If you want to come to Venice as an open-hearted traveller rather than a tourist then this is the place for you - just walk to everything

Imperious old coaching inn lost in deep country with a river to fish, five-mile views, delicious rooms and some very tasty food

A light, bright and peaceful 18th-century palazzo in a very quiet town, with a sea-view terrace, peaceful bedrooms and delicious breakfasts

Come for strawberries in summer, walnuts in winter, and a wonderful welcome all year round. Thierry and Charlotte are living their dream

A dear little cottage with many comforts and a private garden, off the beaten track and surrounded by mountains, valleys and trees

A cool pub with smart rooms, English ales and Thai-inspired food. Farringdon tube is round the corner and you can walk to the Barbican

Tucked away privately in part of a spectacular listed manor house, this apartment has wonderful views across to Hartland and the sea

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

Character and quirk in old and new design and furnishing – private terraces, a shared pool, great walking, cycling and wine-tasting

Immerse yourself, luxuriously, in beautiful rural Picardy – mirabelle jam, peaceful parkland, walking in the hills – near historic Amiens

Beautifully restored medieval hall house – perfect for big family gatherings, with separate cottage, replica steam train and secluded garden

Friendly owners settle you in to this cool, creatively styled barn. Perfect for groups & families with big pool & garden

A stylish hotel, tucked away yet central, an unusually quiet base for exploring Rome just a three-minute walk from the tube station

Rooms in the house overlook the vineyard, the lodges are surrounded by it - check out the vines, then drink their wine with a good dinner

Vineyards, fruit trees and immaculate gardens, amazing food and wine, a sense of seclusion and sweeping views of the Tuscan hills

Explore Le Marche, Italy's hidden gem, from this tranquil agriturismo tucked among olive groves and fields above the Adriatic coast

The views are sensational, the bedrooms full of charm and higgledy-piggledy beams. Sip Perigord Noir on the terrace and amble to the market