Montagnano – Sagra della Nana, History and Theatre

Montagnano between Festival Tradition and Local History

Montagnano reveals its distinctive character above all through a closely connected blend of culinary tradition, historical heritage and cultural events. A major annual highlight is the Sagra della Nana, which has taken place every year since 1973 at the end of September in the premises of the Oratory of Montagnano. This makes the village an interesting destination if you want to discover Tuscany not only through its well-known cities, but also through local festival culture and traditional specialities.

Nana, Pici and Unsalted Bread

The name of the festival refers to nana, the local dialect term for duck. At the Sagra, it is prepared in the oven and traditionally as “impillotata”. The term therefore represents not just a single dish, but also offers insight into the culinary heritage of the Valdichiana area. Historically, duck was one of the preferred animals slaughtered for food by the rural population of this area.

Pici al sugo di nana is also part of this tradition. In addition to other ingredients, minced duck meat is used for the sauce. This makes it possible to trace the connection between the festival, regional history and cuisine through different preparations, without reducing the tradition to a single festive meal. Another characteristic detail is Montagnano’s traditional bread, which is made according to a recipe without salt.

Montagnano as a Fortified Village with Changing Allegiances

Montagnano was an old and important fortified settlement that came under the authority of Arezzo Cathedral in the 12th century. This history gives the village a distinct cultural connection that extends beyond its present-day festival tradition. Montagnano retained a certain degree of autonomy until 1774; afterwards, it was reintegrated into the community of Monte San Savino. Anyone interested in the development of Tuscan villages and their changing political affiliations will find here a concise local history with clearly defined historical turning points.

Theatre for Adults and Children

With Il Giogo, Montagnano also has a cultural programme featuring theatre groups from various parts of central Italy. The programme broadens the perspective on the village with a performing-arts event that reaches beyond the local area. Il Giogo also includes the children’s theatre programme Il Gioghino. For families, Il Gioghino adds theatre for children to the programme, while adults can gain an insight into different parts of central Italy through the participating theatre groups.

Getting There by Bus

Bus route I is relevant for travelling to Montagnano: it runs through Montagnano between Badia al Pino and Monte San Savino FS. Montagnano is therefore located on the connection between the two aforementioned termini.

If you would like to extend your research to other destinations in Tuscany, you can also include [Capolona](Capolona), [Penna](Penna), [Campoluci](Campoluci), [Sant'Andrea di Sorbello](Sant'Andrea di Sorbello), [Badia Tedalda](Badia Tedalda), [Castelfranco Di Sopra](Castelfranco Di Sopra), [Santa Firmina](Santa Firmina) and [Anghiari](Anghiari) as well.

For the overarching travel overview: Arezzo.