The summer sun beats down on the tiles of Tuscany. Flags and banners sway in the breeze. Men and women garbed in the colours of their ward pageant around a city that looks a lot like a theatrical backdrop. Troupes and fanfares, jesters and damsels; the Palio is quite a spectacle. Twice a year in Siena, the city steps back in time and puts on one of the greatest shows on Earth. Ten horses, ten riders, one prize. We’ll take you there, with luxurious lodgings and front row seats to all the action.<\/p>\n
Siena heaves during the Palio. The streets swell with locals all vying for a glimpse of the gallop. In a tradition almost as old as the race itself, it\u2019s only through straining the sinews like the winning steed that you\u2019re guaranteed a peep of the action. Well, that\u2019s usually the way things pan out. This time, things are going to be a little different. On the afternoon of the race, we\u2019ll spirit you away from the hustle and bustle of the Piazza del Campo, taking you to an exclusive room overlooking \u2018La mossa\u2019 \u2013 the startline, to enjoy your private lookout. This is the climax of the festivities and where the drama of the Palio starts. Just below you, nine horses await bareback, their riders primed for action, hooves scuffing the earth until the tenth pair bolts through the line and the race begins. Three terrifying laps ensue, as passion boils and partisan locals goad their riders to victory.<\/p>\n
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Make the most of your time in Siena and explore the duomo<\/em> and the city\u2019s marvellous piazze<\/em>. Take in the Renaissance masterpieces of the Sienese School, sample exquisite Tuscan wine and soak up the atmosphere of this warm, convivial region.<\/p>\n Set amidst an old Tuscan hamlet in the hills of Chianti Classico, settle in at Borgo San Felice and savour traditional Tuscan delicacies and wines. It\u00a0makes for a truly unique backdrop to your Tuscan adventure. But the best way to really get a panoramic view of the beautiful surrounding rolling countryside, and sign off your time here, is to soar high above the hillside on a hot air balloon ride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The summer sun beats down on the tiles of Tuscany. Flags and banners sway in the breeze. Men and women garbed in the colours of their ward pageant around a city that looks a lot like a theatrical backdrop. Troupes and fanfares, jesters and damsels; the Palio is quite a spectacle. Twice a year in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101059,"featured_media":264731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1456],"tags":[],"country":["Italy"],"class_list":["post-185126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-us","country-italy","region-florence-and-tuscany","month-august","month-july","type-experience","feeling-contentment","need-to-indulge","need-to-discover","what-culture","what-unusual","who-couple","who-solo","who-with-friends"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nKing of the castle<\/h2>\n