Palio di Siena
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Emotions run exhilaratingly high with the colours of Siena’s 17 city quarters during Italy’s most famous palio, which takes place once on 2nd July and once on 16th August each year. Each locality, or ‘contrade’, is represented by its best horse and rider. Following an impressive procession of their banners (eagles, dragons, owls, snails and porcupines to name a few), they race through the steep streets of Siena in full costume at a breakneck speed (sometimes literally). The competitive streak is strong and the heat of the post-palio celebrations even more so, when the city is overrun with a riotous street party held in honour of the winning contrada.
3 / 5
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Photo by flickr user Capitan Giona
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