Il Palio of Siena

Nothing compares to the thrill that can be experienced in Siena, Italy during summer. This ancient town located in central Tuscany dates back to the 14^th century.  The fan-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town’s center square and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was used for activities such as jousting, boxing matches, and bullfights, drawing in locals and travelers alike. But once the Grand Duke of Tuscany outlawed bullfights in 1590, a new Piazza del Campo event came to life – Il Palio, a traditional medieval horse race.

Occurring twice a year on July 2^nd and August 16^th, Il Palio literally takes over Siena in the months leading up to the race. Each of the seventeen contradas, or neighborhoods, flies their flags throughout the streets. Large parades follow behind their horse and the hired jockey through the streets to the town square for practice runs. And the town swells with tourists hoping to see the once in a lifetime event.

It was an exciting experience for me. I lucked out with an Airbnb apartment steps away from the town square, and although I was widely regarded as the foreigner in the midst, I enjoyed the quasi-notoriety. Having arrived the morning of July 1^st, I got to witness the last practice run. Thousands marched behind their horses to the square, all flying their contrada’s flags in the air while singing their anthem. Even though it was just a practice run, over 40,000 people filled the square to witness the spectacle.

After a dozen expected false starts, misunderstandings, and shouting matches among members of the audience, a large cannon was fired that shocked the city with an echo, sending the horses and their jockeys off. Some trotted around the track and one or two galloped with each contrada having his own strategy. A few wanted their horse to experience a little canter around the track while others just wanted their horse to feel the track; regardless, none of what we saw that day was representative of what would happen the next. Shouting matches still broke out between the two “top” contradas, and an all-out brawl ensued. The entire crowd began to run from the area of conflict. Scared of getting trampled, I joined them and ran to the opposite side of the square until everyone suddenly stopped running which signaled that the police had broken up the fight. Very West Side Story!

The night before the final race each contrada holds a large feast for their neighborhood. Hundreds of pounds of Italian meats, pastas, and pastries are prepared to feed the masses and gallons of wine are poured. Kids take over the streets kicking soccer balls and trash while fireworks are ignited in tiny alleyways. It’s an amazing celebration that most tourists never see. Some contradas do offer “tickets” to their feasts but some ban visitors entirely; however, even if you do score a ticket, it’s very likely that the locals won’t include you in their celebratory banter.

On the day of the final race, the town is buzzing. Many spectators arrive at the square very early just to get a good view, while the members of each of the contradas line up behind their respective horses. Dressed in the colors of their flag, they wave them madly while singing with gusto. By midday, 60,000 spectators have filled the piazza, with many more spilling over the roofs and balconies. There will be numerous delays to the race’s start so if you go, be prepared with plenty of water and snacks to sustain yourself in the hot sun.

After a couple of weak cannon shots and false starts, a short nap, and an incredibly rude tourist, the final cannon fires signaling the start of the two lap race. The crowd is screaming and jumps to their feet as the ten competing contradas race for their bragging rights. Two men are thrown off their horses on the first lap, and another horse collapses.  Finally the race concludes with contrada Selva’s victory.

As with every victory, an even older tradition follows:  the winning contrada parties into the night.