Bagno Vignoni, Italy

WHY GO: Remember Under the Tuscan Sun? And how the only thing worth watching in that movie was the breathtaking landscape? Well, imagine rolling out of bed, refreshed from the previous day’s yoga class, watsu massage, and aromatic facial, and enjoying an espresso on your private balcony while gazing upon rolling hills dotted with cypress trees and poppies. That’s what life is like at Adler Thermae, a half board-inclusive spa retreat located in the teeny town of Bagno Vignoni, famous for its thermal baths, which are just a five-minute walk from Adler’s luxury accommodations.

HOT WATER: Central to the menu of therapies—in particular the selection of Thalasso treatments—is the thermal water of the area that comes from deep within nearby Monte Amiata, where it seeps through the bedrock and becomes enriched with vital minerals and sulfur, then resurfaces on the hotel grounds at a temperature of 122 degrees. Take a dip in the outdoor or indoor pool and decide for yourself if these waters are, indeed, restorative. In addition to a menu of treatments that range from Ayurvedic to Oriental, the spa has three steam baths (one, the grotta del filosofo, is an actual grotto, complete with stalactites and stalagmites); an olive-wood sauna or olivae; and the grotta salina, a warm, underground, stimulating sea salt bath, which is best enjoyed solo.

GET OUT: Invigorating activities fill every day at Adler Thermae, including an entire fitness program with hiking, yoga, stretching, and meditation, as well as excursions—think bike and walking tours—into the surrounding Orcia Valley. One morning it may be a mountain bike tour to the lovely village of Pienza, where your hard pedaling is rewarded with a cheese tasting. Or, if a minibus is more your speed, hop on and cruise over to Montalcino for a tour of a winery producing Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino, and Super Tuscan wines, served with pecorino, Tuscan ham, bruschetta, and homemade cake. If you prefer to stay close (read: your spa appointment is only an hour away), walk down the path to Bagno Vignoni and grab a seat at one of the cafes overlooking the baths. At the end of the day, relax in the lounge, sipping a sparkling rose aperitif and munching hors d’oeuvre while waiting for your turn at dinner, where a veritable feast awaits: beautiful salad and cheese bars, plus your choice of entrées, many of them classic Tuscan dishes; some of them, like a consommé with Tuscan ravioli or risotto with rosemary and sausage, are prepared spa-style. But no matter how “good” you are at dinner, your willpower will be no match for the dessert buffet, filled with such delights as crème caramel, crème brûlée, fruit tortes, and cakes. If your guilt gets the best of you (true, it is a wellness spa), you can work off those calories during hydrobike the following day. But isn’t it true that calories don’t count on vacation? Let’s hope.

HOW TO GET THERE: Let’s assume that you’re traveling by train, from Rome or Florence. The nearest train station is Chiusi, and the Adler staff will arrange transportation to and from the station. Or, if you’re braving the Italian roadways, Hotel Adler is about an hour and half drive from Florence.

WHAT IT COSTS: Rates through November: for seven nights, from $1,395 per person; for four nights, from $700 per person. This includes breakfast and dinner, nonalcoholic beverages, and many fitness activities. Lunch, spa treatments, and daily excursions are extra. For more information, visit www.adler-thermae.com.

DAY TRIPPIN’: Ask anyone who’s traveled through Tuscany, and, more often than not, they will gush about Siena, a well-preserved and charming medieval city famous for its lengthy conflict with Florence. (To wit: Siena’s Duomo was supposed to be bigger and better than that of Florence, until a plague wiped out much of the town’s population, preventing the Duomo’s completion.) Even if you have no interest in seeing art and artifacts from yet another church, you must make an exception and go to the Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana, which houses works taken from the Duomo. Here you can climb a narrow staircase that takes you up high enough to see out over the city, to the lush hillsides beyond. The view from this narrow perch is worth the approximately $130 round trip cab fare. Aside from the Duomo, Siena’s most distinguishing feature is the imposing Gothic tower of the Palazzo Pubblico in the bustling Piazza del Campo, known simply as Il Campo, the city center. After a tour of city sites, settle in for a meal at Antica Osteria Da Divo, in an excavated vault just around the corner from Il Campo on via Franciosa. The food here is nothing short of magnificent. Think porcini, tomato, and watercress wrapped with phyllo; crepes stuffed with leeks and rabbit with truffle oil; and chocolate semifreddo in a  too-pretty-to-eat caramel lace cage. Buon appetito.