Have you ever heard of Bravio delle Botti barrel race? For every wine lover or old customs enthusiast this Tuscany fiesta will be more than just an entertainment. I have been traveling to Montepulciano in Italy every single year since 2013 to join locals in appreciation of these old rituals. Bravio delle Botti makes me really think how traditions can still bond and unite people. And how unique it is to be able to take part in customs rooted back in centuries.

Bravio delle Botti is…

Bravio delle Botti is a historical festival that comes from the 14th century and takes place in Tuscany, one of the most beautiful Italian regions. Every year on the last weekend of August the scenic medieval city of Montepulciano, located south of Siena, is transformed into a place from another century.

You may be familiar with this picturesque town as it was a backdrop for many famous movies like the vampire saga of Twilight, The English Patient, In the Name of the Pope King, The Devil in Love or Under the Tuscan Sun. And if you love wine I am sure you already know one of the most recognized Tuscan wines from this region, Brunello di Montepulciano.

Celebrations start…

Celebrations start already few days before Bravio delle Botti race and during that time the city is preparing for the main part that takes place on Sunday. And believe me, this is a big deal. As back in times, the whole city is divided into districts called contradas. Each of them has its own race team that will take part in the competition. The teams are taken very seriously as they will be fighting in the barrel race to win the glory for the contarda they are representing.

Nowadays the customs are not that strict anymore but back in time inhabitants from different contradads were strongly bounded with the part of town they were coming from. One of the rules was that they were not supposed to marry a person from another contrada. That was considered as a big misalliance and could cause a dramatic situation if people from different contradas fell in love with each other.

Today it is not that dramatic anymore but in which part of the town you live still makes the difference. It means that this conrada is your team that you will be cheering up in the main race. Of course, you as a tourist are free to cheer any contrada you only wish. I will tell you in a secret that I am not a loyal fan and every year I try to support different team ;)

Sunday is a big day…

Sunday is a big day and main celebrations start very early in the morning. The whole city is adorned with flags and decorations displaying the various contradas’ colours. Each conrada has its own representatives that all dressed up in traditional costumes are marching through the city. This costume parade along the streets of the historical center is a real delight. Knights, noblemen and noble ladies, all in their spectacular outfits, will take you back in time to enjoy the magical atmosphere of the Middle Ages. They are accompanied with drummers and flag keepers and believe me, watching this performance gives real goose bumps.

After the walk through the city you can join the ceremony in the church and official procedure of barrels stamping. Each of the barrels that will be used in a barrel race is officially signated with a hot iron stamp. Now the barrels and contradas are finally ready for the main race.

The main race…

The main race takes place on a Sunday evening. Depending on the weather the hour of the start may vary. Usually it’s 6 pm but if the heat is unbearable it can be postponed until 7pm. Always check with locals what is the final time of the start. And bear in mind it may be late several minutes. Well, you are in Italy, time counts differently here.

The whole race is about pushing a barrel by two strong “spingitori” or pushers up to the finish line which is right in front of the beautiful Duomo in Piazza Grande. Back in time the competition was actually run on horseback and only in more recent times the race has been transformed in a competition with barrels.

The race track is almost one kilometer long but do not get the impression that it’s easy even if it looks so. The barrel is empty with no wine inside but it is still about 80 kilograms heavy. Imagine pushing that heavy barrel up the steep and winding way on a hot day. Saying “hard” is a big understatement. The teams that are pushing barrels must train for at least 12 months to be able to compete. The pressure is high, they are representing their contrada and, of course, everyone wants to win.

If you want to see the main race…

If you want to see the main race you need to take the strategic position. There are many people coming to see Bravio, so because of the crowd you may not be able to see anything close enough at the start or at the finish line. But there are few secret spots that you can stand at to see the teams pushing the barrels almost at your fingertips.

To enjoy the race in the best possible way go to Café Poliziano for an apperitivo about an hour before the race. Than just few minutes before the race starts find a slot at any of the small gates close to this café where you can stand comfortably. There are few of them and usually are not crowded. This is the way that racers will be running so you will see everything perfectly. Be there on time as the whole race last only few minutes and you don’t want to miss it.

You can join Bravio at many different levels…

You can join Bravio delle Botti at many different levels. Watching the race and cheering up your favorite team is of course one of them. But we are in Italy so food and wine must also be involved. Every contrada has its own wine and dine area that opens the days before main race and you can join them for a fixed price of several euros. You will be sitting outside together with other guests drinking wine and eating local dishes, just like in old times.

If there is one dish you must try it is definitely pici, the most famous pasta of this region. It’s a thick spaghetti served with tomato sauce, meat ragout or just oil and pepper. You will not get it anywhere else out of this region. I must say I do treat that wine and dine part seriously and this is always my main activity in Montepulciano.

The winner takes it all…

The winner takes it all. The winning team of Bravio delle Botti brings home not only the title and the “Bravio”, the painted cloth banner depicting the city’s patron saint. They bring pride, prestige and status of the best conrada in town. And what more, they throw a party after the race so everyone can join and party till late hours. On that night the whole city is united again, dancing on the streets, singing and celebrating not only Bravio but, like all Italians do, they just celebrate life.

Will you join them?

With love,

Betty