Castelfalfi

Charming as they are, rustic little farmhouses aren’t the only way to do Tuscany. Sometimes a full-on luxury resort is precisely what’s called for. In fact even that label fails to quite do justice to Castelfalfi, which is rather more like a luxury village, set on a 2,700-acre estate with commanding views of the surrounding valley, complete with vineyards, olive groves, multiple restaurants and bars, a 27-hole golf course, and even a boutique hotel-within-a-hotel set in the property’s historic tobacco warehouse.

The accommodations in the main building are perhaps the more lavish of the two, with rooms that start out large and quickly begin to sprawl. The interior style is contemporary, as is the construction, and while the look may be understated, the comforts are anything but — and the views of the postcard-perfect Tuscan countryside are extraordinary.

There’s no end of ways to pass time, from the golf course and the spa, with its massive pool, to hiking, biking, horseback riding, or tours of the countryside — by Vespa or Ferrari, naturally. La Via del Sale is Castelfalfi’s flagship fine-dining restaurant, and it’s joined by Giglio Blue, serving lighter fare by the pool, and Ecrù, the bar with its expansive terrace. Safe to say there’s no danger you’ll go for long without good food or fine wine.