Stay in a B&B at the foot of Mount Etna, a 16th-century monastery on the Italian Lakes, a medieval hamlet in Le Marche - there's even an entire village in Tuscany. Find plenty to do and learn too; there are yoga retreats and art & drama workshops, we have one farm that runs pottery and textile holidays and another where you can go truffle hunting or honey collecting. We highlight places where the owners' commitment to the environment, the community or to serving local or organic food really stands out.