There are many simple and typical rustic dishes that are characteristic of the cooking in the area: wheat and maize, bread, oil, beans milk and …good wine are among the principal ingredients, the excellent local dish is pici: a pasta made with flour and water that 'sticks' the fine strips to the palm of the hand. With the same pasta (but with an egg added) macaroni or fine tagliatelle are made. Panzanella is made with stale bread,

  The growing wine in the area is very high, as the pleasures of the Nobile di Montepulciano wine have been known at least since the 8th century AD.
At the beginning of the 1800's Repetti in his 'Geographical, Physical and Historical Dictionary of Tuscany' mentioned an 'instrument' dated 17th October, 1350, in which in Montepulciano there was established a society of wine merchants

For many centuries, at least until our time, Montepulciano has been the cultural centre of major importance of the western Valdchiana . The theatrical activity is documented up until the end of the second half of the 15th century: existed at that time an Academy (called the Raggirati) and was often requested by the Municipality to provide various functions and support of. Performances. At this Academy the 'Intrigati' was performed (from1706),

   The city is constructed along a ridge, which varies in level of between 50-60 metres and is reflected along the 1½ kilometres of main central street, that starts at the Porta al Prato and goes up to the Piazza Grande: the houses are arranged along the main street and in a series of short and narrow streets, often steep and more or less perpendicular. 

The city of Montepulciano has a past tied in part to two important regional cross roads (From Chiusi to Arezzo running south to north, and from the Valdorcia to the Valdichiana and to Trasimeno running east to west) and its strategic position at the border of the area of influence of various powerful, medieval based cities (Orvieto, Perugia, Siena, Florence).