3 Best Day Trips from Florence | Condé Nast Traveler

"Although Relais Sant’Elena Tenuta Gardini, a secluded Italian farmhouse, looks like an old, historic property, it was actually built in 2008. Flora and fauna dominate the grounds; the main building is covered in cascading ivy, and there's a rose garden where you could easily while away an afternoon. Each room is individually designed with a panoply of colors, fabrics, and prints; historic details like stone accent walls and wooden beams; and antiques from the owner's own collection. The food here is the real draw though: much of it comes from the organic gardens right on the grounds. Breakfast, for example, is a theatrical production that's included in the room rate, taking over a 19th-century farm table each morning: homemade jams, fresh pastries and breads, local yogurts, charcuterie, fruit, eggs, and cheese, including pecorino and ricotta, all presented with Instagram-worthy flair." - Bridget Arsenault