More than a simple horse race, Il Palio di Siena, held twice a year in July August, is the culmination of an ongoing rivalry and competition between the contrade , with part of the game being to prevent a rival from winning.
When the winning silk is presented to the victorious ward the spectacular celebrations start immediately and are something to behold. Resplendent in the colours of the city wards contrade ten horses and their rider's race bareback three times around the circular Piazza del Campo in the city centre. The winner is the first horse to cross the line, with or without its jockey. The race is preceded by a spectacular pageant, the Corteo Storico , which includes flag wavers in medieval costumes and a squad of carabinieri on horseback, wielding swords, demonstrating a mounted charge around the track.
After complimentary airport lounge access, board a flight to Florence. Upon arrival we've arranged a private car transfer to the Castel Monastero, your accommodation for the next three nights. Stay: Castel Monastero, Tuscany. Siena also has a rich tradition of arts and artists and many well known Renaissance pieces still remain in galleries or churches in Siena.
Back at the hotel, enjoy your complimentary spa treatment, and access to the acqua benessere area of the spa. In the evening enjoy a typical dinner for two including Castel Monastero wine selection. Meals: B D. This is the day of the Il Palio and a chance for you to savour the pomp and pageantry of this event. Throughout today you'll be able to experience the traditional build up to the Palio including the 'Jockey Mass', celebrated by the Archbishop of Siena and followed by the final trial, known as the provaccia.
The Palio di Siena is an important event for locals, both in culture and in tourism. Locals spend most of the year planning for it. The Il Palio Siena really is an event lasting four days. The first day is filled with drawing lots and horse assignments for each contrade. There are 17 contrades, but only 10 are allowed to compete for safety reasons. Those contrades not participating the last race are automatically entered while a lottery is held for the last three spots.
Contrades can pick their jockeys, who ride without saddles, but horses are drawn in a lottery. Pure bred horses are not allowed. Officials prepare the race route with dirt, set up bleachers and other activities to accommodate 50, people. Six heats are held over the next three days.
Race day is a spectacular event that begins with an 8 a. It culminates with a the Corteo Storico, a fabulous pageant complete with Medieval costumes, flags, and sword-wielding carabinieri on horseback. Throngs of thousands are invited to dine outside in each contrade prior to racing.
The race starts at p. Have you been dreaming of Tuscany? The Tratta or trials begin at am where small groups of horses run three laps around the Campo in the presence of the Mayor, while being scrutinized by the captains.
The aim is to select evenly matched horses with a preference for strong and fast horses on the hard ground but also not too exciteable. They also look for horses that are good at turning right which is unusual for a race horse. At midday, the Mayor and officials of Siena sit around a table on a stage in the piazza for the Assegnazione.
The assignment of each horse is one of the most important moments in the four days of the Palio, an event in itself. Everyone gathers in the Piazza del Campo and holds their breath while the Mayor first pulls out the name of the horse from one box followed by the name of Contrada assigned to it.
As opposed to the jockey who has been carefully selected by each contrada but who can also be changed at any time up until the morning of the race, the horse is permanent and cannot be substituted.
Each contrada and more importantly the jockey will only have a few days to get to know his horse before the big race. After each horse is assigned, there is either a large cry of jubilation or a more subdued reaction from the contrada as there are obviously favourite horses that everyone hopes to get.
The groom commands huge respect from the contrada and the horse will be treated like a god as he may well bring home the honour of a Palio win! It is from this moment that the strategies really come into effect. They say that to come second in a Palio is worse than coming last. Equally shaming is if you lose on a favourite horse. In the evening of the selection and allocation of the horses to the contrada, the first trial race is run.
Six trial races are run in total to acquaint the horses with the Palio procedures and noise, and build suspense ahead of the main race. The last trial race is held on the morning before the Palio.
Corruption and bribery are commonplace, prompting the residents of each contrada, known as contradaioli, to keep a close watch on their stable and especially their rider as it is the fantino or jockey who really commands the race. As most of the jockeys come from Sardegna where bareback racing is a common sport they usually do not have an allegiance or loyalty to any one Contrada.
The jockeys will change contradas if a higher bid is offered and are also known to bribe the other jockeys to give them any advantage during the race.
The night before the race, there is a special dinner held in each participating contrada. There is much singing of traditional songs as hundreds of contradaioli come together. With the exception of their main rival, agreements are made with as many contrade as possible. The race is held in the evening but the day starts early. After this each captain takes their chosen jockey to the city hall to present their name to the mayor and to receive the contrada silks that the jockey will wear during the Palio.
Up until this moment no jockey assignment is final. Once everyone fills the space in the center of the piazza, the gates are closed so they must stay there until the race is over. Before the race, the Corteo Storico historical parade takes place. Over seven hundred people in traditional medieval dress march from the Duomo to the Campo — flag throwers from each contrada walk alongside contrada leaders and jockeys.
Also in the parade are representatives of the contrade who are not participating in the race. Sienese government officials, policeman, representatives of towns and villages owing allegiance to Siena and representatives of the main guilds of Siena are also in the large group.
The Corteo Storico finishes in the campo and finally it is time for the Palio. They also use the whip to beat other jockeys and horses during the Palio as they attempt any means possible to remove the rivals from the race. The nerbo is made from a dried, stretched phallus of an unweaned calf, and is about two and half feet long. This is decided moments before the race. Painted balls representing each contrada are randomly drawn to decide the order of the line-up with the first contrada having the best position on the inside of the track.
He has also been approved by each Contrada leader. There is a hushed silence in the piazza as he calls the horses to take their position one by one, leaving the tenth one, the rincorsa, to run in from behind. This is the worst position is to be in. The rincorsa waits behind the other horses until the right moment when he runs forward which is the signal of the beginning of the race to everyone else.
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