20 years of SIS: FESTEGGIAMO INSIEME!

Hey SIS World!  2024 is a special year for all of us.  While our ambitions for the future are as high as ever, we want to bask in memories with all of the people who made the past 20 years so wonderful.  Every single student that has ever come through our doors has had an impact on SIS and the school that we strive to create.  So, let’s celebrate!!

Palio – June 29th-July 2nd

General Palio Information

If you haven’t ever seen the Palio, be prepared for a truly unique experience.   The Palio is really like nothing else and for this reason it’s important that you know some basic information so that you’ll know what to expect and the best ways to behave.   Below you’ll find some general information, some tips and some times and meeting places for July 1st and July 2nd.

The rhythms of the Palio:  The Palio is for everyone.   It is the result of a collective effort from the Sienese, and they want it to be an enjoyable experience.   First and foremost they want to enjoy their Palio.  Whether or not visitors understand or enjoy themselves is only of minimal concern.   What we witness today is something that doesn’t really fit into our current concepts of efficiency.   It comes from a time that only the Sienese have not forgotten.  You’ll understand this better as you sit and wait for everything to begin.   While some events do have specific times, it is often the case that they are delayed and nobody really knows the exact moment they they’ll start.   

• Things will happen when they happen.
• You would be wise to go with the flow, observe, and enjoy your surroundings.   

Emotion is real:  The closest thing that we have to compare to the emotions that a Sienese person feels during the Palio is professional sports.   This analogy is not quite right though and so when we witness the emotions that the Sienese show during various different moments, it can often seem exaggerated or even laughable.   To see the tears pouring down the faces of both winners and losers can seem over-the-top for just a horse race.   That’s because it’s more than just a horse race for most Sienese.   It’s a metaphor for life’s glory and hardships.   It’s about family bonds that trace back farther than most of us can imagine.   

• When you see emotion, respect it.   
• Laughing at someone who is crying is (obviously) not very respectful.
• If you see an argument or even a fight among Sienese, don’t be afraid.  Move calmly to a safe distance and let them settle it.  DO NOT PARTICIPATE AND DO NOT FILM PEOPLE EXPERIENCING EXTREME EMOTIONS.

DO’S

• Always watch SIS staff.  Stand near where they are standing, and observe how they act.
• Contrada members and Sienese know what they are doing and SIS staff acts as they do. If someone asks you to move, then you probably should.
• Please pay attention to locals.
• Be respectful of all contrada members at all times, day or night.
• When asked for silence, be silent (blessing of the horse, during certain moments of the Palio).

DON’TS

• DON’T touch or go close to any horses.
• DON’T enter into spaces reserved for Contrada members. If you find yourself surrounded by only contrada members, you’re probably in the wrong place. Look for SIS staff.
• DON’T wear sandals in the Piazza del Campo on the day of the Palio
• DON’T drink excessive amounts of alcohol before the Palio.  On the day of the Palio, you will likely be in the Piazza for 3 hours without a bathroom.
• DON’T be obnoxious.  It could result in conflict. If you create conflict, you will be on your own.
• DON’T Take pictures of contrada members who are emotional or near a horse.
• DON’T try to console any losing Contrada members by telling them that they ran a good race.  Anything but victory is seen as a disappointment and each Contrada member needs their own time and space to come to terms with the results.
• DON’T wear the scarves of fazzoletti.  Feel fee to buy them if you want, take them home. Wearing them during the Palio when you are not an active member of a Contrada can be seen as a bit disrespectful by many.

Palio Schedule for SIS Reunion 2024 Participants

The Palio festivities and events last for 4 days, starting on June 29th.  If you plan on being in Siena for the entire event, please let us know (write to Mike at mike@sisstudyabroad.com).  You are free to join our summer students.  You can find the official times for all events here a the City of Siena website:  https://www.ilpalio.org/orari.htm
NOTE: that for all of the prove or trial races, you must be inside the Piazza at least 45 minutes before the scheduled time on this website.

July 1st

Meet SIS Staff in our offices before the trial race at 6:15 PM.  We will go to the trial race as a group.  Following the trial race we will gather directly beneath the tower, where Via Salicotto meets the Piazza Del Campo. From there SIS staff will accompany you to your Contrada dinner.   

NOTE: These dinners are often late to start and they usually drag on late into the evening.   Make sure that you are getting plenty of rest on both the 1st and 2nd!

July 2nd

Morning – Enjoy the atmosphere of the day.  REST!

2:00 PM – Blessing of a horse in a Contrada TBD

3:00 PM – Passeggiata Storica in front of the Duomo ( to see all of the Contrada members dressed in traditional wear)

4:00/4:30 PM – Last chance to use the bathroom in SIS offices VIA FONTEBRANDA 95.

4:30 PM – Go from SIS offices to the Piazza Del Mercato to enter into the Piazza Del Campo fo the PALIO!

SIS Reunion Schedule

July 3rd

NO PLANNED ACTIVITIES.   More time to relax!

July 4th

Open SIS classes

For anyone that would like, we are happy to open up two of our classes that will be taking place with our current summer students.  Feel free to join either or both!

• 9:00 AM Alice’s Sociolinguistics class
• 2:30 PM Antonella’s Medieval Art History class (that will take a walk around Siena)

SIS Reunion 2024 festivities

4:00 PM – We will begin with some speeches and ceremonies both in the space outside of the SIS offices and inside.   If you have anything to leave with SIS, please bring it at this time.   If you would like to write something on the classroom wall, be prepared to do so!

6:00 PM Aperitivo with cocktails and appetizers in the space outside of the SIS offices.   

8:00 – Dinner at the Orto de Pecci.

• if there are vegetarians in your groups please let Mike know.

** There will likely be more speeches during the dinner.  If you would like to say something, please let Mike know.

July 5th

10:30 AM – Walking tour of Siena with SIS Staff.  You may be coming with friends or family that has never been to Siena.  We’re happy to show you some of Siena’s “hidden secrets”

2:50 PM – Wine Tasting at Dievole.  Meet in front of the NH Hotel in Piazza Gramsci.  We will have a private bus that will take the group to and from the winery in the Chianti.  The drive should be about 25 minutes.   We will have a tour of the cantina and a tasting with some local snacks.   Ideally, we should be back in Siena around 6:30 PM

Can’t make it all the way to Siena?  That’s OK!

We know that so many of you would love to come but getting to Siena this summer just isn’t going to work for you. There’s a very easy and real way for you to contribute to the future of SIS.  It would be wonderful to get as many of you as possible to make a quick video of yourself talking about your time with SIS.