La Frateria di Padre Eligio

La Frateria di Padre Eligio Review

It's not an overstatement to say that this former convent, founded in 1212 by Saint Francis himself, remains a spiritual place. Guest rooms, occupying the original pilgrims' quarters, are simple in the finest sense—with terra-cotta floors, stone walls, exposed ceiling beams, rustic wooden furniture, and museum-quality medieval artwork—but a far cry from the austere cells they must once have been. The restaurant ($$$$) is one of the most sophisticated in southern Tuscany, serving eight-course set meals that make full use of the gardens and wine cellar. The flowered courtyards and grounds, spread along a wooded hillside, are immaculately maintained by young recovering addicts who've found a higher path.