertain and look after you with great care

Fresh, inviting bedrooms with leafy garden views and a pretty church next door. Moffat's spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall nearby

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

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

Books, meadow flowers, a rocking chair by a cosy fire at this treasure-trove cottage of beautiful things - down tiny lanes in west Cork

A peaceful, romantic village escape for couples, plus a babe-in-arms, attached to the welcoming owners' home in the Scottish Borders

Friendly inn in the middle of Sedbergh. Lots of bedrooms to choose from, suntrap picnic area, walks in the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep

This old stone building, a former olive warehouse, is beautifully restored and sits on its own – a simple bolthole for rest and recuperation

Marvellously quirky bolthole right on Lyme Regis seafront with stunning views; perfect for beach combers and boutique browsers

Bedrooms with terraces and views over St Michael’s Mount Bay. Explore the gardens; walk from the door to glorious beaches

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

Unwind in a beautiful old mill house on the banks of the Célé river, surrounded by high limestone cliffs for outstanding walks and wildlife