A friend and I share a little game. Both literary fans, there’s an unspoken rule that when we see each other, we alternate arriving with a book for the other. On one of these occasions, Still Life by Sarah Winman landed on my lap. A love letter to Florence, it’s perhaps one of the greatest novels ever written.
With every page, my fascination with Florence grew. My only prior visit was as a backpacker 25 years ago: a tired wanderer arriving on a rare snow day – exciting for residents, but less ideal when you’ve only two days for sightseeing.
When a different friend enthused about a new Florence hotel, I looked it up and recognised the owner’s name; I knew it was time to revisit the city that wears its history and art on its sleeve.
Every so often, a new hotel emerges that is so exceptional it serves as a reminder of what is possible with a striking vision. Once a grand villa and a school, the historic Collegio alla Querce lay empty from 2005 until the visionary Analjit Singh – known to South Africans as the founder of Franschhoek’s Leeu Collection – walked through its gates.
Over an enchanting three-hour dinner at the hotel, I had the story narrated by Analjit himself, pausing only to raise glasses of Franciacorta in celebration…
“As with Franschhoek, there is destiny and serendipity behind this story. The search for a property in Florence had gone on for so long that my hope began to fade. Perseverance rescued the dream, and a stroke of luck brought me to the Collegio site. Within minutes and one deep breath, I said, ‘This is it!’.
The condition of the site and structures did not deter me. In fact, I saw it as an opportunity to recreate. The buildings had personality and good bones. And above all, a soul. I could see the journey, the future hotel, the potential for landscaping, and the gardens. It wasn’t just a property anymore; it was a calling.”
A Vision Restored
Analjit’s realised vision now unifies luxurious living with monumental heritage – achieved through an endless stream of gentle nods to Firenze’s culture. The 83 rooms are angled to take advantage of the Tuscan landscape: grand yet intimate, luxurious yet refined.
A Gallery Within
The hotel is awash with art, and my South African heart brimmed with pride as I recognised names from back home in creative pieces by Barbara Wildenboer and Mark Rautenbach; sculptures by Florian Wozniak, Dylan Lewis, and Guy du Toit; and paintings by Sanell Aggenbach, Beezy Bailey, and Deborah Bell.
Stepping into the garden, I found the 35m pool to be the largest outdoor hotel pool in Florence, with a stream of loungers and cabanas cradling its edges. The adjacent Cafe Focolare offers covered and alfresco dining among ancient olive trees and golden-hued grass beds.
The pool, terraces, and gardens offer something most Florence hotels can’t: quick access to the city while also providing a classic Tuscan retreat.
From the sumptuous breakfasts and dinners at La Gamella Restaurant to coal-fired pizza by the pool and the elegant Bar Bertelli – once the headmaster’s office – dining lives up to the city’s gastro reputation. An exclusive spa furthered the relaxation, as did the range of dreamy bathtubs in the rooms.
Experiencing Florence, Differently
Seeking an authentic local experience, I turned to the charismatic Moreno Moretti, founder of Italy Charme. Having played a key role in elevating the tourist experience in his native Marche region, he now offers nationwide tours that connect guests with local artisans and allow them to share their stories.
Perusing his list, the create-your-own perfume session caught my eye. Collecting us from the hotel, our guide offered valuable insights into the city’s history as we were whisked away to an atelier.
Florence’s perfumed history began with Renaissance courts and aristocrats, and the later influence of Catherine de’ Medici helped the city become a perfume capital. Today, Florence’s olfactory library, Profumoir, celebrates the artistry of perfumery through a range of personalised encounters.
Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni, the nose behind the Maison, works in synergy with the artistic vision of Daniele Cavalli for an approach to perfumery centred on personalisation, experimentation, and sensorial storytelling.
Under their combined guidance, we embarked on our aroma journey. First, we engaged with a broad selection of the 198 notes to see which resonated most. We then narrowed this down to between three and five key scents and, with our guides’ help, created our secret-recipe blend.
Choosing a marble lid, naming our creation, and attaching a label were the final touches. The icing on the cake: having our Tuscan alchemist present our fragrance to us and share his interpretation of the notes and aromas.
Amid the array of tempting gastronomic options, the Michelin-recommended Gunè San Frediano proved a delightful discovery. With 36 years’ hospitality experience, the oh-so-suave owner, Nicola Langone, warmly told us: “It was my dream to create something special – a hymn to the women of our lives, who have left us their traditions and pieces of their heart in every recipe.”
Chef Mirko Margheri’s menu offers a four-, six-, or eight-course experience, presenting modern Italian cuisine with fine-dining twists. The duck-fat amuse-bouche, coated in dark chocolate, set the tone, followed by highlights such as Duck Bigarade Supreme, Sweet and Sour Risotto, and a host of surprises.
The words ‘Hai già mangiato?’ are displayed across the kitchen window. Nicola explains, “It’s Italian for ‘have you eaten yet?’ – asking someone, I think, is the most beautiful expression of love.”
Following Florence’s art trail, the Galleria dell’Accademia, Uffizi, and Pitti Palace remain essential visits – but the Vasari Corridor is a recent highlight.
After years of renovation, it has reopened to visitors. With a special ticket, you can enter from the Uffizi and walk over Ponte Vecchio, quietly admiring both artworks and views. At 750m long, it was designed in 1565 by architect Giorgio Vasari to allow rulers and aristocrats to traverse from Palazzo Vecchio to their Pitti Palace undisturbed.
The lesser-known Galileo Museum is a fascinating stop on the circuit, housing an extraordinary collection of scientific instruments from the Renaissance through to the 20th century – including two of Galileo’s original telescopes.
Retiring to the hotel after thousands of rewarding steps, one of the concierges asked if we’d like to visit the secret rooftop terrace for sundowners: an instant yes.
Climbing to the hotel’s highest point, we enjoyed an unparalleled 360-degree view of Florence, with Aperol Spritzes to match the sunset.
Earlier, I’d been flipping back through the pages of Still Life and had earmarked a quote: “There are moments in life, so monumental and still, that the memory can never be retrieved without a catch to the throat or an interruption to the beat of the heart.”
Returning to this space and moment would cause many skipped heartbeats for some time to come.
