Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection has partnered with historic Florentine gelateria Vivoli for a summer pop-up serving gelato and affogato beside the hotel’s pool.
Announced on 27 July, The Gelato Atelier is running from June through September 2026 on the Pool Terrace. Available exclusively to hotel guests, the experience centres on a cart serving a selection of Vivoli’s flavours each day. No advance reservation is required.
The collaboration forms part of Auberge Collection’s Summer Together campaign, a global programme built around destination-led experiences for families and friends.
Vivoli affogato by the pool
Vivoli’s signature order is an affogato, pairing gelato with warm espresso.
At its Florence shop, Vivoli calls the dessert La gran crema al caffè. The family business began as Vivoli Dairy in the Santa Croce district in 1929, before moving into gelato production during the following years. According to Vivoli’s official history, the business remains under fourth-generation family ownership.
Vivoli says its gelato is made by transforming raw ingredients without additives, preservatives, emulsifiers or dyes. Its original shop remains close to the Basilica of Santa Croce and many of central Florence’s principal sights.
Younger guests at Collegio alla Querce can also create desserts with help from the hotel’s chef, choosing toppings to decorate their gelato rather than ordering directly from the cart.
Gelato at Il Bosco
Vivoli’s summer offerings extend to Il Bosco, Collegio alla Querce’s seasonal poolside restaurant among olive trees and terraced gardens. Open for lunch and drinks, the relaxed dining space serves dishes shaped by seasonal produce alongside chilled wines and aperitif-style cocktails.
The restaurant and Pool Terrace form part of an 83-room estate overlooking Florence. Collegio alla Querce occupies restored 16th-century buildings that later served as an elite boarding school for more than a century. It is Auberge Collection’s first property in Italy.
Set on a hilltop above the historic centre, the hotel offers access to Florence alongside the quieter atmosphere of a Tuscan country retreat. Its gardens rise through a series of terraces, placing Il Bosco and the pool within the estate’s greenery.
The Gelato Atelier continues daily at the Pool Terrace until the end of September, with service reserved for guests staying at Collegio alla Querce.
