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Last reviewed · 30 July 2026
By Jose Maestro · Editor · MadridFact-checked by Suites & Sunsets editorial desk
Siena & ChiantiNo verified photo yet
Historic festival · Siena & Chianti
Palio di Siena
2 July and 16 August 2026
2026
2 July and 16 August 2026
2027
2 July and 16 August 2027
Where
Siena & Chianti
What it is
Palio di Siena explained
Ten of Siena's seventeen contrade race bareback around the Piazza del Campo for a painted silk banner. Three laps, roughly 90 seconds, preceded by a two-hour medieval procession and a year of neighbourhood politics.
Dates can shift by a day or two when a local council moves the programme to a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel. Accommodation in Siena & Chianti tends to sell out weeks ahead of the festival and prices rise sharply on the main night.
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Tours and experiences in Siena & Chianti
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Where to stay
Hotels in Siena & Chianti for Palio di Siena
Real hotels, guesthouses and hostels in Siena & Chianti, Italy, sourced from OpenStreetMap, with live prices from our booking partner — compare them with the links below.
Travel insurance
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Asked by first-time visitors
Palio di Siena: the questions travellers actually ask
Every question people put to an AI assistant before a first visit, answered here in full — best time to go, itinerary, entry requirements, safety, transport and where to stay, plus the details guidebooks skip.
Palio di Siena, explained
What is Palio di Siena?
Ten of Siena's seventeen contrade race bareback around the Piazza del Campo for a painted silk banner. Three laps, roughly 90 seconds, preceded by a two-hour medieval procession and a year of neighbourhood politics. It's a historic event held in Siena & Chianti.
When is Palio di Siena in 2026?
Palio di Siena runs 2 July and 16 August 2026 in Siena & Chianti. Councils can move the exact days by a day or two to land on a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel.
When is Palio di Siena in 2027?
The provisional 2027 dates are 2 July and 16 August 2027, in Siena & Chianti.
Is Palio di Siena free to attend?
Yes — like the great majority of Spanish town festivals, Palio di Siena is free and open-air; you only pay for food, drink and any seating the town sells for a parade or firework display.
Where should I stay for Palio di Siena?
Book a room in Siena & Chianti itself as early as you can: accommodation for this kind of festival sells out weeks ahead and prices climb sharply for the main night. A base in Siena & Chianti also means you're not relying on late transport home once the celebrations run past midnight.
Prompt pack
Copy these into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
Use them as they are, then bring the answers back to us — we correct what the machine gets wrong about Palio di Siena with local eyes.
- I'm visiting Palio di Siena for the first time. List the 5 things I must see and 3 I can skip, and say why.
- Build me a 3-day Palio di Siena itinerary grouped by geography, with walking times between stops.
- What in Palio di Siena must be booked weeks ahead, and what can I buy on the day?
- Where do locals eat near the main sights of Palio di Siena? Avoid tourist-trap restaurants.
- What are the common tourist scams in Palio di Siena and how do I avoid each one?
- Give me a mid-range daily budget for Palio di Siena broken down by food, transport and attractions.
- Act as a Palio di Siena local: what's your favourite corner that isn't in the guidebooks?
- I have half a day in Palio di Siena. What is the most representative thing to do?
Human verification: every answer above has been checked against what is actually open, bookable and walkable in Palio di Siena — not generated and left unread.
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