For a day of spoiling and relaxation, I chose Hotel Boscolo, one of the centres of excellence in Milan as far as spas are concerned. 

Just walking in gives you a sense of calm and wellbeing; perhaps it is the sudden feeling of distance from the rush of the city and who knows, maybe also the idea of what is waiting for you?

Whatever the cause, I felt instantly willing to do some real relaxing. When I went to get ready, I found fruit and candlelight waiting for me, a lovely surprise to help start the day in the right mood, but I was keen to get to the Wellbeing Centre. This Spa, created by the architect Simone Micheli, with an area of 600 m (squared) and no less than 6 beauty rooms dedicated to treatments, is one of the largest in Milan.

Inside the Spa itself, the architecture is original, but all designed for relaxation: the silvery bubbles covering the walls, further enhance the effect of the pale blue light that is just asking you to be cradled and rocked by the atmosphere.

To start with, I decided to have a massage. It was not easy to choose from the delightful offers on the list; an aroma-therapy massage stimulates the senses and gets rid of stress by using essential oils: Lomi-Juma encourages an energy flow that harmonizes body and mind, but in the end I went for a Floral Massage Ritual.

This massage takes its inspiration from the Indian Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine in a ceremony that treats each part of your body, using techniques that involve also the use of little floral sachets. When the massage was over, I felt light, as if it had removed a weight I didn't even know I was carrying, I felt free of stress and regenerated. An excellent start, one might say, to my relaxation programme!

Next I went to the hydro- massage pool, which I found it very difficult to leave, but I finally decided to go for a body treatment. A professional expert started applying an exotic Honey Scrub to exfoliate my skin, then continued with the Detox Marine Algae Wrap treatment, selecting a detox cocktail specifically for my skin. At the same time a leg message to stimulate circulation, restoring them from their daily fatigue, especially from wearing heels.

After a sauna and a freezing cold bath in the reaction pool, I was ready for my face treatment and chose an illuminating one, which also included traditional cleaning and a floral bath. All that was left was to share my time between the waterfall and the relaxation zone, lulled by the relaxing sounds and images provided by a 15-metre screen inside the Spa.

When my body was ready to drop into bed, I went back to my room, lighted for a while the candles that had been prepared for me and then, with my head and body feeling as if I were floating, I fell deeply asleep in a way I had not experienced for a very long time.