Historic festival · Siena & Chianti
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
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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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. It's a historic event held in Siena & Chianti.
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.
The provisional 2027 dates are 2 July and 16 August 2027, in Siena & Chianti.
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.
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.
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Editorial summary produced with AI support and reviewed by a human editor. Facts are as reported by the sources linked in the text. Verify anything important before you act on it. Spotted an error? Use the contact form and we will correct it.
Last reviewed · 30 July 2026
Prices & times
All prices and times on this page are estimates and change often. They are a starting point from an independent editor, never official or guaranteed figures. Always check the final price and the opening hours with the official venue or operator before you book or travel.
Checked · 30 July 2026