The view is pure Canaletto, the vibe is modern and laid back. Just minutes from all Venice’s best bits, but with far fewer tourists

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

Heart-warming B&B with hosts who are endlessly thoughtful. The food is exotic, organic, delicious and families are made very welcome

Treat yourselves to some downtime at this lush, semi-tropical hideaway with big pool, delicious breakfasts and charmingly rustic bedrooms

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

Sea views, fulsome breakfasts and plenty of fresh air on a traditional farm. A rustic treat: Southern Italian rural life at its best.

Tea in the summerhouse, breakfast by the fire, fresh flowers all around this warm family home. Step out to historic Shrewsbury high street

An ancient thatched cottage near Dartmoor with a warming log fire in winter and flowers inside and out in the summer

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

Immerse yourself in over ten thousand olive trees, wander through lemon and orange groves, eat wonderful food cooked by a Pugliese chef

In the glorious Howardian Hills, a homely cottage with an open fire for chilly nights and a lovely, country-style kitchen filled with light

A small yet elegant place for couples or small groups to enjoy the open countryside, rest, join a cooking course or book a massage

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

A semi-detached 19th-century stone cottage, scrupulously renovated with indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and terrace in a quiet spot

A converted stable on a peaceful farm surrounded by acres of countryside - a Sawday's Community Champion