Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio – or here. Sociable-family bliss

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

A very tastefully restored old stone stable on a gloriously rural estate with woodland gardens, lake and a deer park

A very grand façade for this handsome Charente village house with a beautiful, peaceful garden, creamy stone walls and olive trees

Bring boots, maps, your dog and an appetite for high places and deep comfort in this restored farm conversion

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Near Vosges mountains, a happy homely hotel surrounded by woods and flower-filled meadows with friendly hosts. Deliciously peaceful

Hidden in a beautiful, timeless valley with gorgeous gardens, mellow stone bridge, views and rushing river, is a very special place to stay

A grand yet cosy and relaxing farmhouse where you're encouraged to feel at home. Tasty home baking, charming rooms and a friendly host

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

An adorable whitewashed crofter's cottage on the Wern Estate with pretty gardens, a bird-filled woodland and glorious walks from the door

Moments from Chamonix, a sweet chalet with pretty gardens in sun or snow under a backdrop of Mont Blanc – perfect for the adventurous

Welcoming B&B or a whole house to yourselves; an ancient building with modern interiors, a lap pool and peaceful countryside views

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

Built in the 1800s, a charming stone house on the Penicuik Estate with views over woodland and hills and calming, beautiful interiors

A secluded, luxurious 8-bedroom heaven in the Umbrian hills, with a heart-warming welcome, gorgeous views, and simple, exceptional food

Bring family or friends to this beautiful 16th-century stone manor house standing in a tiny hamlet in the heart of the Dordogne

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills