Palio of Siena (Palio di Siena), Siena: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

The Palio of Siena is a bareback horse race held twice annually—on July 2 and August 16—around the perimeter of Siena's shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. Ten of the city's seventeen contrade, or neighborhood wards, each enter a horse, and the race lasts roughly 90 seconds over three laps of the sloping, dirt-covered piazza. The event dates to at least the 17th century and is preceded by neighborhood rituals, a horse blessing in each contrada's church, and a procession in medieval costume. Up to 40,000 spectators pack the center of the piazza, which is free to enter. is just one of many options in Siena. Major attractions worth considering include Montalcino, Abbey of Sant'Antimo (Abbazia di Sant'Antimo), and Baptistery of San Giovanni (Battistero di San Giovanni).