Driving through the Tuscan countryside’s rolling verdant hills is a Sunday ritual for brothers Niccolò and Filippo Ricci. Their father, Stefano Ricci, founder of the luxury lifestyle brand that bears his name, taught them to drive on these roads and instilled in them an appreciation for beauty in all things, from stylish vintage automobiles to Florentine craftsmanship.
For the Ricci family, these picturesque roads have long been a lifeline, a great connector of all of Tuscany’s heritage and beauty, as well as their own legacy. In their Aston Martin DB4, they zip through the narrow, winding streets, from the highest peaks overlooking the iconic Duomo, past vineyards and ancient cypresses, then down to the center of Florence, where landmarks like the Ponte Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery are reminders of their home’s—and their family’s—storied history in the arts.
When at last they turn up the drive leading to Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection, they feel a kindred connection to the great minds of the past: The storied 16th-century estate was once the very place where they studied—a former educational institution where they spent their formative years, as did their father, along with many other notable Florentines. Now, the Riccis return to supplant the memories of their youth with alfresco lunches at Cafe Focolare and classic Tuscan-inspired dinners at the destination restaurant, La Gamella. Negronis at Bar Bertelli, formerly the headmaster’s office, are a new experience entirely (no doubt, cocktails were frowned upon back then), and the former chapel where the brothers received their first communion is now an elegant event space.
The road to Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection is familiar to Florentine natives Niccolò and Filippo Ricci, who were educated at the former school.
Collegio alla Querce's bright and airy destination restaurant, La Gamella, serves locally sourced ingredients and wines inspired by the Tuscan countryside.
Collegio alla Querce’s light-filled conservatory, with its abundance of greenery, is the perfect place for reflection.
At Collegio alla Querce, Bar Bertelli is in the former headmaster’s office, where portraits of the school’s top students still hang.
Niccolò and Filippo enjoy a cocktail in Bar Bertelli.
“It’s emotional to see Collegio again,” says Niccolò, CEO of the family business since 2007.
Like the historic, frescoed rooms of Collegio alla Querce, the Riccis can trace their own Florentine lineage back several generations. That deep-seated heritage inspired the elder Ricci to dedicate himself to sustaining the city’s historical crafts and cultural institutions.
Stefano learned about Florence’s silk heritage from his mother, who owned a silk-robe workshop neighboring the family home. In 1972, he began making a collection of silk neckties, which over the years expanded into tailored shirts, suiting, leather goods, and silverware, all made by local artisans.
“These traditional crafts flourished in this region since before the Renaissance,” says Filippo, Stefano Ricci’s creative director. As fewer apprentices joined the trade, the Riccis encouraged a new generation to train with master artisans in their workshops. “We didn’t want to lose the history behind these traditions.” Today, the company employs nearly 400 craftspeople at their workshop just outside of Florence.
The Riccis have also been an active presence in preserving Florence’s culture and heritage. In 2010, Stefano purchased Antico Setificio Fiorentino, an 18th-century silk-weaving mill that makes fabric for some of Florence’s most beautiful homes, museums, royal houses, and historic palaces—“all on looms that are hundreds of years old,” Filippo adds.
The Ricci brothers share a passion for vintage cars. Niccolò drives a 1960 Aston Martin DB4.
The brothers learned their love for vintage cars from their father, Stefano Ricci.
Filippo takes his 1966 Jaguar E-Type for a spin.
Niccolò and Filippo Ricci’s Sunday drives through Florence often end at Collegio alla Querce for cocktails and dinner.
The Ricci family also supported restoration of the Medieval Volumes of Art and Crafts, historic texts documenting Florence’s earliest trade guilds. On the 40th anniversary of their father’s founding of Stefano Ricci, they donated the lighting for the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria outside the Uffizi Gallery to illuminate the city’s historic sculptures. And on the widely celebrated 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, in 2019, the family sponsored the lighting of the Ponte Vecchio, where their good friend Andrea Bocelli performed—looking dapper in a Stefano Ricci tuxedo, of course.
The Riccis’ love for their Tuscan roots is more than mere appreciation—it’s an everyday way of life. They hunt for truffles in the countryside and frequent the region’s wine estates (Tenuta Setteponti is at the top of their list). They also indulge in the city’s world-renowned gastronomy. “From simple trattorias to Michelin-starred restaurants, we can enjoy the best of everything,” Niccolò says. Their favorites, he adds, are the three-Michelin-starred Enoteca Pinchiorri, and the more intimate Osteria delle Tre Panche, which he says is “a truffle haven.”
The brothers’ Sunday drives combine these local pursuits with yet another family passion: vintage cars. “My father has been a car enthusiast all his life, and he passed this tradition to us,” says Niccolò. Stefano’s first car was a gift from his own father—a Porsche 914/6 he received at age 20, which he sold to fund his business, only to repurchase it two years later. Stefano’s wife, Claudia, has raced in Italy’s Mille Miglia in her Jaguar XK140, and Stefano also participated in the race, with his Lancia Aurelia B22.
Niccolò and Filippo favor historic Ferraris, and they share an Aston Martin Le Mans 1933. “This car is really a piece of history,” Filippo says of the Aston. “Only 20 were made and even fewer of them are still running.” It’s one of their chosen vehicles for their Sunday drive traditions, where the sense of heritage and family lineage is just as real as the feeling of the wind in their faces. And now, they have one more stop on their weekly route: Collegio alla Querce, resting on a hillside, with bird’s-eye views of their magical Florence.