The Contrade in Italy

Contrada 

Contrade (plural) 

A contrada is simply an Italian district 

or what we might call a neighborhood, 

a tightly-knitted neighborhood proud of its communal history. 

Each contrada serves as the community in which its residents 

celebrate life events together. 

Contrada della Selva

Siena boasts the most well known of the contrade - 

there are 17 of them here. 

During celebrations,

streets are lined with the identifying flag of its contrada

Nobile Contrada dell’ Aquila

Twice yearly, representatives from 10 contrada 

participate in the Palio di Siena. 

(Other cities also have the Palio.)

The Palio is a bareback horserace 

in which the jockeys

attempt to beat their rival contrada. 

The Palio dates to medieval times 

and replaced bull fighting. 

(Yay to that.)

The streets fly their flags 

and the riders wear their respective colors. 

A contrada headquarters.  Horses enter below, people above. 

We just missed the Palio di Siena. 

But the excitement was still in the air 

with the flag lined streets 

and the residents still discussing the results.

Piazzo del Campo, where the Palio is held. 

Oh, and you aren't a member of a contrada by moving in to the neighborhood, 

you are born into membership. 

So the best you can do now is 'adopt' a contrade, 

which is exactly what our 

Rick Steves' tour guide, Tricia, did. 

Tricia shows the flag of her adopted contrada, Contrada della Torre

Until visiting Italy, 

I never heard of the Palio. 

But wow, how exciting would 

being an observer be?

Siena's Contrade

More of my photos from Siena are here.