A light and bright 1900s holiday home for family holidays by the sea, with a large enclosed garden and a short hop to beach and shops

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

Burrowed into the olive groves of the lush Valle d’Itria, a restored masseria with five trulli, an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and lovely views

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

A country house, elegant and unstuffy, at the heart of a working Lazio olive farm. Lunch by the pool or unwind at the hot spring spa

Charming manor house B&B, packed with character, interest and history, sitting in extensive gardens and with elegant bedrooms

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

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

A celebration of all things Somerset in a thatched village opposite the church and close to National Trust Barrington Court and Gardens

Charming, laid-back B&B in the foothills of the Algarve. All you hear are the birds, yet the beaches are a ten-minute drive

A gorgeous house with oodles of original features, a lovely garden and the owners' pub, farm shop, brewery and spa a short walk

A family retreat high above the river Dordogne and deep in woodland - with heated pool, games room and village restaurants a stroll away

Four stylish Andalusian retreats surrounded by olive groves and almond trees, and a restaurant for wonderful, seasonal food

Green and serene, a striking array of eco cottages on a family farm where style and comfort reign, close to the coast but far from the crowd

Feather pillows, welcome goodies, an extensive batterie de cuisine... the hosts are super generous, the views are to die for