A B&B with a soul, walks to thrill the heart. In these peaceful hills northwest of Como, views challenge you to keep your eyes on the road

A beautiful rural escape for couples or families with the delights of the Cotswolds all around. Dogs very welcome too

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Hilltop farmhouse converted into a light and spacious, contemporary country house where vintage and modern happily mix. Stunning views, too

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

Grand, elegant, sumptuous – a bucolic bolthole for happy holidays in much comfort, with stunning green views to lake and deer park

A modern, architect-designed renovation of a 19th-century building, sitting in harmony with nature yet only a short drive from Bordeaux

Comfortable, traditional, accessible and in the grounds of an old rectory with meadows and the river Frome nearby for summer dips

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

Plenty of restful, comfortable space indoors and out in the Mediterranean garden with its courtyard pool – restaurants to walk to

Bags of character within and without at this four-storey village house with rooftop views over the mountains, next to a 12th-century church

A honey-hued stone farmhouse or a stylish cottage – both are deep in delicious countryside with lovely walks by the rambling river

A traditional, grand 1850 townhouse sitting in a large, landscaped garden with mature trees, a short walk to the village centre and square

Perfect for families - a glorious farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields. Rooms are huge and children can roam free in the vast gardens

Stylish apartment overlooking a vibrant market in the old city, with restaurants and historic attractions in easy walking distance

Built in the 1800s, a charming stone house on the Penicuik Estate with views over woodland and hills and calming, beautiful interiors

Top-notch apartments in the heart of old Jérez for couples and families on the bodega trail. A daily market in town and fab beaches near by