Tuscany

Those of you biking around Tuscany or enjoying the Palio horse races in Siena next year will want to know about the debut of Castel Monastero. Set in the heart of Chianti, a mere 20-minute drive from Siena, the boutique resort is perched on a hilltop, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. The 76 rooms and suites are nestled within the walls of an 11th-century medieval village. Inside you’ll also find the first Italian restaurant opened by British chef Gordon Ramsay, the madman behind Hell’s Kitchen. For Castel Monastero, he has wisely scoured the countryside taking the finest Italian offerings—pecorino from Fossa, lamb from Zeri, onions from Certaldo, and the highly touted Chianina beef—to create a tantalizing menu. It doesn’t hurt that the restaurant overlooks a 15th-century piazza and the barrel vaulted wine cellar downstairs dates from the 13th-century. An added bonus is the ten treatment rooms in the spa and three outdoor pools.