Siena Palio 2027: dates (2 July and 16 August), trial runs, Piazza del Campo, stands, ZTL and where to stay

Updated: 10 November 2026

The Palio di Siena is run twice a year in Piazza del Campo: on 2 July (Palio di Provenzano) and on 16 August (Palio dell'Assunta). For 2027 the Comune di Siena has not yet published the programme, times or ordinances, so this guide sets out the fixed rules of the Palio Regulations (Regolamento per il Palio, approved by the City Council in 2019) and what the Comune ordered in 2026, the closest reference. Each fact carries the year of its source; anything we did not find in an official source is marked "not confirmed". We do not sell tickets and do not recommend private sellers.

Palio dates in 2027

What the Palio Regulations say:

Art. 1 of the Regulations (City Council resolutions no. 99 of 17-6-2019 and no. 224 of 28-11-2019): the races take place in the Campo "on 2 July and 16 August every year". In 2027, 2 July is a Friday and 16 August a Monday.
Rain: under the Regolamento per il Palio (art. 90) the Comune may postpone the race to the following day, and beyond if the bad weather continues. It happens often: in 2024 the July Palio was run on 4 July; in 2026 the July race moved to 3 July and the August race to 17 August (Comune di Siena notices). If you book only the night of the Palio you may miss it: keep the next day free too.
Contrade: ten of the seventeen contrade run. The three that complete the field are drawn no fewer than twenty days before (art. 20); according to Terre di Siena (2023) usually on the last Sunday of May for July and the second Sunday of July for August. 2027 draw dates: not confirmed.
Extraordinary Palio in 2027: not confirmed. The Regulations (art. 2) say a request must be made by 31 March and needs at least ten contrade to agree; as of 10-11-2026 we found no Comune decision for an extraordinary Palio in 2027.

The tratta and trial runs: the four days before

Fixed calendar and 2026 times:

Tratta: on the morning of the third day before the Palio (art. 34), so in 2027 on Tuesday 29 June and Friday 13 August. The horses are tested, the captains choose ten and they are assigned to the contrade by lot.
Trial runs (prove): by tradition there are six, morning and evening, from the evening of the tratta to the morning of the Palio (art. 52). The evening run before the Palio is the "prova generale" (dress rehearsal); the one on the morning of the Palio is called the "provaccia".
2026 times (Comune di Siena, July 2026): evening trials with the horses out at 19:45, morning trials at 9:00, tratta with the mortar shot at 9:00, provaccia at 9:00 on 2 July. In August 2026 the regulated trials were on 11 and 12 August from 6 to 8 and the tratta on 13 August. 2027 times: not confirmed.
Signals (Regulations, art. 53): for trial runs, a white flag at the window of the Palazzo Comunale means a delay, a green flag means the trial is cancelled.
Palio day (2 July 2026 times): Jockey's Mass at 7:45, mortar warnings at 15:30 and 16:00, track cleared at 16:40, Historical Procession enters at 17:20, horses out at 19:30. In August everything is earlier (16 August 2026: horses at 19:00). The race lasts about a minute, three laps of the square (Visit Tuscany).

How to watch the Palio in Piazza del Campo

Free, but with strict rules:

Entry to the centre of the square (the "conchiglia", the shell) is free for trial runs and the Palio (Comune di Siena pocket guide "Il Palio in tasca").
On Palio day you can enter only from Via Dupré and only up to the maximum allowed: in 2026 from 16:30 to 18:30 in July and from 16:00 to 18:00 in August. Once the square is closed you cannot leave until the end (Visit Tuscany). Bring a hat and water in permitted containers.
Banned in the square (16 August 2026 ordinances): alcohol, glass, cans and metal, plastic bottles with caps and frozen drinks (from 18:00 on evening trials and from 14:30 on Palio day); chairs, stools, umbrellas, pepper spray and firecrackers; prams and pushchairs for the prova generale and the Palio; animals, even on a lead, in the square and the stands.
Children: from 15:00 on Palio day under-10s may not enter the central part of the square, even with an adult (August 2026 ordinance).
Standing on the bollards, leaning over the track or watching from rooftops is banned; entering the track without authorisation costs €100 during trials and €500 during the race (August 2026 ordinance). The 2027 ordinances are not signed yet: rules may change.

Seats in the stands

Municipal and private:

Municipal stands are the grandstands in front of Palazzo Berlinghieri. The Comune sells tickets for the tratta and the trial runs, in the square at the Casato bend, up to four per person ("Il Palio in tasca", Comune di Siena).
Prices: the latest we found in an official source are from 16 August 2024: tratta €10, evening trials €15, morning trials €5. 2027 prices: not confirmed.
Prova generale: since 2024 municipal seats are no longer sold; they go to the Magistrato delle Contrade (Comune di Siena, 25-6-2024).
The Palio race itself: seats in stands, windows and balconies are sold by private owners, not by the Comune. Prices not confirmed in an official source: always ask what is included, where the seat is and the refund terms if the race is postponed. The ordinances ban exceeding the authorised capacity of stands and terraces.

ZTL, cars and public transport

What the Comune ordered in 2026:

Local Police ordinance no. 619 of 13-6-2026 (July 2026 Palio): on 2 July the historic centre was closed to traffic from 10:00 to 21:00 at the main entrances; residents and garage owners in the ZTL (limited traffic zone) could enter until 14:00, other permit holders only until 10:00; short temporary permits were suspended from 9:45.
The 2026 ordinance has no general exemption for hotel or B&B guests: if you arrive on Palio day, plan to enter the city before 10:00 or leave the car outside the centre.
Outside Palio days, accommodation businesses inside the ZTL can register guests' number plates free of charge for loading and unloading luggage, within two working days of the transit, on the shortest route and with a maximum stop of 45 minutes (Comune di Siena, page updated on 20-5-2026).
Taxis: on 2 July 2026 the ranks in Piazza del Duomo, Via del Capitano and Piazza Indipendenza were suspended from 15:00 to 21:00. Autolinee Toscane may move bus terminals (for example to Porta Romana or Porta San Marco). 2027 ordinances: not confirmed.

Where to stay

Some practical tips:

Siena fills up on Palio days: book early and check the cancellation terms.
If you stay inside the walls, ask the property how to arrive by car on Palio day (closure times, garage, plate registration).
If you stay outside the city, check buses and the last ride back: leaving the square after the race is slow.
Tourist tax: paid separately; in Siena and nearby towns it varies by category and number of nights. See our dedicated guide.

If you run a property in Siena or the Terre di Siena

What guests ask AI assistants before the Palio:

The 2027 dates and what happens if it rains: say on your website that the Palio Regulations (art. 90) allow postponement to the next day and that an extra night is a good idea.
How to arrive by car on 2 July or 16 August: give the centre's closure time, the nearest garage or car park, and whether you register plates for the ZTL.
If you offer seats in a stand or a terrace over the square: price, what is included and the policy if the race is postponed, clear and dated.

How iQuota helps

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Frequently asked questions

When is the Siena Palio in 2027?

Friday 2 July and Monday 16 August 2027, as every year under art. 1 of the Palio Regulations. If it rains the race may be postponed to the next day (art. 90). 2027 times are not published yet; in 2026 the horses came out at 19:30 in July and 19:00 in August.

How much does it cost to watch the Palio?

Entry to Piazza del Campo is free (Comune di Siena), up to the maximum allowed and only from Via Dupré on Palio day. Seats for the race are sold by private owners, at prices not confirmed in an official source.

How much are the municipal stands?

The Comune sells seats only for the tratta and the trial runs: in 2024 the tratta cost €10, evening trials €15 and morning trials €5, up to four tickets per person. No tickets for the prova generale since 2024. 2027 prices not confirmed.

Will there be an extraordinary Palio in 2027?

Not confirmed: as of 10 November 2026 we found no official decision by the Comune di Siena.

Can I bring small children and a pushchair?

Under the 2026 ordinances, on Palio day under-10s could not enter the central part of the square from 15:00, and prams and pushchairs were banned for the prova generale and the Palio. The 2027 rules will be in the new ordinances.

Sources

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