You could say "every city has its own palio". Indeed, wherever you go in Tuscany, historical events are re-enacted in shows called "giostra" (joust) or "palio".

Arezzo, too, has its own joust: the Giostra del Saracino.

The joust is first mentioned in documents dating back to 1535, but actually it is older. Indeed, before Gutenberg our ancestors transmitted customs and traditions orally rather than in writing.

At first the joust was not certainly held regularly; it was rather a way to celebrate particular events. It is only in 1931 that it was "regulated". On this occasion it was decided to held it twice a year (on the penultimate Saturday of June, at night, and on the first Sunday of September) in Piazza Grande.

The protagonists of the joust, which attracts many tourists in town, are the four historic quarters of Arezzo: Porta Crucifera (red and green), Porta del Foro (yellow and crimson), Porta di Sant`Andrea (white and green) and Porta di Santo Spirito (yellow and azure).

The rules are rather simple: each quarter is represented by two jousters who gallop their horse and a wooden lance against the "buratto" (or the King of the Indies) and its shield. On impact the "buratto" spins around and the jousters have to avoid the "mazzafrusto" (three balls of lead covered with leather) it has in its right hand. Obviously, the pair of jousters who total the highest score win the joust.

You could also protract your holiday in Tuscany in order to see the Palio della Balestra, which takes place on the second Sunday of September in nearby Sansepolcro. In this case, rather than a villa in Arezzo you could rent a farmhouse in Arezzo countryside.