Palio of Siena: Guide to the City’s Historic Race

Table of Contents

1 About the Palio di Siena
2 The Four Days of Celebration
3 Tips to Prepare for the Palio
4 Conclusion
5 Pin it for Later

Last updated on November 19th, 2022

The Palio of Siena is a traditional celebration that has remained unchanged over the centuries. We had planned our entire itinerary to Italy around the event in July.

What we loved most about the experience was seeing how the entire town came together to celebrate. It was one of the coolest experiences we had during our trip! I highly recommend going to Siena to experience the race.

Before you do, there are a few things you should know. This guide to the Siena Palio covers how to plan your trip to Siena. I’ve also included lots of information about the history and traditions of the race.

About the Palio di Siena

History of the Palio

The Palio is a historic horse race that takes place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16. The first known race was back in 1310, and not much about it has changed since then. The original race took place around the streets of Siena, but the location changed to the Piazza del Campo in the mid-1600s. People come all over the world to witness this truly fascinating event, particularly because of how traditional it has remained. The jockeys still ride bareback, and each contrade has members dressed from head to toe in their traditional clothes, just like it was done four hundred years ago. Siena’s culture shows itself with the Sienese showing off their loyalty and pride for their contrada. I was lucky enough to witness this event first-hand. It was truly amazing to see this century-old tradition still celebrated so vibrantly to this day. The Palio is the most exciting time to visit Siena.

When the Palio Takes Place

The Palio has been a Senese tradition since the 1300s and takes place twice during the summertime. The first race is on July 2 and August 16 annually, with the overall event lasting four days.

Where to Stay for the Race

The best place to say is inside of the city. The city is mainly composed of small pedestrian roads, so you can easily walk anywhere. Accommodations book up well in advance for the race. Make sure you make reservations as soon as possible, especially if you are trying to get a room overlooking the Campo.

B&B Il Corso is in a perfect location, just 150 from the Piazza del Campo. Each room has beautiful wood beams and windows overlooking the city streets.
Il Battistero Siena is just over 200 yards from the Piazza del Campo. Imagine waking up in the morning and seeing the beautiful Medieval buildings and Siena rooftops from your window.
Grand Hotel Continental is near the main shopping streets in Siena. Enjoy the elegant rooms, lounge, bar, and gourmet restaurant.
Villa Elda Boutique Hotel has a rooftop terrace with a magical view of the Siena’s historic sights.

Ways to Watch the Palio

The center of the Campo is standing room only, but it is free for everyone. The majority of spectators watch the race from here. Just make sure you get there early enough for a good spot. The closer to the barriers, the better the view!

For a more comfortable view of the race, you can also reserve a seat in the stands. There are not very many seats available, so make sure to book these as far as advance as you can.

Some hotels and Airbnbs may have rooms that look directly over the Palio. If you would rather watch the festivities from afar, this could be another option. Just like with seating, make sure to reserve a room far in advance.

Visit the official website of the Palio for more information.

The Four Days of Celebration

Preparing for the Race

Only 10 of the 17 contrade compete in a single race. The contrade are chosen at random for July’s Palio. The August Palio is a little different. The seven contrade that did not get to participate in the first Palio automatically compete in the second. The last three spots are again chosen randomly, meaning some contrade can compete both times.

The actual horses for the race are not chosen until three days prior. It is an honor to be chosen as the jockey that will represent each contrade. These jockeys train all year long to prepare for this short 60-second race. The Palio is known for its bribery and underhanded dealings. It is just another part of this Medieval tradition that has not changed.

Celebrations

The Palio festivities last for four days. Many things go into this festival. Blessing the horses, trial runs, banquets and celebrations are all a large part of it. My favorite part of the experience was the celebrations. Starting at 5 pm on the day of the race, the Sienese proceed around the city streets in their contrades singing songs. Each has young members dressed in their contrade’s medieval clothes waving flags and beating drums. At night, each contrade gets together for a feast. Tables are set out throughout the Siena districts, and each contrada celebrates together.

The Race

For the race, the edge of the Campo turns into a racetrack with hundreds of pounds of sand. People either stand in the middle, packed together tightly, or buy tickets to sit on stands on the edge of the Campo. There are no gates in this race. At 7:45, the horses were paraded in and lined up on the track. A chosen rider must ride up from the back of the horses and cross the starting line for the race to begin. Although it may sound easy, by personal experience, it is not! There are so many false starts and issues that arise at this part. It took well over an hour for the race to get underway, and after about a minute of frantic cheering, it was over.

Once the race starts, the horses gallop around tight turns and narrow track to the finish line. It is not uncommon for riders to fall off. If this happens and the horse crosses the finish line first, the horse then wins the race! This may sound a little overwhelming, but I promise it is an experience that I will never forget. The energy in the city and the loyalty these families have for their district is like nothing I have ever seen before. And the best part – the day is not even close to over.

After the race ends, the winning jockey is carried through the streets, and the members of his contrada follow him through the streets singing and cheering. The rest of the night is full of more celebrations and feasts.

Tips to Prepare for the Palio

The Palio was one of the most fascinating experiences we’ve ever had! I highly recommend visiting this beautiful city to experience the historical event. However, there is a lot more that goes into planning your trip than you would think! Here are some tips and mistakes to avoid that we learned from our experience.

Book Accommodations ASAP

Hotels book up almost a year in advance in the city. Make sure to make your reservations as soon as you plan on going. We waited a little too long and ended up having to stay right on the outskirts of the city. It was a short 15-minute walk, but we would have loved staying in the city center.

Pick a Contrada to Cheer For

Everyone in Siena was dressed in their Contrada’s colors. We picked up some Contrada scarves when we got there. There are 17 to choose from!

Join a Palio Dinner

The night before the race, each Contrada has a large dinner setup outside in their neighborhood. There are seats available for people outside of Siena to join. Tickets are around 60 Euros. These traditional dinners are a great way to experience the Palio like a local.

Pay Extra for Seats

There are seats set up around the edges of the Campo to watch the race. We opted for the free option where you stand in the middle of the arena. Between getting pushed around and standing in the hot sun for over two hours with no way to sit down or go to the bathroom, those seats were looking pretty good! I am glad we experienced the race from that perspective, but I would buy a seat next time for the comfort and better views!

Make Dinner Reservations

The entire city will be booked solid during the few days of celebrations, with many people traveling to Siena for the day. Make sure to make dinner reservations to avoid a long wait.

Pack Comfortable Shoes

You will be walking everywhere in Siena, so pack some shoes you could wear all day long. Walking is the main form of getting around here!

Conclusion

The Siena Palio is one of the best experiences you can have. The history of the race, traditions, and sense of community draws thousands of visitors the the medieval city each year. I hope this post has inspired a trip to the famous horse race and will include a stop in Siena in your Tuscan itinerary.

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