Glorious views across Northumberland countryside from this peaceful and comfortable cottage with almost an acre of garden

A thoughtful cottage, full of warmth and cheer with lovely art and delicious pops of colour. Come for beautiful walks and much wildlife

Italian style marries Californian comfort, with views over hilltop towns, vineyards and the majestic Sibillini mountains beyond

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

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

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

A chic bolthole in a sleepy Suffolk village with seriously good food, stylish bedrooms, riverside walks and Suffolk’s wild coast

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

Provençal charm floats through the ground floor of this 18th-century home in a vineyard near Lorgues. Walk, cycle, swim, enjoy the peace

Hideaway in the hills complete with private pool and outdoor kitchen. Spend days hiking or on a sun lounger - perfect for families

For artists, walkers and peace seekers - authentic simplicity at this mountain hideaway with an infinity pool and breathtaking views

Relaxed, bohemian vibe out in the wilds yet close to civilization. An organic garden and woodland yurt add to the convivial, communal idyll

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

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

Rolling lawns, Georgian glamour and countryside views – gather the gang for slow days, wild walks and starry Northumberland skies

Superb architecture & design reflect the industrial past, present and future in this cutting-edge pod for 2 - a Sawday's Community Champion