In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

Sleek modern interiors now grace this ancient building with architectural joys, a courtyard garden and rooftop terrace with views

Swap the mêlée for privacy and wonderful views. Delicious meals, an outdoor hot tub and Portes du Soleil skiing on your doorstep

A super upside-down house perched on a cliff in bustling Saundersfoot with glorious views over the beach and the Atlantic

The perfect country cottage made of pretty Quercy stone, with generously sized rooms and outside dining with gorgeous rural views

Come for a sense of complete peace surrounded by country and coast with wonderful interiors to boot – a bolthole for two (plus two)

Come for serene countryside, walks through bird-filled woods and this lovely old house with gracious hosts and very beautiful bedrooms

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

A country house, elegant and unstuffy, at the heart of a working Lazio olive farm. Lunch by the pool or unwind at the hot spring spa

A renovated Dordogne farmhouse infused with new life, plus a saltwater pool, an ancient fig tree, and Lascaux on the doorstep

Between Penzance and Helston and close to sandy beaches is a sweet space for four. Good for young families and all garden lovers

In glorious rural Umbria, a spacious old farmhouse with magnificent views of mountains and Lago Trasimeno, rustic décor and a lovely pool

Perthshire country house with contemporary touches. Deer, red squirrels, tawny owls... and the river Tay glints way below through the trees

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

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west