Plenty of uncluttered easy space both in and out by the private pool - children love the freedom - great wine, food, and cycling country

This deeply peaceful retreat will soothe the soul; come to walk, bike, sail then back to a roaring fire and good book. A sublime spot

One of England's oldest coaching inns, full of history and wonky floors, on a Surrey market town's high street

You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

Deep in Burgundy's wine country, an elegant maison de maître sits in acres of gloriously private parkland

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

A friendly, generous, big old house with not an ounce of pretension. Big families will adore gathering here to have fun and unwind

A craft brewery in Italy? What a wonderful surprise! Three explorer-themed rooms, a brewpub, pizzeria, pool, cookery classes and events

A dramatic house with stylish interiors – designed to bring the outdoors in so you feel wrapped in nature. Great for families or friends

A magnificent medieval tower in the grounds of an 18th-century château sitting in a dreamy valley. Come for superb gardens and architecture

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too

A very swish 1610 house, thoroughly refurbished, in the heart of old Chichester with oodles of space and a surprisingly large garden

A truly special barn conversion, flooded with light and with its own decked outdoor space surrounded by bucolic countryside

Fresh, simple country charm - pretty rooms with enchanting river views, freshly baked bread for breakfast... Beautiful, fragrant gardens

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

A natural idyll made even better by friendly owners. Bask in the mountain views, explore astonishing Asturias, settle into the slow pace

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

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