Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Casa del Grivò agriturismo
This is the house that Toni built – or, rather, lovingly revived from ruin. The smallholding sits in the hamlet of Faedis on the edge of a plain; behind, wonderful, high-wooded hills extend to the Slovenian border, sometimes crossed to gather wild berries. Children will adore all the open spaces, the animals and the little pool that's been created by diverting a stream. Adults can relax with a book on a bedroom balcony, or in a distant corner of the garden. The walking is wonderful, and there's a castle to visit and a river to picnic by. Paola cooks fine dinners using old recipes and their own organic produce. There's a lovely open fire, and you dine by candlelight, sometimes to the gentle accompaniment of country songs: Paola was once a singer.
• +39 0432 728638, grivo.has.it, doubles from €60 B&B

Emilia Romagna

La Piana dei Castagni agriturismo
This is a secret little Hansel and Gretel house with a vegetable patch, demure shutters and lace-trimmed curtains. It stands isolated among chestnut and cherry trees, reached via a long, wriggling track; below are meadows, falling to a farm or two, and a further distant descent along the yawning valley. The bedrooms are painted in clear pastel colours, tiny pictures hang above beds and little windows set in thick walls look out over the glorious valley. The shower rooms – one of them a restyled chicken shed! – are simply tiled. Valeria lives 10 minutes away at La Civetta. She is gentle and kind and brings homemade torta di noci (walnut cake) for breakfast. She also helps organise everything from trekking to truffle hunting.
• +39 0519 12985, pianadeicastagni.it, doubles from €64 B&B

Umbria

Le Cinciallegre agriturismo
This was once a tiny 13th-century hamlet on a crossroads. Fabrizio used to be an architect and his conversion of these old houses, near Gubbio, is inspired. In the cool, beamed living room, seats pull up around a 200-year-old wood-burning stove; there's lots of rustic furniture and a fine old dresser. The simple bedrooms have their own terraces and immaculate bathrooms. You can cook, but Cristina is a wonderful chef, serving country food and Umbrian wines, so you're likely to leave her to it. Fabrizio and Cristina are passionate about the environment, their lovely natural garden, and the 10 organic hectares full of wildlife. It's a peaceful spot, overlooking a valley, meadows and woods.
• +39 0759 255957, lecinciallegre.it, doubles from €70 B&B

Liguria

Casa Cambi
You can hardly believe that such a village has survived unspoilt into the 21st century. Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena is a fairytale tangle of winding cobbled streets and medieval stone houses on a green and rocky hilltop. All around are dramatic mountains and stupendous views. A square, uncompromising castle dominates the hill; right below is Anna's entrancing house. A tiny front door (the house is 700 years old, after all) takes you straight into a vaulted room. Pale walls contrast with a gleaming wooden floor and old polished furniture. All the rooms are a delight, full of unexpected touches – jugs of fresh wild flowers, hessian curtains on wrought-iron poles, a rack of old kitchen implements stark against a white wall. Breakfast is served in the terraced garden among olive and fig trees.
• +39 0182 78009, casacambi.it, doubles from €90 B&B

Le Marche

Contrada Durano agriturismo
This hillside farm, built in the late 18th century as a refuge for monks, has been restored by an Anglo-Italian couple, Jimmy and Maria Concetta. The bedrooms are simple and some are small, but the bar and sitting areas give you masses of space. And if you're after a room with a view – of olive groves, vineyards and villages – ask for rooms one or two. There's dinner most evenings made from home-grown or local organic ingredients, and their own bread and wine. In spring and summer, walk through wild flowers up to the village of Smerillo.
• +39 0734 786012, contradadurano.it, doubles from €90 B&B

Veneto

Giardino di Mezzavilla
In a town with a history – Vittorio Veneto was the site of the Italian victory over the Austro-Hungarian forces: the end of the first world war – is a house of bohemian beauty owned by the nicest people. The pretty 17th-century courtyard is still intact, as are the haylofts, the wine cellar and the greenhouse, all enveloped by acres of garden. The character continues inside, up to two big guest rooms with sober planked floors, colour-washed walls, old-fashioned radiators, the odd antique, and comfortable beds. Janine will lend you maps for free council bicycles; her breakfasts, organic feasts of homemade everything, set you up beautifully. Or you could jump in the car and visit the Dolomites or the sea. Return to Aga-cooked dinners – fruit and veg from the garden, local meats, Angelo's well-chosen wines.
• +39 0438 912585, giardinomezzavilla.com, doubles from €70 B&B

Campania

Masseria GiòSole agriturismo
Wonderful for families, this place has 60 hectares of olive and fruit trees – help yourself – a children's playground, a stunning pool, free bikes, tennis and a relaxed, no-rules atmosphere. Or you can amble off via the orchards to the river with just the birds for company. Rooms in the sprawling masseria are large and airy with terracotta or wooden floors, high beamed ceilings and pale washed walls, and lightly sprinkled family antiques. Colourful textiles add dash. Bedrooms, some with a garden terrace, are uncluttered and restful. Nearby are ancient churches and palazzi in Capua, the royal palace at Caserta, and Naples and Pompeii are under an hour's drive. Come back to a delicious meal of local dishes, dining around the fire in winter, in the garden in summer.
• +39 0823 961108, masseriagiosole.com, doubles from €86 B&B

Puglia

Vivificante
Jane Shaw is a potter, textile designer and former teacher who gives courses in her workshop. At the heart of her house is a delightful little trullo, a traditional Apulian stone dwelling with a conical roof. There are just two rooms in the guest wing (let to one party) with terracotta floors, garden views, an art-deco bed from Naples and her daughter's artwork. Guests can relax in Jane's large sitting room, with its sofas and wood-burner. Breakfast is served in the lofty kitchen, with three skylights and a wall of wood-framed glass overlooking the garden, a work in progress . . . So far Jane has planted oranges and lemons alongside 40 established olive trees, and built a small hexagonal plunge pool for bobbing about. There's also an outdoor eating area, all mismatched wooden furniture and lanterns – lovely.
• +39 0831 380987, vivificante.com, doubles from €70 B&B

This is an extract from the latest edition of Italy: Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay (£14.99)