Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

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

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

A cracking English inn with open fires, great food, gorgeous rooms, happy staff, lovely gardens and well-kept English ales

A serene retreat in a residential area of Ragusa, with the historic centre just a short distance. Enjoy pool, spa and gardens

A converted coach house and stables, now one long cottage with much space, a country house feel and your own walled garden

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

A snug Snowdonia bolthole arranged around a vast boulder, once home to Victorian artists inspired by the setting. For romantic hikers

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

High above Lisbon, this small but elegant former palace offers stunning views, stylishly rustic rooms and a dreamy, sun-trap patio

Close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, an elegant and spacious manor house with unfussy, comfortable interiors, bucolic views, big garden and pool

A majestic renovation of a Victorian 'model' farm with underfloor heating, open plan design, light bright lines and not a whiff of IKEA

A rustic gem with a rich history, a domed chapel and a fountain in the courtyard. Dine superbly, choose from an extensive wine list

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

Tour the cellars or wander the history-rich château and grounds. A truly pretty place

A very much-loved family home full of books, pictures and comfy sofas - all yours for a relaxed and easy-going holiday with a big group

A converted farmhouse set in a large mature garden, well located for exploring the delights of the Lot et Garonne south of the Dordogne

Hike down secret paths and along the Suffolk coast before a superb lunch or supper at this friendly inn; sweet bedrooms too