Palio della Vittoria, a wild race in Tuscany!

We could have filed this article under “Tips and Recommendations”, but that would have been an exaggeration, if not downright reckless, on the part of the editorial team. The race we’re covering here, held every June 29, is highly unusual and stretches well beyond the boundaries of what most people would call “normal”. Every year, the small medieval town of Anghiari in Tuscany, Italy, comes alive for the Palio della Vittoria, an intense footrace where anything goes. And we mean anything.

A race rooted in tradition and sporting challenge

The Palio della Vittoria is no ordinary race. It’s a physical and mental test, a 1,200-metre course winding through the cobbled streets of Anghiari, culminating in a dizzying climb towards the Rocca, the town’s former fortress. In sporting terms, it comes close to a Vertical Kilometer race. The runners, representing 19 nearby villages, battle it out in an electric atmosphere, cheered on by supporters waving their community colours. Short but brutally intense, the race demands power and resilience, with gradients reaching 18% in places. Just look at the footage below! Part of you wants to be there, ready to fight for the win… while another part is perfectly happy watching from the sidelines. The scenes of runners jostling for position are bewildering. As is often the case with historic, traditional races driven by local pride, victory is an immense honour. In 2025, Luca Capacci, a local from Anghiari, wrote his name into the record books by winning the race.

The roots of the legend: a race born from history

Although the race has only existed in its current format since 1996, its history goes back much further. Its origins can be traced to the battles that shaped the region in the 15th century. The famous Battaglia di Anghiari was a political turning point for the people of the region. At the time, the town became the scene of a brutal battle between Milanese troops and the forces of Florence, allied with soldiers from the Papal States and Venice. Italy was a long way from being a nation back then. It was a patchwork of disparate feudal powers. Modern Italy is still deeply marked by these regional identities, which are often stronger than any sense of national belonging. Florence won the battle, and the Palio della Vittoria revives that memory every year. Before the race, a historical parade in period costume winds through the streets of the small town, complete with drums, flags and riders recreating the medieval spirit. The finish, in front of the walls of the Rocca, takes place in a wild, almost theatrical atmosphere. Dressed in period costume, the crowds celebrate the winner, Luca Capacci this year, like a hero.

Footage from the 2025 edition

Italy’s Palios: ancient games and brutally physical festivals

Anghiari is far from the only example in Italy. The boot is packed with traditional competitions where sport blends with folklore, sometimes with a deliberate level of violence that feels completely out of step with the modern world. These traditions have remarkable staying power. In the beautiful city of Siena, the Palio has pitted the contrade (districts) against one another since the Middle Ages in a frantic horse race where falls and dirty tactics are all part of the game. In Florence, the city of Leonardo da Vinci, Dante and Donatello, it’s not always about art. The city built its reputation as a cultural capital on the back of considerable military power that lasted for centuries. That legacy of strength lives on in the utterly mad Calcio Storico, an explosive blend of football, rugby and… boxing, where players clash in Renaissance dress to a soundtrack of jeers and cheers. Only low blows and kicks to the head are forbidden. Everything else goes in these 50-minute matches, played with an unrivalled, almost theatrical intensity. If you’re ready for it, watch the highlights of the 2024 final below… Sensitive viewers beware. In Piedmont, the Battaglia delle Arance in Ivrea sees thousands of people hurl themselves into a gigantic orange battle commemorating a popular uprising. These spectacular events are also frequently controversial.