The Stories of the Local Ambassadors: Discover the Palio dei Carretti di Valiano with Matteo Buonafortuna

Palio dei Carretti di Valiano: Speed, Tradition and Community Spirit

With this series dedicated to the events of Valdichiana Senese promoted by the Local Ambassadors, we share the stories and traditions brought to life by the people who make them possible: rituals that have been passed down through time and continue to live on through community participation, becoming authentic experiences every year for both those who organize them and those who take part.

In the small village of Valiano, in the municipality of Montepulciano, the Palio dei Carretti is a tradition that has involved the entire community for over fifty years. From 19 to 27 September 2026, the event will return for its 52nd edition, bringing the challenge between the contrade to the streets of the village and celebrating a tradition deeply rooted in the Valiano community.

Matteo Buonafortuna, a member of the board of A.S.D. G.S. La Rocca, the association that organizes the event, tells the story of the Palio. Born and raised in Valiano and always closely connected to the life of the village and the organization of the event, Matteo describes the Palio as something that goes far beyond competition.

The event was first held in 1975, when a group of young people from the village came up with the idea of making use of one of Valiano’s most distinctive features: its steep slope. This idea gave rise to the cart race, around which an event has developed over the years involving the contrade and also recalling the history of the village through the procession accompanying the competition.

The most eagerly awaited moment is, of course, the race. The contrade compete in two heats of three carts each. The winner of each heat advances directly to the final, where a total of four carts compete. The first to cross the finish line in the final race wins the Palio.

The carts are made of wood, and preparing them requires a great deal of work. Their dimensions and weight are essential factors, and every detail is carefully considered with the aim of improving performance. But it is not only the cart that matters: each team consists of a driver and a brakeman, two roles that require both driving skills and adequate physical preparation to tackle the course at their best.

What makes the Palio dei Carretti truly special, however, is everything that happens around the race. As Matteo explains, many visitors who come to Valiano to attend the event choose to return. What strikes them most is the atmosphere throughout the village, created by the strong attachment of the people of Valiano to the Palio and by the enthusiasm with which the community experiences these days. And Valiano itself is Matteo’s special place: the village where he was born and raised, to which he feels deeply connected and which, during the Palio, expresses its sense of community and belonging even more strongly.

Watch the full interview to discover more.
https://youtu.be/ToU18fz1mGs