Palio
 

We will be around Siena on 7/2, any advice on the Palio? We do not have tickets. We will be travelling with 3 kids & thought it would be an amazing event to view.

It IS an amazing event, but tickets are also hard to come by. When we went, we had our tickets a few months in advance. You might get lucky, I suppose, but if you don't, keep in mind that you can watch the practice races, usually a day or two in advance, for free. And you can join in the post-race celebration that spills all over the city for free, too.

Carol: Went to Palio in 1980 (!) when studying Italian in Florence. What an experience. Be prepared to an extremely crowded Piazza del Campo. It's the big thing of the year for the Sienese people (second race is on August 16). They go for the best places (no seats though) very early in the morning. We did not find them too friendly though; they consider the Palio "their" thing and we felt not that welcomed, although we tried to start to make some conversation with them. Nevertheless, we did enjoy it. Go for a stroll after the race; it's quite something and the whole town is a big party. At that time, it was free. Sorry, cannot tell you whether tickets are being sold now. Enjoy and have a good time.

We will be around that area on 7/2 also. Does anyone know where tickets can be purchased?

Checked <BR>www.initaly.com/ads/palio/paliotix.htm <BR> <BR>Says seats are sold out for July 2. You can always stand in the Piazza. But as mentioned, it's very crowded and best places are obviously reserved hours ahead by the locals, usually young people and great fans of the horse of their contrada (sp?)

Thank you for checking Ursula. I wish I thought of this months ago! Maybe we will go to Siena a day or 2 before to watch them practice. That sounds like it would still be an interesting experience.

Went there several years ago but had to leave the day before the actual race. However, the festivities and parades and fanfare were a real happening that I'll never forget. These go on almost all day for a few days before the actual race. The race is over quickly and is almost anticlimatic, I understand. Your kids will love it. Take lots of film.

I would be concerned about your children's safety if they are small. Siena is terribly crowded at Palio time and once you are standing in the center of the campo, you are stuck there for hours unless you faint and have to be carried away by the paramedics--and yes, many do. We went with Italian cousins and their then 6 year old was very frightened of the crowds and in tears because a couple of the horses fell. I agree that it's a Sienese thing and tourists are just tolerated at best. Even in a party of 10 Italians, we felt a bit out of it. The night before several of the contrade sell tickets to their dinners which are held at long communal tables outside in various areas of the city. One of our group had connections to the Selva contrada and it was great fun to see the singing and cheering and the meal was excellent. But, again, it's a Sienese thing, not really for tourists. The day before the race, there is a "dress rehersal" and it's fun to see the costumes and pagentry. If you want to sit down, you must have a ticket for this as well. The celebrations after the race are good fun until the wine really starts flowing and then the fights break out among the young guys. Nothing serious, but pretty chaotic--a lot of fist fights and shirt tearing. Also, as someone else says, Siena is totally absorbed during Palio week so you'll not see the city in its normal state. All hotels will be sold out and restaurants fully booked. I would evaluate all this carefully travelling with kids.

Several years ago ('98/99?) we were in the area at Palio time and would go into Siena most days to see what was happening--always something! Dress rehearsals of the Contrada marching bands, horses IN the churches receiving blessings, children running around waving their Contrada flags, a jousting contest!!! One day went to the Duomo gift shop and purchased postcards of all 17(?) Contradi, then walked around town til we'd located them all. (They hang gorgeous ceramic and paper lights on the streets and alleys depicting their symbol so you kow exactly whose territory you're on!). Then, and sorry to be so long winded, for the race itself we went to Montalcino. This is the sister city of Siena (where the nobles hid out during attacks or some such) and most of its citizens are still very loyal to the Sienese contrada of their ancestors. There were TVs everywhere! The wine was flowing (free and EXCELLENT!). Everyone was very friendly--sharing more fascinating details than we could ever absorb. As stated above, the race is over in about 3 minutes...we had dinner with some happy "Caterpillars" and "Snails" that night! (PS: There were a lot of children at the Montalcino festivities.)

We were in Siena in 1999 for a few days either side of the Palio. For the few days before hand there are practice races, selection of the horses and parades throughout the city. On the day of the palio itself you should get to the campo early where it is free to watch from (you only pay to be in the terraced seating around the campo. Pick a spot in the shadow of the bell tower as you will have to wait for hours and will get fried otherwise. The square slowly fills up until there is hardly room to move and when the race starts everyone goes crazy. It is actually quite hard to see much, but the atmosphere is out of this world. I wouldn't be too sure about taking young kids as you have to wait around for hours, get very hot and then have to jostle with the crowds (although we found everyone to be very friendly). Still, we'll be there again this year!

I'll second the caution about taking young kids to the free areas of the Palio - mostly in the center of the campo. The day we were there it was incredibly hot, and there was a constant stream of medics passing prone bodies up over the crowds, racing across the track (avoiding thundering horses), and shoving them into ambulances, which were waiting at every portal of the campo. Besides, kids would be completely unable to see anything, given their height and the intense crowds.

topping for wendy...we went to siena day before and day after. walked around all the districts with the scarf we bought showing them all as couldn't find the postcards and it was a great way to tour the town. lots of activity everywhere. went to montalcino for the race as was suggested and had a lovely time with many freindly strangers in a wine bar on the main street. i hope to go again someday. if you want to try the race itself, it's still pretty early so you might be able to get tickets.

Topping for animal lover.

Carol<BR>I'm in agreement with Kam/St.Cirqu. The Palio is amazing but getting tickets even with tickets consider the heat, and the crowds. It would not be unusual for it to be 90 or hotter in a dry heat with no shade. Without tickets you can sometimes get under the bleachers to see, but not well. As the drinking continues so does the singing, noise and possible fights. For adults it can be real fun and an amazing event. W/children I'd be more cautious.

......keep in mind that if you are in<BR>the campo the authorities close off <BR>the compound and you cannot leave for<BR>three hours - no washrooms!!! <BR><BR>3 kids, 3 hours, 0 toilets = 4get it!

I am from Siena and a proud member of the Caterpillar contrada, for us the Palio is not a horse race but a way of life and its an event that we live in our districts 365 days a year. When I take guests to "live" the event I only take them if they can stay in the city for at least 6 days, so much is going on and just to understand the rivalries and strategies one needs a few days. I can tell you that for this year forget being able to get tickets, you might find them at the very last moment if you are lucky. For me though the 2 main events to see are the extraction of the horses that takes place on the 29th of June (be in the square at 12.30 pm) and to be able to participate at the dinner each district organizes in their streets the night before the race (we Caterpillars will be about 3000 people seated). If you want I can get you the tickets for the latter as long as you promise me that you will bring the Caterpillar good luck!!

I saw the Palio in 1986 and thought it was AMAZING! Definitely hope to go back there some day to see it again. I went with some friends from Florence -- we decided to go that morning -- and we stood in the piazza. I could not see everything because of the large crowds and tall people in front of me, but I saw enough. The race is over SO fast -- isn't it just 2 times around the piazza? So I don't know if it's worth it (unless you're from Siena) to pay for the extremely high priced tickets to sit in someone's home to watch it. All of the pomp and circumstance was so incredible -- the flags, costumes, and colors of each team. "Oca" (duck) won that year, by the way. And all of the fans whose horse did not win that day were weeping in the streets. This is a race that is taken very, very seriously, and has a long history.

Dario, what the "extraction of the horses"? Is there a web site that discusses the aspects of the Palio?

I think the "extraction" refers to the elimination rounds, not all 17 horses run the Palio.

I would like to be in the area next year, but I am soft when it comes to the injuries of animals and children. <BR>I think the horses run on the cobblestones with just straw strewn around. What happens to the horses if they fall? Or should I ask.....

Ok I can see that many people here don't really know much about the event. Only 10 of the 17 districts race because all wouldn't fit in the square, so the 7 which didn'nt get to race last July will be racing this July plus 3 will be drawn out of lots. The extraction of the horses that takes place 3 days before is again a lottery to see which district gets which horse as you do not choose your horse. The 10 captains of the districts racing after having viewed about 80 horses will have a meeting and select 10 horses for the race. The selection of the 10 is normaly done with a certain criterium, a couple that have already raced and won a Palio, another 3 or 4 that have already raced at least once and the others that are at their first experience, this is done so that the extraction is very exciting because obviously you hope to get the best and conseguently become favourite for the victory. The jockeys are a consequence of the horse that you get, you get a good horse you will hire a top jockey, you get a bad horse you hire a jockey that is less famous.Then comes the strategies, the captains will pay other distrits to help you to win and your rival will try and prevent you from winning. The race last 1 minute and 10 seconds and its 3 times around the square, bareback. The square is covered with sand. The palio is a painting painted on cloth and its tbe prize for the winning district. If one wants to get a full idea of the whole event one should stay a whole week in town and I suggest to read the book written by Alan Dundes "La Terra in Piazza, an interpretation of the Palio" its very well written.

Message: Dear Animal lover, I am like you I love animals and I am also from Siena and I love the palio, we are very angry with the terrible things people write about "our" event. I can tell you that if a horse get injured (it can happen in any race) the districts do not kill it but pay for him to be maintained in a special farm outside the city for the rest of his days, we normaly don't boast about this because the palio is ours and we really don't care what people have to say, Anyhow the horse gets the glory not the jockey and for our victory banquet he has the honor to eat at the head of the table! Also I can see the usual ignorancy on this thread, the race is raced on a sandy surface not on the pavement as Lou writes!!<BR><BR>

Thanks, Dario.

I have seen this race on television in past years.......What course does this race follow? <BR>I was in Sienna last year and did not see any sandy surfaces. Is the sand trucked in for the race?

Yes the sand gets tracked in 1 week before the race and then taken out the day after, the operation is repeated in August

I was in Siena in July of 2000 right after the Catipillars won the July Palio! Though we were there a few days after, the celebration it was clearly still going strong. LOUD and strong as the Catipillars came throughout the night to sing in the She-wolf (their great rivals),gloating for their win at the Palio. Sleep was impossible, though we didn't mind, knowing it is a hundreds of years standing tradition.

Dear Siena lover<BR>In July 2000 the Palio was won by the Porcupine (who are in fact are the enemies of the She-wolf) The last time the Caterpillar won was in 1996 after 41 years of non victories!! Actually last century we were the contrada with the least victories- 1907-1912-1922-1955-1996- A curiosity if you add up 7+12+22+55 = 96

I apologized to you on the other Palio thread, hard to keep up with the various discussions. Is there a web site where the past winners are noted? Also is the book you recommend in English. Ciao.

Dear Lou<BR> The book I reccomended is written in English (the title is in Italian, La Terra in Piazza), you can find all the statistics about the Palio if you click at http://www.comune.siena.it/contenuti...alio_index.htm

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Are there any helpful Siena contrada members out there that could help out 2 adults with July 1 banquet tickts? Thank you!!!

catgirlinsc: what do you mean banquet tickets for the night before the race? I will be in town that night and for the Palio and would love to know what you are referring to...

-Chris