July 2nd – Palio is Tuscany’s most
celebrated festival that takes place twice a year. The horses and neighborhoods parade through the town and
are blessed by the bishop. It is a
bareback horse race first recorded in 1283.
The jockeys represent 10 of Sienna’s 17 contrada (districts); the horses
are chosen by the drawing of lots and are blessed by the local contrada churches. The race itself lasts only 90 seconds. The first horse over the finish line (with or without a rider) wins. We had wine in a local pizzeria in Sienna.