00:00If you want to enjoy the city of Florence without actually feeling like you're in the middle of a
00:03city, you need to start planning your visit to Collegio alla Querce. What was once a private
00:07school for iconic Italian names like Ferragamo is now the number one hotel in Florence. And
00:12despite its transformation into a luxury hotel, so much of the property still reflects its history.
00:17The headmaster's office? Now it's Bar Bertelli, where you can end the night with cocktails and
00:21cigars. The 19th century chapel is fully restored and now possibly one of the dreamiest places to
00:26get married in Florence. It's honestly hard to pick my favorite part of this property,
00:29but if I had to narrow it down, it would be the food, the design, especially the courtyard,
00:33and the pool. One minute I was walking through the bustling streets of Florence on a hot summer day,
00:37and the next I was sitting by the pool, listening to birds chirp, and eating an octopus salad surrounded
00:42by the Tuscan hills. Then I was learning how to make tiramisu with the hotel chef himself before
00:46sitting down for one of the most memorable meals of the trip at La Gamela, Collegio's signature
00:50restaurant. As a travel editor, I've stayed at countless properties across Europe, but Collegio
00:54alla Querce has quickly become one of my favorites. It has the serenity of a Tuscan countryside escape,
00:59the food you come to Italy dreaming about, and all of the elegance and romance of Florence
01:03in one incredible place.
