Hear the rooting of wild boar and the odd splash of the pool. For those who love fresh air, great food, and the sweet hills of Umbria

Take your pick from guided horse-trekking to grand banqueting at this traditional château; drive to explore WWI history and the lovely coast

A monastic grange full of grandeur with luxurious interiors to keep you comfortable. Enjoy a pool, gardens and Margate on the doorstep

In a Valencian resort, a captivating and hospitable place - deal for groups of family or friends too, with independence plus B&B service

An authentic, charming and spacious home with garden, pool and lake, deep in the Dordogne valley and decorated with uncluttered elegance

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

An ancient farmstead in the Lombard style with up-to-date B&B rooms plus a garden, lake and museum all surrounded by quiet countryside

A very pretty Victorian gothic house of limestone and brick, sitting peacefully on the edge of the village, eight miles from foodie Ludlow

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

Green and serene, a striking array of eco cottages on a family farm where style and comfort reign, close to the coast but far from the crowd

A niftily restored, open-plan, beamed hayloft, just the ticket for romantics, with gorgeous views of fields and open countryside

In the gardens of a laid-back country house, a barn with books, games, faded rugs and a grand piano – a treat for convivial families

Come for big skies, loch views, much wildlife, acres of forest and a charming wood-clad cottage from which to explore such a remote spot

Beautiful light-filled eco-homes in Loch Lomond National Park – Scotland’s treasures are easily reached from here

A fuss-free, informal place to stay with family - your own entrance straight from the garden and tasty breakfasts set up in a summer house

On a farmstead near Ronda where views stretch for miles are 2 houses, one old, one new, brilliant for families, sharing a fabulous pool

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

Enjoy southern life in a charming palazzo in Trapani. Come for coastal drives and baroque basilica, hand-twirled pasta and fresh calamari