Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, Florence

Set in the hills of Fiesole above Florence, Villa San Michele occupies a former fifteenth-century monastery with broad views across the city and the Arno Valley. Its 39 rooms and suites combine historic architecture with contemporary comfort, spreading through the main villa, former monastic spaces and terraced gardens. The setting is the real draw: stone cloisters, mature greenery and open horizons give the hotel a quiet, slightly removed character while a complimentary shuttle connects it with central Florence. Dining includes the panoramic Antesi, the more traditional Ristorante San Michele, San Michele Grill and Bar Doccia. A heated outdoor pool, gym, terraced gardens and the Villa San Michele Spa by Guerlain round out a stay that feels rooted in Tuscan history rather than staged as a replica of it.