Il Falconiere

This comfortable Relais & Chateaux property lies just below the lovely old town of Cortona, overlooking the Valdichiana.

An evergreen favourite with an international clientele, the style is very much up-market Tuscan country estate with exposed brick, ceiling beams and terracotta floors, plus beautiful gardens scented with rosemary and lavender.

Dinner at the Michelin-starred Il Falconiere restaurant – set on a beautiful terrace in summer – is a treat; co-owner and chef Silvia Baracchi is big on local produce and her menus showcase specialities such as Chianina beef and local game, fruit and veg from the kitchen garden and the estate’s own olive oil and biodynamic wines.

This is a classic, high-end hotel – lovers of contemporary style may wish to look elsewhere.

It’s a great base from which to explore the Valdichiana and its towns, Arezzo to the north, Lago Trasimeno to the south (and across the border into Umbria) and Umbrian heavyweights Assisi and Perugia.