I'm not pazzo enough to try to see the Palio with no reservations, but since we'll be in Florence that week in August, am mulling a jog over to Siena to see the horses do trial runs on the Palio course. Have you ever done this? Is it hideously crowded? Grazie
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Vernon, Canada
32384 posts
kate, I don't know if it's "hideously crowded" during the practice runs, but it certainly is during the actual race. I watched the entire July 2 race on TV (I get a couple of Italian TV channels), and Il Campo was packed solid! The race only lasts for about two minutes, and I believe L'Oca Contrada won the race (yellow and green colors). Unfortunately, there were a couple of accidents, and I understand one of the horses had to be "put down". One of the Jockeys took a "tumble" on one of the turns as well. This seems to be a "bad year" for horses, as I believe there was an accident at the Calgary Stampede this year also, resulting in one horse fatality.