The river's gentle flow sets the tone for a relaxing stay in this peaceful Loire estate: quiet rooms, sweet village, dinner with Madame

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

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

Two charming cottages a stroll from the Coast Path, surf school, shop, pub and restaurant. Take both cottages for a big family get-together

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

A warm family and starlit suppers in a grand estate by Soller, near wildflower walks and beaches. Citrus mingles with exotic fragrances

In château parkland, 10 minutes from Chinon, find books, beams and open spaces for three renovated houses, a delight for families

A lovely, spacious 1830s house in the heart of arty Westport with nearly an acre of garden, an apple orchard and the river running past

In a bustling port town on the Adriatic coast, this family-run hotel is warm, welcoming and just minutes from beaches and restaurants

Family-run B&B in traditional trulli with hands-on hosts. Swim in the pool, explore the countryside, the coast is half an hour’s drive away

A converted coach house and stables, now one long cottage with much space, a country house feel and your own walled garden

Blissful tranquillity - yet an easy drive from St Paul de Vence (legendary haunt of Matisse and Picasso) and 10km from the Riviera

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

Beauty, charm and tranquillity an hour from Florence, on a bio-sensitive farm known for Chianina cattle and white truffles

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon