Relais La Suvera

Renaissance facts are easier to remember if they're recited from a Regency chaise longue in a lavish Tuscan hotel. Though the staff at the Relais La Suvera won't read to you as you doze, they will bring a Mediterranean breakfast to your tastefully adorned suite and re-drape an 18th Century embroidery or two.

With a history dating back to the Middle Ages, the Relais La Suvera rightly comes with its own museum. Sensitively modernized, the hotel allows guests to soak in a medieval massage bath and dine in 200 year old gardens without giving up the modern comforts of an opulent hotel.

If the historical surroundings ignite an interest in artifacts, visit the nearby antique markets for ceramics, costumes, and furniture from across Europe. For the more contemporary shopper, nearby towns Colle Val d'Elsa and Sanmezzano sell crystal and terracotta pieces, and will more than indulge any avid fashionista.