Francesca Orlandini carefully picks up a struggling bee from the ground, then deposits it in the grass safely away from human activity. Like a mother hen watching over her chicks, she watches as the bee slowly recovers from its ordeal and then buzzes lethargically towards the hives.

This is her job. Francesca is the beekeeper at Borgo Pignano, a beautiful retreat and apiary in the heart of Tuscany. “You know, this weather really isn’t very good for these bees,” she sighs, returning her attention to our conversation. “It confuses them; it makes them lose their way.”