Like all the best big secrets, Palazzo Di Varignana is impossible to keep confidential by those that know about it. Its preternaturally beautiful setting amidst the Bolognese hills is worth shouting about alone. Just outside Bologna, you’re in for a scenic treat from the city’s airport (just 20 minutes) and into vast bucolic acres. The resort itself is an Instagram-worthy picture enveloped by landscaped gardens, attractive terraces and water fountains, which all complement the restored splendour of the 18th-century Palazzo perfectly.

There are 155 bedrooms in all, plus six luxury private villas close to the resort. Interiors are unfussy and slick with an Italian flair for design. Wellness-themed Vital Suites are often chosen by those visiting the resort for VARSANA SPA, Palazzo Di Varignana’s sprawling wellness facility with hammam, sensory showers, bio-sauna, Finnish sauna, steam bath, ice waterfall, Kneipp circuit and brand new medical centre. There are also seven outdoor pools (be sure to take a dip in the salt-water crystal pool with whirlpools) and one indoor pool with hydromassage jets. Tennis courts and a high-spec TechnoGym are on-site too, plus opportunities to enjoy yoga sessions sessions, Nordic walking and bike tours around the resort’s farm estate.

But it’s possibly Palazzo Di Varignana’s three restaurants that draw the most attention for their use of produce grown on-site and sourced from the fertile surrounding land. The resort’s extra-virgin Evo Oil, Green Gold dictates the menu and the surrounding vineyards (Sangiovese and sparkling wines) are now flourishing.