In 1951 at the age of 13, my grandfather, Antonio Ricci moved with his family from their homeland of La Marche in Italy’s mountainous, central Adriatic region, to Tuscany. There, they bought a small plot of land and began farming in the countryside outside of San Gimignano in the vicinity of Siena. In 1956, Antonio and my great grandfather built the house where our family would live until 1972. In 1963 he married my grandmother Rina, and shortly after the couple had 2 children, my mother Grazia, who runs the inn and my uncle Franco who runs the vineyard with my grandfather. To this day, we all work in the family vineyard and country inn. In 1972 Antonio built a new home for us and my great grandmother Zefferina, in which we all lived until 1990. This building now houses the inn, or “agriturismo,” beautifully renovated for guests. In 1993 we took the official name La Roccaia for their hilltop agriturismo and vineyard.

La Roccaia is located near the historic Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano. Immersed in the silence of the ancient countryside, our vineyard and inn stand out amongst the hills that surround it, providing our guests with a peaceful and restful stay in welcoming, heated rooms and flats. Enjoy wine-tasting and genuine local products... and in our large dining-room, try our delicious dishes of traditional Tuscan cuisine... or do so 'al fresco' in our garden, where dinner is served outside in summer. For more than twenty years, La Roccaia has offered its guests a tranquil stay in the midst of nature, just a few steps from Italy's most famous art towns, in one of the most beautiful and exclusive parts of Tuscany.

The region was settled by ancient Etruscans who created its first major civilization and a transportation infrastructure that spread its agriculture, mining, and vibrant art throughout the continent. It is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and of historic figures such as Dante, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, da Vinci, Galileo, Puccini, and many others. Today, Tuscany is home to six localities designated as World Heritage Sites: the historic centers of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Pienza, and the Val d'Orcia. Also renowned for its cuisine and wine, it is one of the world's most popular travel destinations.