Come for a quintessentially English country cottage tucked down a village path with wisteria in the garden and a short walk to a foodie pub

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Elegantly restored mariner’s cottage with tasteful interiors and sweeping, uninterrupted views over the ever-changing estuary

A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

Live out all your bohemian dreams at this arty villa, with garden and plunge pool, perched above the glittering Riviera.

Deep in Calvados near vibrant Caen, a cider barn with stylish bedrooms, quirky objets, a bar in the salon. Charming hosts welcome families

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Burrowed into the olive groves of the lush Valle d’Itria, a restored masseria with five trulli, an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and lovely views

A unique opportunity to switch off and unwind in a simple, historic cottage with a terraced, bucolic garden surrounded by wooded hills

An elegant hotel with wellness area, gym, gourmet restaurant, bar, bistro and 15 contemporary bedrooms decorated with Sicilian flair

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

Dreamy, divine and close to Borghetto, a romantic escape for nature lovers, city folk... with swans, geese, herons and frog chorus

A B&B with a soul, walks to thrill the heart. In these peaceful hills northwest of Como, views challenge you to keep your eyes on the road

Come to be thoroughly cosseted and nurtured in this ancient Presbytery surrounded by rolling countryside with views of the Dordogne river