A lovely gîte, once a hunting lodge, with two private terraces overlooking the manicured gardens of an 1830s manor house

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

Off-the-beaten track cottage promises peace and quiet, wild swimming and hikes in the hills. A world away from the urban jungle

A heartwarming 250-year-old pub with roaring fires in the flagged bar, attractive bedrooms and a special welcome for children and dogs

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

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

A magnificent Victorian clock tower on a peaceful, bird-filled estate with a garden, gorgeous views across the park and activities to join

Location, location, location - you can't beat it, so look past the dated kitchen and bathrooms and enjoy this light, bright, coastal home

Deep in the Wye Valley you’ll find wild swimming, kayaking and down-time. This cottage is a spacious yet cosy base for any adventure

A sculptor's studio, flooded with light, converted into a restful holiday home surrounded by glorious countryside, near Totnes

Glorious airy living space in this superbly restored barn, a terrace with long views and a pool across the garden - bikes to borrow too

Come for Goodwood and good fun - simple, relaxed old farmhouse style with quirky touches, a lovely garden and long views

Country house set in a secluded valley in a nature reserve with a pool & walks from the door. The small town of Jabugo is just over the hill

A three storey house and garden with sea glimpses in the 'vieux village' named for the Mimosa trees which flower in profusion in winter

Gorgeously rural pub with rooms nestled in a leafy Somerset valley: sweet bedrooms, fantastic menus, and charming owners. Dog friendly, too

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors