A grand-looking villa typical of central Tuscany, Distinta pulls off a rare trick: it manages to be beautifully rustic and coolly contemporary all at once. You’ll first notice the traditional touches – earthy tones and exposed stone, terracotta floor tiles, arches and lots of 19th-century wood beams. Look closer, though, and there’s also much modernity: a smart TV, Sonos speakers, walk-in rainfall showers amid each plush suite, the most minimal four-poster bed and a concrete breakfast bar landscaping the country kitchen.

With Italy being coffee’s spiritual home, that kitchen necessarily has every type of coffee machine. Just as mandatory are the views of vineyards and olive groves from a shaded outdoor veranda, and its chunky-wood dining table. A flagstone path descends to the garden’s sun-drenched pool and recliners; close by is a ping pong table. Venture back inside to find a claw-footed pool table and a piano. After dark, reconvene at the formal dining table for food and laughter below gnarled wooden beams and chic lighting fixtures.

Close by is the acclaimed, 18-hole Castelfalfi golf course, as well as guided horse or bike rides along lush country lanes and decadent tastings in the villa’s own wine cellar. The historic cities of Pisa (and its wonky tower), Florence and Siena are about an hour’s drive; closer still are mountaintop Volterra’s extensive Etruscan ruins and local villages replete with trattorias, cafes and, oh yes, ice-cream shops. Did someone say gelato?