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

Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

Secluded place with home-grown food, much peace and walks by the river for a couple (or small family). Courses and solo retreats too

Sumptuous suites arranged around a sunny internal courtyard inside an ancient monastery - an intimate sanctuary for those who seek comfort

Such lovely views from this light-filled flat, built in the 19th century – curl up with a book and gaze out to sea

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

Come for the rural charm of this cottage. Green as far as the eye can see, near a village surrounded by rivers. Wellies essential

Eco-friendly B&B overlooking Lake Como with marvellous mountain and lake views. Heaps of space, generous hosts, a menagerie of animals

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

Special back-to-nature, stargazing loft for couples and families, on a nature-filled estate in Piedmont

A dramatic transformation of an old shepherd's cottage deep on a remote hillside in Perthshire farmland with masses of space and light

In four acres of garden and woodland (a child’s dream) a house and interlinking barn for 10 guests. Secluded but close to everything

A gem of a house; spacious, warm and hidden in a lush garden. Get together with friends to explore medieval villages and the Costa Brava

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

You have complete independence in your own wing beside the owner's house, with much space, a sparkling pool and balconies with views