Mapping SIENA

Born last year, the Siena and Stars festival is in its second round and continues to bring more great live music to one of the most beautiful locations in Siena's city center. With a focus on some of Italy's greatest singer songwriters the festival opens with  Antonello Venditti (11/7) in piazza del Campo (concert for free!) followed by  Franco Battiato on July 15. The Sicilian pop star will be accompanied by Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, one of Italy's leading symphony orchestras.  The international highlight of the festival takes place on July 18 with the 'Balcan Party' by Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral band - a concert that should get everybody off their chairs. The same counts for the Tarantella night with Ambrogio Sparagna and the Orchestra Popolare Italiana on the 17th of July.  Getting ready for Siena and Stars  If you rather let other people do the dancing, come on the 22nd to admire the ballerini of Milan's teatro della Scala ...

You'll be hearing a lot of singing this summer from the neighborhood of the dragon (contrada del drago), which won the July Palio 2014. It was a clear victory with the horse Oppio guided by jockey Salasso dominating the race after overtaking the leading Aquila and runner up Pantera and Selva early on. Contrada del drago will celebrate 37 dinners this summer, one each for every victory (the first verified one dating back to 1650).   10 out of Siena's 17 contrade still have a chance to win a title this year. Set to participate on the 16th of August 2014 are: Drago (dragon), Giraffa (giraffe), Pantera (pantheress), Civetta (owl), Valdimontone (ram), Leocorno (unicorn), Aquila (eagle), Bruco (caterpillar), Chiocciola (snail) and Selva (forest).  In 2014 four contrade won't have participated in neither of the two Palio: Nicchio (Shell), Torre (tower) and Oca (goose) haven't been drawn whilst Istrice (porcupine) would have had the right to participate in the Augus...