Deep in the Wye Valley you’ll find wild swimming, kayaking and down-time. This cottage is a spacious yet cosy base for any adventure

Bustling Fowey harbour sweeps out below this Victorian townhouse. Walk to shops and restaurants, hike the coastal path, return to comfort

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

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

A cosy bolt hole near medieval Cartmel with woods, meadows and wildlife – great for walkers in this quiet part of the South Lakes

Rustic, sophisticated, relaxed, charming… ancient Follonico is all these things, and gazes on the loveliest hills in Tuscany

A beautiful old building with generous windows, arched doorways and opulent interiors in the glorious countryside by a fairy tale château

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

Close to sandy beaches between Penzance and Helston, three places to stay with characterful interiors and freshly baked scones waiting

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

A restored Grade II listed flint barn with roots in the 13th century, a serene lily pond and mesmerising views over the South Downs

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

In an leafy quarter of central Milan, 2 inviting apartments run by generous Jane. Perfect for families and romancers

Unwind here in the rolling hills with the river bustling along, your own secluded garden and an unpretentious cottage full of character

Near Mont St Michel, an 18th-century 'maison de plaisance' in historic grounds run by a charming family. Don't miss the table d'hôte!

Down a track with a delightfully remote feel but near to the coast and with good walking and cycling; views out to sea are awesome

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

A dear little cottage with many comforts and a private garden, off the beaten track and surrounded by mountains, valleys and trees