Generous simplicity and organic farm cooking in this rustic Tuscan farm with library, yoga, family apartments and natural lily-dotted pond

Up a narrow road, find this authentic Valencian finca in the mountains with beamed ceilings, big gardens, salt pool and spectacular views

Manor house in the grounds of a quintessential 18th-century French château with pretty gardens and lots of space just 3kms from Bayeux

A perfectly romantic and gorgeously restored bothy in a garden on a hillside by the sea, with grand views over the mountains of Skye

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat

An upmarket, very comfortable old stone village house with tasty breakfasts and a sunny courtyard full of colourful flowers

A proper old-fashioned inn dating from the 1600s with beamed ceilings, low doorways and winding staircases up to comfortable bedrooms

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

A beautiful walled historical country house, surrounded by acres of farmland and citrus groves, with wine tastings and kind, charming owners

A grand-looking stone building with fabulous views across the Derwent Valley from the terrace and garden – find quirky rooms and great food

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature

Gather the clans and just come. It's lovely in this 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse and you have acres of wildlife-filled grounds

The views are green, both cottages are homely and comfortable and the gardens have direct access to the riverbank footpath for walks

The inn is the hub of this thriving village in 'the blue remembered hills' with great food and super rooms – a Sawday's Community Champion

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

A lovely, unfussy and calming place to stay - independent souls will love the enchanting wild gardens and an annexe for extra folk