Today we took an 8am train to Siena to see the first day of the four day build up of the Palio. I had booked a tour guide to take us round the area and teach us all about Siena and the Palio. We met our guide Margarita with her preplanned identifier of standing on the platform with an open red umbrella.

She gave a brilliant tour around the city including the Duomo that was the inspiration for Florence’s own Duomo. The cathedral was highly decorated and beautiful artwork adorns the walls and ceiling. Odd to see the  construction of the cathedral’s extension was halted by the black plague but the propleof Florence then seized on this and invaded imposing restrictions on any further building. Margarita also stopped occasionally to show us the best shops to sample the local food plus let us buy some rolls and cake for lunch. The atmosphere was absolutely buzzing with all the contrades showing their support by wearing their family scarfs and singing songs at their enemies. At 1pm we headed into the square to see the lots being drawn for the allocation of horses to the contrades.

With the first trial run scheduled for later that evening we decided to hang around to see the event. So fuelled by more ice cream and pizza we re-entered the square at 6.30 with loud bangs going off to indicate the track need to be cleared of the restaurant tables and chairs that overlap onto the temporary track.
Each horse and their rider were led in and cheered by over 100 following members of the contrade. 

The trial like the race was brief and over in minutes with most racing half heartedly but a couple going full speed around the track. The horses were then paraded back to their contrade followed again by a couple of hundred of their singing supporters.

We had a wonderful day in Siena and highly recommend going during the build up to the Palio and our tour guide.

Simon