The town of Montepulciano is a town famous for its wine and, certainly, those interested in Tuscan wine will find incredible wineries to visit and taste wine in the vicinity, charming restaurants where delicious meals are perfectly paired with excellent vintages, chic bars to share a bottle with their travel companions, and some great shops to purchase a bottle of wine to enjoy as they relax in one of our amazing Tuscany villas if they spend any time in the area. However, if you also like somewhat unusual events and traditional festivals and celebrations on top of tasty wines then it would be best to plan your vacation in Montepulciano during the month of August, around the time of the Bravio delle Botti. This somewhat bizarre but very exciting and interesting event is a rather special annual race that takes place in town each summer and sees representatives of the different neighbourhoods of Montepulciano compete by dashing through the pretty historic centre while pushing a giant wine barrel. Though the sight of it might momentarily make you concerned that you have been indulging in the local speciality a little too liberally, we can assure you that this silly and fun event makes for the best opportunity and time of year to get to know Montepulciano.
Although the modern iteration of the Bravio delle Botti only actually dates back to 1974, it is, in fact, the replacement of a much older local tradition, a horse race like Siena’s famous Palio that dates much further back to 1373. For those who are interested in the fun and tradition of such events but who might have some qualms about the horse racing aspect of the Palio, this is a perfect alternative and is still just as exciting.
Involving teams of two competitors that represent each of the eight different contrade (Cagnano, Collazzi, Le Coste, Gracciano, Poggiolo, San Donato, Talosa, and Voltaia), or districts, of Montepulciano, the race requires these teams to roll an 80kg wine barrel between them through the streets of the town from the Colonna del Marzocco to the ending point in the Piazza Grande. About 1800m in length in total and almost entirely uphill, with narrow streets, difficulty in manoeuvring the barrels themselves, and the eight teams running neck-in-neck against each other, it is a highly challenging and thrilling race that often sees collisions take place. The race kicks off at 7pm and the winners are given a traditional hand-painted cloth bearing the image of the patron saint of the city as well as the glory and honour for their neighbourhood.
In addition to the chaos and excitement of the race itself, Montepulciano is decorated with banners in the districts’ colour, there is a procession through the town with all of the participants in Medieval costume on the day of the race at 3pm, and there are all sorts of parties, events, and celebrations before and after it takes place. Held on the last Sunday of August each year, the 2022 edition kicks off on the 28th of August and is sure to be another fun-filled and unique event.
Those who love the more bizarre and unusual traditions of different destinations, as well as some excellent beverages to pair with them, should definitely start browsing our villas in Tuscany and our holiday rentals in Montepulciano and consider planning a trip to this wine hot spot come the end of August this year as the Bravio delle Botti perfectly fits the bill. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, this really is a sure-fire way to have some serious fun while on vacation in Tuscany!
