Italian style marries Californian comfort, with views over hilltop towns, vineyards and the majestic Sibillini mountains beyond

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

A hilltop setting for this ancient fortress with an illustrious past. You stay in apartments or farmhouses inside or outside the walls

Historic, indulgent, atmospheric – and the Contessa is so warm. Vineyards, restaurants, operas, walks...La dolce vita on Slovenia's border

Ski in winter, walk and cycle in summer - return to unbeatable hospitality, warm, large and comfortable bedrooms with views, robust food

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Sweep through vast wrought iron gates to this elegant Grade I listed Georgian country house with a swimming lake, yoga studio and sauna

A hop from the Côte d'Azur is this elegant home: bring friends, explore the garden, curl up on the sofa, dip in the heated pool

High in Ávila's unspoilt nature is this stylish, eco-brilliant family hotel: mountains, massages, pool, organic dinners... a special escape

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

Three eco-friendly, fully accessible timber-clad lodges and three cabins on a private, beautiful lake - a Sawday's Community Champion

Gently undulating countryside surrounds you at this Burgundy B&B with fresh, modern bedrooms and delicious dinners prepared by the owner

An impressive limestone house on three levels created within the ruins of an ancient village with uninterrupted views of the Vézère valley

A thoughtful cottage, full of warmth and cheer with lovely art and delicious pops of colour. Come for beautiful walks and much wildlife

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners