Events in Tuscany
Palio di Siena
2 July and 16 August · Siena
The Palio is run twice a year in Piazza del Campo: on 2 July, the Palio di Provenzano, and on 16 August, the Palio dell’Assunta. Ten of the seventeen contrade take part in each race, three laps of the square on a ring of packed earth lasting little more than a minute; the four preceding days bring trial races, dinners in the contrade and the Historical Procession. The dates are fixed: they do not follow the calendar and never move to a weekend.
For villa guests, logistics matter more than the ticket: the city closes to traffic, the car parks along the walls fill from the morning, and the square fills for free hours before the race. Seats on the stands and at windows are booked months ahead through authorised operators. The concierge arranges the driver, the arrival time and the evening return, when the winning contrada celebrates late into the night.
- When
Where to stay
Tripcare manages 3 houses within 25 kilometres of Palio di Siena, with in-person check-in and a concierge who knows the dates, the road closures and the car parks. Event nights are booked months ahead: the earlier you write, the more choice there is.
Why it matters if you own a villa
In the two Palio weeks, villas within half an hour of Siena are booked months ahead and sustain a higher minimum stay: the rate calendar must know the dates before the season opens.
The towns around the event
Book early
For the Palio di Siena dates the nearby houses sell out early. Write to us with your dates and number of guests: we reply with real availability and a quote within 24 hours.
Ask for availability