A Retreat With A View
Cabana unites with Auberge Resorts' sprawling, newly-opened escape, Collegio alla Querce, hosting an intimate dinner and summer store at the 16th-century retreat, high upon a hilltop in Florence.
📍Collegio alla Querce, Florence
BY SOPHIE GOODWIN | HAPPENINGS | 16 MAY

Under the Tuscan sun, in the shadow of the Duomo, Martina Mondadori leant her discerning artisanal eye to a bespoke partnership with Auberge Resorts.
Unveiled at Collegio alla Querce this week, the collaboration includes a Cabana-curated private dining experience and summer pop-up showcasing artisan-made pieces, each carefully selected by Martina and Team Cabana to compliment the aesthetic of the Florentine hideaway.

Highlights include hand-blown Murano glass, exceptional embroidered linens, custom- designed menus and place cards. Martina focused on the rituals of la dolce vita, with the pop-up staged in a striped tent on the hotel's front lawn.
Arriving at Collegio alla Querce, Martina was captivated by the atmosphere, from the scent of cypress trees lining the drive to the play of light on terracotta walls and quiet elegance of the gardens. The creative partnership celebrates both brands' commitment to true Italian craftsmanship and design excellence.
To celebrate the launch, a cozy dinner took place in front of the jolly striped canopy with Cabana friends joining from around the world, including Vogue's Liam Hess, Business of Fashion's Vikram Kansara and Architectural Digest's Maddie O'Malley.
International guests were invited for a two-night sleepover; Jenny Walton arrived from Milan to paint by the pool whilst Maddie and Liam hit the infamous spa.
For dinner, bread salad, followed by Primavera risotto and green lemon meringue with strawberries, was served and demolished by all in attendance. Martina's nearest and dearest Cabana contributors, including Remy Renzullo, Ashley Hicks, Francesca Mapelli and Sophie Goodwin, stayed on for a night cap (of traditional Tuscan wine) before heading to their rooms for the night.
Local Florentine guests, including Maria Sole and Maria Beatrice Ferragamo, joined the international dinner, which coincided with both Amanda Brooks' and Martina Mondadori's birthdays. Francesca Mapelli and Martina's cousin, Matteo Zoppas, carried a birthday cake for each as the table burst into song.
Future guests at Collegio alla Querce will be able to mirror the launch experience. Martina has curated a unique private supper offering in the Refettorio, the property’s intimate 14-seat private dining room, with Cabana's signature tablescape available on demand.
