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

Come to slow down and be well fed at this beautiful 14th-century manor with 60 acres of grounds and views across the Cotswolds

Three charming rustic lodges with private gardens and a laid-back vibe in a small rural hamlet surrounded by vines and truffle orchards

An elegantly renovated coaching inn with inspired design, beautifully simple pub food, tempting ales and gloriously comfortable bedrooms

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

Charmingly rambling, inside and out: blazing fires, riotous patterns, oak panelling, a prolific garden and comfortable antique beds

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

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

Gaze over sublime vistas, refresh in the plunge pool, cook up a barbecue treat. A Provençal studio, simply furnished and deeply relaxing

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views

Your own cosy apartment in the once arty, now classy Latin Quarter. An elegant, romantic and peaceful bolthole for 2

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars

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

Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...

Marvellously quirky bolthole right on Lyme Regis seafront with stunning views; perfect for beach combers and boutique browsers

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

A chilled, family-friendly hotel on a sandy surfing beach with huge views and a sensational pool with sustainability at its heart