The tradition of the Palio is alive in Tuscany, not only in Siena but also in many medieval villages. The Palio of Campagnatico, a few kilometers away from Villa Ambretta, is held every year in September along the thousand-year-old walls.
Behind the folklore of the race in which several riders compete, each representing a district of the city, there is the life of the Contrada. Originally, the Contrada was a neighborhood that had to provide and maintain a company of soldiers for the defense of the city. Each Contrada had its coat of arms, its colours, its costumes, its symbol, its hymn and a place where the members met.
While the battles between cities have ceased, the Contrade have continued to exist and to keep their traditions alive. The preparation of the annual Palio, with the collection of funds for the training of the racung donkeys, is a pretext for many events in which all the members of the Contrada participate. During the Contrada dinners, which often attract more than a hundred people, everyone comes to lend a hand: to prepare the meal, set the tables, do the serving... and clean the dishes.
Everybody, young and old, is happily active in a beautiful spirit of solidarity. La Contrada is thus both a place of socialization, mutual aid, and friendship... which stems from the hope of winning the next Palio. The sporting rivalry with the other Contrada is alive and well all throughout the year... until victory, following which the winning Contrada has to organise a dinner for all the other Contrada!
As such, the Palio always ends with wine and laughter!