A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

A deliciously rural stone house with charmingly simple rustic-chic interiors and saline pool - an hour from Perugia

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Three very special places to stay on one glorious estate. Gather those whose company you enjoy and immerse yourselves in beauty and history

Choose one of six uncluttered, beautiful spaces within this elegant Georgian coach house on the Denton estate, for restorative country stays

Magnificent house with old-fashioned charm and gardens leading down to the Beaulieu River – take the footpath to Beaulieu or Bucklers Hard

A gorgeous eco-build set in a wildflower meadow a short walk from thriving Presteigne and with a shepherd’s hut for spillover

Inland Algarve, away from the crowds – this gorgeous house with pool and gardens is a haven for families and friends

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

A colourful place to stay, tucked into the courtyard of this stunning estate, with views across the Pennine fells, deer park and lake

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

Live in the lap of luxury in a 600-year-old regenerated farmhouse, enjoy fine fittings, great lighting, games, castle view and infinity pool

An upmarket, very comfortable old stone village house with tasty breakfasts and a sunny courtyard full of colourful flowers

Bedrooms have seersucker linen, doors open to the countryside and Beaune is a hop away. David and Niels ensure a memorable stay

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture

Cosy apartment for two in a cluster of farm buildings near Hawkshead, surrounded by countryside and with a good pub a stroll away

Come for a traffic-free medieval hamlet in sleepy Maremma with easy-going hosts, a beautiful garden and views over the valley