Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

Feel very private in this light and bright B&B room with your own patio and pleasing views over garden and countryside

Gem-like in a deep park among meadows, a family-friendly château with 2 stylish cottages. Join the lovely owners for dinner, dip in the pool

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

A mix of bold colours, modern art and vintage finds give this classic French mansion bags of personality

Traditional and modern, verging on the opulent. Find a stone-flagged tap room for walkers, top modern food and Chatsworth-perfect bedrooms

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

A nicely priced inn on Shaftesbury's high street with a warm contemporary style and some excellent food – fine local walking waits

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape

A treat of a country retreat in the North York Moors National Park with lovely high ceilings, a log-burner, much comfort and fabulous views

Charming, laid-back B&B in the foothills of the Algarve. All you hear are the birds, yet the beaches are a ten-minute drive

The oldest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Portuguese elegance, artistic décor, breakfast on a fountain'd patio or by the fire: a treat. Step out to a kaleidoscope of Lisbon city life

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

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

Groups will love this 18th-century winemaster’s house and tower. There’s a hillside infinity pool, valley views and a private boulodrome

An off-grid retreat; embrace a slower pace of life at this peaceful, characterful home. Surf, cycle and walk then stargaze in utter peace