Under the Tuscan sun: A Michelin-starred escape at Il Falconiere

With manicured fields, rustic farms, cypress-lined driveways, and towns clinging to nearly every hill, Italy’s Tuscany is always welcoming. I was heading to Cortona, a town with an appeal that lies in its lofty setting, splendid views, and medieval mood. It is one of the most delightful hill towns in the region, and its slow burn was accelerated after the town found fame in Under the Tuscan Sun, a must-read book.

My final destination was the Baracchi estate, a short distance from the town. This 12-hectare property dates back to 1650. The Baracchi ancestors acquired it in 1862, and it became their home, with endless vineyards, forests, and olive trees.

It all changed when Riccardo Baracchi, born 1957, fell in love at school with the resourceful, energetic Silvia. The two married, and while the husband wanted to preserve tradition, the young wife had a dream to open her own restaurant, as she believed to be destined to promote the art of Tuscan gastronomy.

Fast forward in time, ambition prevailed and the estate turned into a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant, with Silvia Baracchi holding the baton. Wanting to find a unique name with a link to old times hunting, Riccardo’s love, the name Il Falconiere was selected. The Falcon.

Since my previous visit 12 years ago, extensive renovations were made after the pandemic. The estate transmits pure luxury, offering 31 extraordinary modern and Tuscan-style rooms and villas in different sizes, from 35 to 60 meters. The rooms are scattered throughout the property, either by the two outdoor pools or the endless green groves.

Guests can relax by the pools with sun beds and deck chairs, or enjoy the luxurious spa with the heated jacuzzi pool, partly indoors and partly outside in front of the magical view. Turkish baths, saunas, and beauty treatments are all available.

But what certainly tops everything here is the gastronomy. If you spend two nights on this estate, you can combine unique experiences not to be found elsewhere.

“My passion goes for good food, good wine, and hospitality. I love to share it with my customers here. I want them to feel at home, as we all believe in Tuscany that is how to treat guests,” says Silvia Baracchi.

Participating in her daily Italian cooking class in a villa designated just for this purpose is a lifetime experience. The finest products are used, and the four-hour adventure will touch even the most doubtful person. He becomes a potential cook, eager to prepare the Italian food at home exactly like the enthusiastic Baracchi is teaching.

Sitting together at a royal table after a long evening to taste the three-course dinner you just created, under her supervision, is an exquisite experience.

Dinner at a Michelin star restaurant

ANOTHER EVENING should be dedicated to a dinner in the Michelin star restaurant. “We offer both lunch and evening meals, and a significant number of guests come from the outside as well,” Silvia says.

The dinner in a restaurant made of glass walls and roof, combined with unique hanging chandeliers, is impressive – a royal solarium. Traditionally dressed waiters provide elegance. Baracchi wines, made on the estate, are offered generously during dinner. This winery produces 130,000 bottles per year of top-quality wine, with seven types of red wine and three types of white wine.

The Tuscan dinner itself made me speechless. The carabaccia, the local version of onion soup with pecorino cheese croutons and sliced toasted almonds, was divine. The Chianina beef tartare in crispy wafers, carrot purée, and wine mayo was a gastronomical poem. The duck in honey, chili in black cabbage, and spring onions was the best ever.

The Tuscan dessert of ricotta cheese, chocolate, and alchermes liqueur concluded an evening to cherish. For my money, Baracchi is definitely one of the leading celebrity chefs in Tuscany.

From the early days, Silvia Baracchi knew she needed world fame and appreciation. Transforming Il Falconiere into a Relais & Châteaux product was her prime goal. This brand is an association that individually owns and operates luxury hotels and restaurants, most of which are historic landmarks such as castles and manor houses. Six hundred members in 64 countries are currently proud of the Relais & Châteaux emblem, including Il Falconiere, which got the desired recognition.

The major Tuscany attractions are within reachable daily trips. UNESCO World Heritage listed San Gimignano with its famous unmistakable towers, the historical center of Siena with its jaw-dropping Piazza del Campo, the spectacular Monteriggioni – a medieval stronghold, and even stunning Florence, where one loses himself in the art, history, and traditions.

A winter-long vacation is expected at Relais & Châteaux Il Falconiere, and the estate will reopen in mid-March.

Enjoying a glass of Baracchi Smeriglio Sangiovese in the estate bar after a feast, Silvia wants to talk about a memorable past visit in Israel. It was 2012 in Jerusalem, during a gastronomy promotion she conducted in Tel Aviv at the Hilton.

Taking advantage of her day off on Saturday, I showed her the Old City and made sure she would not miss a visit to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which some consider the holiest site in Christianity. “It was a visit I will cherish all my life, especially as an Italian,” she says to me.

But what struck me the most was her last sentence before my departure to Rome. “Next time I return to Jerusalem, let’s go again to tiny Lina by the church, the best hummus there is.” What an unexpected wish from a Michelin-star restaurant celebrity chef with a great memory on an autumn evening in Tuscany.

The writer is the Travel Flash Tips publisher and was a guest of Relais & Châteaux Il Falconiere, Italy.