When I first read about the Sensoriale Spa in Tuscany it was listed in the Sunday Times Travel Magazine as the best value spa in Europe.  But what really sold me on it was the description of the big red egg; aka The Room of Interior Silence.  When I found the website and read the details I was even more drawn to it; a red womb-like egg in which all you can hear is evocative ethereal music.  I know it looks and sounds impossibly Austin Powers but I just really, really wanted to give it a go.

So was the egg everything it was cracked up to be?  (Pun intended!)  Well, you’ll have to read the review to find out, but the trip was more than worthwhile even if we hadn’t visited the spa.

For a start I got to visit one of my very best friends in Rome, then take off with her for a girls only weekend in the tiny Tuscan town of Chianciano Terme, experiencing along the way Italian rail and bus connections - not half bad.

With our hotel only a few minutes from the spa it was a great chance to relax, floating from the spa to the hotel and then wandering only another few minutes up the road to the Piazza Italia for dinner, then back for a great night’s sleep.  For me it was then an early morning exploration of the old town - meeting Orla for coffee and lunch in the ancient square as if it was what we did every other weekend.

And of course, as always, exquisite Italian food and wine - first in Rome, then in Chianciano Terme, where we were spoilt for choice with the local delicacies before finally heading back to the train station via a gelateria (ice cream shop).

It was my first time in Tuscany, and like so many popular tourist destinations, there’s a lot to live up to, but it lived up to all my expectations and more.  My real regret is that we didn’t have more time to explore the area, but there’s no reason why you couldn't stay for two, three or even more nights here.

A quick visit to the very well run tourist office and I immediately found two enticing ancient spas to visit nearby, which offer a more rustic, outdoor experience (next time!)

We were a bit limited because we used public transport but in some ways this made for a more relaxing break.  Otherwise, rather than sauntering up to the old town for a leisurely lunch, I would probably have been trying to talk my friend Orla into jumping in the car to fit in at least one more spa visit!

This really is a destination to return to, either just for a leisurely day or two, or to go crazy for the wealth of local produce, wine and, of course, spas.

It’s also extremely affordable with reasonable family run hotels, cheap train tickets and busy local spas, even with more expensive international flights.  On my flight home I picked up a travel magazine in which I saw a review of a sumptuous Tuscan spa hotel, with a one night stay from £430.  Tuscany and Italy in general can be very expensive, or you can just spa, sleep, travel and eat like the Italians do and relax for a little bit longer.  After all, when in Rome...