Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, is a Renaissance masterpiece where cascading terraced gardens above Florence set the scene for flourishing dialogues over food, wine and culture. Carved into the Fiesole hilltop, the hotel is a work of art inside and out. From its façade attributed to the School of Michelangelo, to the woodlands where Leonardo da Vinci first attempted to fly, this 15th-century monastery intrigues with its layers of rich heritage.

Forty-two individually designed rooms and suites are arrayed across the monastery building and gardens. Most sumptuous of all is the Limonaia Villa, set in the former 17th-century orangery, a palatial dwelling for up to six people with a heated plunge pool.

The immaculate gardens burst with local botanicals, jasmine, lemon trees and fragrant roses. The heated pool, perched on the hillside, offers breathtaking views of the Arno Valley. There is also a treatment room and a panoramic gym.

The restaurants take centre stage. In the romantic, arched La Loggia, creative fine dining is on the menu while vistas embrace the silhouetted domes and turrets of the Florentine skyline. Nearby Bar San Michele is a venue for botanical cocktails, enhanced by views of the stars through the glass roof. Ristorante San Michele champions Slow Food specialities of Italy, while beside the pool San Michele Grill serves up enticing wood-fired pizza. 

Sunset garden events range from complimentary concerts to mixology and calligraphy workshops. A courtesy shuttle runs into the heart of Florence. The concierge can arrange customised activities, including visits to exciting contemporary artisans, city excursions in an iconic Ape Calessino and Florentine food tours.