That’s like when, as kids, we couldn’t wait to go out to play with our friends, because we knew they’d be there waiting for us. No formal invitations and no need to make plans in advance. It’s this spontaneity and freedom that make a gathering a source of joy rather than an obligation. It’s what we all need: a touch of happiness.

By Andrea Albertazzi / Photos Bin Jia

On Sunday mornings, people gather in Piazza Affari, in the heart of Milan. It doesn’t matter if that means setting an alarm before dawn — especially if you don’t live in the shadow of the Duomo — because the spontaneous meet-up that began in 2021 and then permanently moved to Piazza Affari in June 2023 is not just a gathering for classic car enthusiasts, but a true socio-cultural phenomenon. A magnet that elegantly and respectfully demonstrates, once again, how alive the passion for cars still is. Here you can admire incredible machines, but above all immerse yourself in that extraordinary sense of community that makes the love for four wheels one of the most important values to preserve and above all to pass on to future generations. Thanks to our mutual friend Bruce Garage — automotive influencer and expert Enrico Di Mauro — we had the chance to meet Carlo Maria Del Conte, the auctor magni eventus behind this Milanese phenomenon, now famous even beyond national borders, to the point of being redefined as the Sunday pilgrimage for those who truly love cars.

Sunday morning, everyone in Piazza Affari. What exactly happens?
From 9:00 a.m., the “Piazza” begins to fill with classic cars from every era, brand, nationality and category: from small city cars to sports cars, from pre-war models to youngtimers and it all turns into a true open-air automotive museum.

Friends and enthusiasts meet, admire the cars, chat, and form new friendships, all made easier by their shared passion. Whenever I’m there, I always bring a few bottles of sparkling wine, some snacks, and good-quality salami to offer everyone. Then others arrive too. Some with a bottle, others with cookies or chips. It’s a gathering among friends and an opportunity to spend good times with our shared passion.

What do people in Milan think about it?
For many, the Sunday Gathering has become a point of interest in the city center: an unmissable event for enthusiasts, but also a pleasant stop and a curiosity for passersby and tourists.

Where did the idea of creating a “Cars and Coffee”-style gathering come from?
The idea is very simple: why not have a good reason to take your classic car out of the garage? Back in the 1990s, some friends and I used to meet in Via Turati and then go for a coffee together, but that tradition had long since faded.

So I decided to create the “Raduno della Domenica Auto Storiche Milano,” right in the city center, as a simple opportunity for classic car enthusiasts to meet every Sunday morning. It’s a completely free, spontaneous, open and non-profit gathering. I called a few friends, created a Facebook group and registered the now-famous logo with the rusty “no entry” sign. The first meeting took place on April 18, 2021, with 17 cars. Since then, the Raduno della Domenica Auto Storiche Milano has been held EVERY Sunday, first in Largo Richini and then, from June 2023, in Piazza Affari: 246 consecutive gatherings (as of December 31, 2025).

In the first year, around twenty cars would attend each time, but the number has steadily grown, already by 2023 reaching over 80–100 cars every Sunday, with peaks of more than 220 cars on Sundays before Christmas or during the anniversary celebration in mid-April.

What are the strengths that have helped build a loyal core and attract new enthusiasts?
I believe it’s the fact that it’s a free, inclusive, non-profit gathering. The chance to see cars from every era and category in one place, the pleasure of raising a glass together and meeting new friends who share the same passion, all without needing to book or feeling obliged to attend: whoever comes, comes, in total freedom.

Many participants have told me they can’t wait for Sunday morning to arrive so they can come to the gathering. It’s like when, as kids, we couldn’t wait to go out to play with our friends, because we knew they’d be there waiting. No formal invitations and no need to make plans in advance. It’s this spontaneity and freedom that make the gathering a source of joy rather than an obligation. It’s what we all need: a touch of happiness.

Now tell us something about Carlo Maria Del Conte, the classic car enthusiast.
I’m a lawyer, and I work with international contracts in the energy and industrial plant construction sectors. I love my job, but my true passion is cars: a passion I keep separate from my work. It’s a passion — some might call it a “disease” — that I’ve had since childhood, when my mother used to take my brother and me to school, first in an old Ford Anglia and later in a second-hand Triumph 2000 sedan.

My first car was a 1974 Triumph Spitfire, which I bought with the savings I earned during my military service as an auxiliary Carabiniere in Genoa and I still own it today.

I’ve never seen cars as an economic investment, but as a great love: I’ve almost always bought classic cars, even for daily use, and if I could, I would have kept them all. In fact, I’ve sold very few of them!

But my greatest passion is for historic racing cars: I’ve been racing on track for 25 years in various European championships with historic single-seaters. From the small 1960 Wainer-Fiat Formula Junior, once driven by the legendary Corrado Manfredini and Mario Poltronieri, to the 1971 March 712M Formula 2, formerly driven by Carlos Pace and Ronnie Peterson. Whenever possible, I do as much as I can myself, though my trusted mechanics prepare the cars.

I enjoy towing my race car across Europe, experiencing race weekends, spending time in the paddock with friends and fellow enthusiasts, admiring other cars, learning the stories behind machines and drivers, writing articles about my track adventures, sharing meals and living racing with the spirit of the 1960s and ’70s. The very same spirit as the Sunday gathering.

Do you think events like this help increase passion and respect for classic cars?
Yes, absolutely. On one hand, the Raduno della Domenica encourages owners and collectors to use their cars more often, perhaps in rotation for those who own several. On the other hand, it brings many curious passersby closer to the world of classic cars, helping them discover a fascinating universe full of passion and history.

Many people have brought back cars they hadn’t used for years, or restored vehicles that once belonged to their father, grandmother, or uncle and had been sitting unused in a garage.

And it’s incredible how many young people have approached this world. Being in central Milan, in a beautiful location just steps from the Duomo, is a great opportunity to introduce these cars and this culture to a much broader audience than the usual brand-specific gatherings or concours d’elegance. I believe this event has become something worth preserving and promoting for Milan, both from a cultural and a tourism perspective.

If you could add something new to your events, what would it be?
I’d love to bring some historic racing single-seaters to spread awareness of this fascinating world and show that it’s not as inaccessible as people might think.

At the beginning of September, on the Sunday of the Italian Grand Prix, a close friend and I displayed a 1990 Lola Indy Formula car with an Alfa Romeo engine in the “piazza” — something never seen before in central Milan — which sparked great curiosity and interest. I have a few ideas in mind and there may be some surprises in the near future.

You even gave away an A112. Tell us how that happened.
In recent years, I’ve noticed that many young people attend the gathering, observing the cars, taking photos and confessing that their dream would be to experience the event as protagonists, but they can’t afford a classic car.

That’s where a simple idea came from: why not make one of their dreams come true? When I was young, I would have loved to receive a classic car as a gift and if no one did it for me, today I can do it for someone who truly wants it.

So I found a beautiful 1973 Autobianchi A112 Elegant, with just 32,000 km, original and single-owner — a true classic, perfect for passing on the passion to a young dreamer. I bought it myself, without sponsors, because a gift should be genuine.

To choose the winner, I organized an old-fashioned informal contest, asking candidates to handwrite an essay titled “My Dream.” I was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and depth of the 57 submissions.

After an initial selection, I chose seven finalists and during the Christmas Party of the gathering, I made the final decision: Alice, 18 years old, whose eyes and words shone with passion. Giving her the A112 brought me immense joy. I hope this gesture inspires others, because sharing passion and happiness is the true spirit of the Raduno della Domenica.

Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to thank all the friends who understand and appreciate the spirit of the gathering which, I repeat, is completely free, spontaneous, friendly, non-profit and without any commercial intent.

A spirit that has fostered genuine friendships. A spirit that I hope will help spread our passion in the best possible way, especially among young people who are increasingly drawn to classic cars.

Of course, I would also like to remind everyone that, since we gather in a public square as private individuals, we must maintain appropriate, civil, respectful behavior — both toward the rules and common sense — so that we can continue meeting in the “piazza”, playing with our “little cars” together with friends, for the enjoyment of everyone around.