Shady spots in the garden, a pool overlooked by tall palms, a bar nook stocked with drinks and a new spa in the Serra do Açor

A bright and prettily beamed barn with very comfortable interiors, private outdoor seating and a shared courtyard for barbecues and games

Come for summer breakfasts of pastries fresh from the local bakery, afternoons reading by the pool and long, lazy lunches

A flawlessly restored palazzo in the oldest part of town opposite an ancient monastery, with peaceful courtyard and a terrace with views

An elegant palazzo with three swish apartments in the heart of Baroque Salento with a glorious roof terrace, just steps from Piazza Salandra

Stylish B&B rooms in a peaceful little château, amongst rolling hills, woods and farmland - bikes and boules to borrow, lovely pool to share

A handsome old country manor house in the heart of the Loire castles surrounded by parkland, forests, lakes, small hamlets, vineyards and châteaux

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

Historic wartime fields, now prime walking country, ring this pub with rooms - come for hearty food, cosy corners and a proper pint

Simple and rustic, this early 1700s farmhouse has warmth and charm, surrounded by countryside in the Perche

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

A 15th-century courtyard hides a petite contemporary apartment – a fabulous base from which to explore the city and all its treasures

Chat long with gentle hosts over home-grown dinners; see stars above, walks, rivers and wildlife all around. Rustic comfort in rural Burgos

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

A light, bright village house with a courtyard garden - 5 minutes from Cabo da Roca where the sunsets and views are spectacular

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

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields