The second of Siena’s two annual Palio races — the Palio dell’Assunta — takes place on 16 August 2026. The race runs in the Piazza del Campo, the scallop-shaped central square of the Tuscan city, and draws tens of thousands of spectators both in person and on broadcast. For travellers in central Italy around the Ferragosto period, attending or watching from the city is one of the most singular experiences the country offers.
What the Palio Is
The Palio is a bareback horse race in which ten of Siena’s seventeen contrade (city districts) compete over three laps of the compacted-earth track laid across the Piazza del Campo. Each contrada fields one horse and jockey; the horse alone wins if it crosses the line first, even without a rider.
The race itself takes approximately 75–90 seconds. The hours leading up to it — the procession of medieval pageantry, the blessing of the horse in the contrada’s church, the test runs over the preceding days — are what give the event its full texture. The race is the climax of a weeks-long social ritual.
The August Palio is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary (Assunta), running every year on 16 August. The July Palio (the Palio di Provenzano) already ran on 2 July 2026.
Tickets and Access
Standing in the centre: The inner track area — the Campo itself — is free and unreserved. Gates open in the morning and the square fills over the day. Crowds are intense by mid-afternoon and leaving once inside is very difficult, so arriving by 14:00 for an evening race start around 19:30–20:00 means several hours in position. There is no shade and no facilities inside the ring.
Grandstand seats: Bleachers and window seats around the perimeter are managed by the contrade and local businesses. Most legitimate tickets are sold well in advance through the contrade themselves or established ticket intermediaries — prices start at around €300 and rise significantly for premium sight lines. Ticket touting is prevalent; be cautious of last-minute street sellers.
Watching from a bar or hotel: Many bars and restaurants on the square offer paid viewings from their upper floors or terraces. Booking months in advance is necessary for the most sought-after positions.
Logistics
The days surrounding 16 August are among the busiest for accommodation in the whole of Italy. Siena is within easy reach of Florence by train (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes) and buses run frequently. Staying in Florence or another nearby Tuscan city and travelling in for the day is a common and practical approach, though even day-trip logistics require early planning given road closures around the historic centre.
The race start time is not fixed until the day before — it is scheduled to begin around sunset, typically between 19:30 and 20:00 on 16 August, though a false start or procedural delays are not unusual and the actual start can be later.
Our Tuscany itinerary guide covers how to combine a visit to Siena with the wider region.
A Note on the Atmosphere
The Palio is as much about the contrade as the race. Each district has centuries of rivalry, alliance and history with its neighbours. Locals take the result — and the jockey negotiations beforehand — with complete seriousness. Visitors who approach the event respectfully, learn a little about the contrade before arriving, and resist treating it purely as a spectacle will find it far more rewarding.