Relais Sant’Uffizio, Asti, Piedmont
The gently rolling hills of Monferrato are sublime: they stretch as far as the eye can see, the green rises dotted with ancient villages and towered castles. So sublime in fact, that this rural area, with neighbouring Langhe and Roero, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It’s a working landscape though, producing some of Italy’s finest wines (including Barolo and Barbaresco): nature and man working in diligent harmony.
Nestling in this verdant setting is Relais Sant’Uffizio Wellness & Spa, all burnished terracotta and red brick, on the site of a 16th-century monastery. Once a hallowed place for religious contemplation, it still offers sanctuary of a different kind, in a luxurious and elegant setting.