A friendly rural town pub with smart rooms, locally inspired menus and Cheshire and north Wales to explore – bring the dog too

Such lovely views from this light-filled flat, built in the 19th century – curl up with a book and gaze out to sea

A flamboyant place! You're in the heart of this charming market town, just a hop from the river and a stroll from pretty squares and bistros

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

Rooms in an old palazzo in the historic centre of town, with a swimming pool, restaurant and café, and lovely beaches a short drive away

Be inspired by hilltop views, unwind in beamed rooms by huge fireplaces or scramble down to the beach for family adventures

Superb rural views, excellent hiking and generous bedrooms. Cristina and Alec take good care of guests - the food is delicious

Come for the glorious Northumbrian countryside and a neat-as-a-pin cottage with much comfort and a private garden near to the coast

A relaxed country feel in this fine family villa. It has space and comfort for six with gardens, private pool, and tennis court

Starry skies, wild beauty and total peace are yours in these sustainable, solar-powered eco-lodges

An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature

Bring family or friends to this beautiful 16th-century stone manor house standing in a tiny hamlet in the heart of the Dordogne

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

Escape to your own barn. Brimming with beams and natural colours - surrounded by peaceful lavender-filled gardens and corn fields

Charming gardens for you and your dog in a barn conversion in rural Norfolk half an hour from coast

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door