You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining

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

Come to unwind in nature, surrounded by sun-drenched fields in this large, rustic but elegant villa with courtyard, garden and pool

Foodies will love the irresistible cooking - along with local wine and a typically Tuscan setting. Bedrooms are pretty

Gather your loved ones and come for colourful, exuberant interiors, an absolutely gorgeous covered veranda and a pool with moveable floor

Three lovely places to stay - come for much charm, peace, sunsets, infinity pool, sauna and gym in this history-steeped countryside retreat

Glorious, thoughtful food, ales and wines using 'as much good stuff they can lay their hands on' at this restaurant with lovely rooms

Two peaceful spaces in a beautiful garden with a morning concert from the birds and a terrace for magical outdoor meals

An hour from Edinburgh, this large estate wrapped in ancient woodland & steeped in history is a super outdoorsy retreat – dogs welcome too

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near

In the shadow of a Norman château on the Cherbourg Peninsula, a cosy house for three with private parking and restaurants outside the door

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

In her smart top-floor flat, perfectly situated between Montmartre and the Opéra Garnier, Rosemary does brilliant B&B

Utter peace in a simple, beautiful space with a sculpture garden to wander, an art studio to visit and walking and cycling on Dartmoor

A celebration of all things Somerset in a thatched village opposite the church and close to National Trust Barrington Court and Gardens