Palio di Siena

What the race is

The Palio is a bareback horse race around Piazza del Campo, run on 2 July (the Palio di Provenzano) and 16 August (the Palio dell'Assunta). Siena has 17 contrade, the neighborhoods that compete, and ten of them race each time: the seven that sat out the previous year's race take part automatically, and three more are chosen by draw. Each contrada's jockey and horse run three laps of the piazza. The race itself lasts about 75 to 90 seconds, and the winner gets no cash prize, only the drappellone, a hand-painted silk banner.

The start, the mossa, can take a long time: the starter drops a rope when the field is in position. A historic procession in medieval costume, the Corteo Storico, with flag wavers, comes before the race.

In 2027, 2 July is a Friday and 16 August is a Monday.

The trial days

The Palio is a four-day event, not a single evening. Six trial races, the prove, run in the Campo before the race. In 2026 the pattern was this:

• Three days before: the horses are assigned to the contrade by draw at 7:30am, and the first trial runs at 7:45pm.

• Two days before: two trials, at 9am and 7:45pm.

• The eve: a trial at 9am and the prova generale, the dress rehearsal, at 7:45pm.

• Race day: the provaccia at 9am, the horse blessing in each contrada's church at about 3pm, the historic procession at 5pm, which lasts about two hours, and the race at about 7:30pm in July. In August the race is about half an hour earlier, at around 7pm.

Standing in the Campo

Standing in the middle of the Campo is free, and it is extremely crowded. Access closes once the square is full. One guide advises arriving at least 90 minutes before the start, and a commercial Palio guide says to be in before 10am on race day, with the barriers closing around 3:30pm. Once inside you cannot leave until the race ends. Children under 10, dogs and glass bottles are not allowed in the central zone. The same guide warns of about 32°C on the day and says to bring water, a hat and sunscreen.

Seats, balconies and windows

The seats around the square are on private property: balconies, grandstands and windows. There is no central ticket office. Grandstand or balcony seats start from about €276, and premium balconies and packages with accommodation cost much more. One commercial guide quotes €460 to €690 for a balcony at the mossa and up to €1,000 for a private apartment balcony.

Getting there

Most visitors arrive from Florence, and the Siena day trip from Florence compares the bus and the train. Reinforced train services run on race day. If the race is on your list for the evening, remember that you cannot leave the central Campo before the race ends.

Where to sleep

One commercial guide advises booking hotels inside the walls 12 to 18 months ahead, and says prices roughly triple on Palio nights. The Campo and centro put you within walking distance of the square. Camollia is the base for buses, and San Martino is the quieter of the four bases in where to stay in Siena. A farm outside the walls works if you have a car. If you book late, Florence is the fallback, and the page on Tuscany in seven days has a route that takes in both.