Sitting on the banks of the Arno River, Villa La Massa is an intimate bucolic oasis, located between Florence and the Chianti region. The hotel—owned by the Villa d’Este Group and member of The Leading Hotels of the World—is linked to the city center by a courtesy shuttle running daily to and from Ponte Vecchio. This 16th-century splendid mansion—surrounded by 22 acres of pristine park with lemon trees and olive groves—was turned into a luxury hotel in 1948. Its five hundred years of history live on, telling tales of Renaissance splendor and the lifestyle of Florentine aristocrats. The hotel features 51 rooms, divided between five historic buildings: the Villa Nobile, the Mill, the Villino, the Casa Colonnica, and the Limonaia. The spirit of the Renaissance is still palpable in the first two villas decorated with sublime canopied beds, frescoes, tapestries, silks, and brocades—while the other three are beautifully furnished in a more contemporary Florentine style. With its terrace overlooking the Arno river for romantic al fresco dining, gourmet restaurant Il Verrocchio offers traditional Tuscan cuisine and over 400 labels of wine. Situated in the Noble Villa, the Medicean Bar offers a wide selection of grappa, whiskeys, brandies, and cocktails. The Pool Bar is open during the summer months and is located near the swimming-pool with a view of the Arno. The Arno Spa features a Turkish bath, sauna, Roman pool with hydro-massage and sensory showers, 2 spa suites for treatment pervaded with Tuscan scents, plus gym equipment and space for yoga and floor exercises. The outdoor heated swimming pool is open from March to September with mountain bikes and a jogging track at the hotel guests’ disposal.