An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

Sleek, smart apartments on the first floor of a 19th-century building in Verona's most fashionable residential/commercial neighbourhood

A grand-looking stone building with fabulous views across the Derwent Valley from the terrace and garden – find quirky rooms and great food

A fine old 1890 homestead in the colonial style on a large estate, with a lovely pool, two lakes and delicious Portuguese food

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

A proper old-fashioned inn dating from the 1600s with beamed ceilings, low doorways and winding staircases up to comfortable bedrooms

This eco-friendly farmhouse in the hills of Fiesole is 10km from Florence. Good company, superb views of Tuscany, and food for the soul!

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

A converted stable on a peaceful farm surrounded by acres of countryside - a Sawday's Community Champion

View-filled, beautifully converted and toasty warm, this old donkey shed is perfect for walkers, cyclists, peace-seekers and lovers

A serene atmosphere prevails in this old Yorkshire stone inn, carefully curated to induce a zen-like calm. You're fed very well too

Close to the honeypots of Domme and Sarlat, a hideaway for 2 in an ancient French hamlet. The apartment is serene, the views are glorious