The best time to visit Siena
A 30°C summer with two Palios, an autumn wetter than the winter, and a cathedral floor uncovered on a calendar of its own.
- Warmest
- July and August
- Coldest
- January, 10°C by day and 3 at night
- Rain
- November about 125 mm and ten rainy days
Three calendars that do not line up decide when to go to Siena: the weather, at 23°C by day in May and 31°C in August; the Palio, run on 2 July and 16 August but taking over the town for four days each time; and the cathedral's marble floor, uncovered from 27 June to 31 July and from 18 August to 15 November.
The year month by month
Thirty-year average from the regional weather service for Siena; a rainy day is one with at least a millimetre of rain.
The Palio lasts four days
The race is on 2 July and 16 August, but the town is taken over for four days each time, from 29 June and from 13 August. The first day brings the tratta, the draw that gives the racing contrade their horses, and the first of six trial runs; the trials run one in the morning and one in the evening. On the evening of the third day comes the prova generale, after which the contrade hold dinners for their members, with the jockey. On race day the historical procession sets off at 4.30pm in July and 3.30pm in August, and the race follows it. If you come for the Palio, plan around all four days — the race itself is only the climax.
The cathedral floor keeps its own calendar
The marble floor is covered for most of the year and uncovered from 27 June to 31 July and from 18 August to 15 November; the Opera announces the periods for each year. The OPA SI Pass then costs €16 instead of €14, and mass is said not in the cathedral but in the church of the Santissima Annunziata. If you are coming for the cathedral, pick the dates by the floor and take the weather as it comes.
WFoodWhat to eat away from the Campo, and what not to order on it:What to eat in Siena →Which month for whom
- The town without the heat — May, June or September.
- The Palio — 29 June to 2 July or 13 to 16 August, all four days.
- The cathedral with its floor uncovered — only in the floor periods.
- Winter — January and February, drier than November.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
When is the Siena Palio run?
Twice a year, on 2 July and 16 August, each time over four days from 29 June and from 13 August. On race day the procession sets off at 4.30pm in July and 3.30pm in August.
When is the cathedral's marble floor uncovered?
It is uncovered from 27 June to 31 July and from 18 August to 15 November. The OPA SI Pass then costs €16 instead of €14.
Which is the wettest month in Siena?
November, with about 125 mm and ten rainy days. July is the driest, with three rainy days.
Ready for Siena?
Where to next
Siena in 1 day
→The cathedral at 10 on a pass that takes about 2 h, the Palazzo Pubblico and the tower after lunch — and the…
San Gimignano · 30 km
→Walls with fourteen surviving towers out of what was once seventy-two, seen from the road before you even reach the gate.
How well does Siena suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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