I

t’s practically a law of geography that every Tuscan hill town must be impossibly pretty, and every little hotel perched on its outskirts a portal to a life of simple pleasures. But even by these standards, La Collegiata stands out. Built in 1587 as a monastery, the old stone buildings and manicured gardens continue to feel like a place apart, a haven of heightened tranquility in an area that’s not exactly nerve-fraying to begin with. And just to render the modern world an even more distant memory, it’s all surrounded by a park comprised of cypress-covered slopes, with the distinctive medieval skyline of San Gimignano — famous for its fourteen ancient towers — crowning another hill off in the distance.

La Collegiata’s twenty-one rooms tend toward the rustic, though the austerity of the former monks’ quarters was at some point replaced by a more florid, antique style. If you’re after avant-garde design theatrics, this is definitely not your place; the look is old-school rural Italian all the way, with a lost-in-time charm of its own. A small, simple pool surrounded by hedges and lawns, with a constant flow of scents blowing in from the adjacent garden, prove that high-concept design is not always required for high pleasure.

The property doesn’t have a restaurant, but guests can enjoy light lunches by the pool and early evening snacks at the hotel’s bar, and the serene garden and peaceful setting still offers a relaxing environment for unwinding over casual dining and a glass of Tuscan wine.

Please note: La Collegiata is open seasonally, from April to October.

How to get there:
La Collegiata is located 35 miles from Firenze Peretola Airport (FLR), and 42 miles from Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA). The nearest train station, Poggibonsi, is 9 miles away.