Cortona, Italy
Relais Il Falconiere & Spa
Foodie Favorite
What it is
A 17th-century villa reborn as a Michelin-starred restaurant and 30-room wine resort amid rolling vineyards, with a top-notch spa and al fresco pool to boot.
What it isn't
Thirsty. The on-site winery has been producing since 1860, and the estate's wines (made with oenologist Stefano Chiccioli) include syrah, merlot, cabernet, and more.
What we think
If Diane Lane’s character in Under the Tuscan Sun ever saw this place, she would have immediately given up on renovating a place of her own. Il Falconiere is everything anyone could envision for their Tuscan getaway. Copper tubs for wine baths in the spa? Check. A pristine outdoor pool flanked by daybeds? Check. A Michelin-starred restaurant that looks more like a greenhouse lit by dazzling chandeliers? Check and check. Guest rooms are visions, too, with their romantic canopied daybeds, exposed beam ceilings, herringbone terracotta floors, and stone walls; ask for one in the old manor house overlooking San Girolamo Chapel. Our favorite: the Prestige Suite, a 516 square foot fever dream with two fairytale bedrooms, two bathrooms (handy with larger groups) and exultant Tuscan gardens out your French doors.
You're here because
The hotel is a member of the coveted Relais & Châteaux network, in addition to earning a Michelin star for its dining. In short: It’s the very best of the best. Plus, it’s family-owned.
The Moment
The Michelin-starred restaurant here is tucked within a former lemon house—perhaps a visual ode to the organic, earthy nature of its dishes. Silvia Baracchi culls from the landscape to whip up her art on a plate; tonight, the ravioli medicei with ricotta and candied fruit potato cream and alchermes swirls is transporting you into outer orbit.
Restaurants & Bars
Il Falconiere Restaurant - Michelin star restaurant offering a seasonally inspired menu and wide selection of wines
Location
Tuscan wine country, about an hour and 30 minute drive from Amerigo Vespucci Airport.