Exceptional generosity reigns at this complex of 5 excellent, colourful holiday apartments, with pool and meals, on the Sorrento Peninsula

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Enfolded in gentle Dorset hills and surrounded by trees, a perfect wooden hut for 2 near beaches, River Cottage HQ and many beautiful walks

A lovely honey-coloured stone cottage with private walled garden, large terrace and pool, outdoor bath and pergola-covered terrace

Traditional and modern mix beautifully and bedrooms are quietly elegant. Relax and drink in the views over orchards and the Sierra Nevada

Style, comfort and tranquillity combine in a lovely B&B near Bergerac. Sleep in elegant four-poster beds, breakfast on the sunny terrace…

A serene riverside retreat on the Lot, with manicured gardens and a shared pool, tennis court and children's playground for socialising

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

A fine old stone mill, the river rushing by, kingfishers, kayaking, swimming: it’s a dream place with Provence and the Cévennes at the door

In peaceful Burgundy countryside, a beautifully-restored farmhouse with B&B rooms, delicious regional food and an inviting pool

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

A beautifully renovated traditional manor house with extensive gardens and orchard, a pool with a deck in a meadow and a terrace for dining

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

Visit Florence, Arezzo, Siena… or revel in the beauty and peace of Casa Zia, surrounded by wilderness and lovely birdsong

Tranquillity and comfort in a guesthouse in the Marche countryside - airy rooms for couples with huge windows onto good views