Gorgeous thatched country cottage bolthole for two - perfect for a romantic escape - bring the pooch and explore Somerset

Come to be cossetted in this 300-year-old Burgundy farmhouse with rose garden, sheltered pool and convivial Dutch owners

Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

The living is easy here: laze in the subtropical garden, float in the saltwater pool, let the kids play and meet other guests over dinner

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula

A rural farmhouse B&B with view-filled bedrooms, hearty breakfasts and walks from the door. The Dowies are generous hosts

A summer hideaway by a lively Algarvian village with a pretty garden. Sundowners, a pool, massages, a BBQ and traditional bedrooms

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

An old chapel, smartly and sustainably converted, with a hot tub to soothe tired limbs after country walks through fells and dales

Just one hour from London, this remarkable house sits on a unique family-owned Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey

Artists, poets, nature lovers, walkers and dreamers will be happy in this simple, airy suite surrounded by a fecund garden and much peace

What do you do with a down-at-heel roadside inn? You get Mhor to come and turn it into a quirky base with their funky style and lovely food

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

Vineyard B&B suites in sympathetically restored barn. Your own entrance, light-filled rooms, terraces for sunny breakfasts & evening tipples

An attractive collection of mellow stone buildings with wonderful views over Monte Amiata and the Val d'Orcia for restful stays