Palio di Siena, from a private balcony

Ninety seconds. That is how long the Palio lasts, and how long the whole of Siena holds its breath.

We arrange a balcony on Piazza del Campo, above the tufo track and the crowd packed into the centre of the square. Aperitivo before the corteo storico, a contrada dinner the night before if you want the city as its own people live it, and a guide who can tell you why the horse matters more than the rider.

Dates are fixed and immovable: 2 July and 16 August. Balconies are private property, and there are only so many of them.