Italy is also known for its strong and famous football clubs and talented football players. If you are the great fan of this game, then the festival of medieval football or Calcio Storico Florentino is a must-visit event for you. It takes place every June and coincides with the Day of the City. People dressed in colorful costumes play this game since the 15th century in the squares of Señoria, Santa Maria Novella and in the Basilica of Santa Croce. There are no strict rules in this game, the main aim is to score a goal. Medieval football is something between the Greco-Roman wrestling, football, and rugby. The whole game looks more than spectacular: players in colorful suits, judges in the outfits of past centuries and ancient architecture, against which the action takes place. All this is accompanied by the sounds of trumpets and fanfares. After midnight, colorful fireworks complete the event.
At the beginning of September (06.09-07.09) in Florence, there is a Festival of Lanterns. According to the Catholic calendar, these dates correspond to the birthday of the Mother of God. Its origins date back to the 17th century. Gradually, this day turned into one of the largest city fairs. The townspeople, who believed that the dressed peasants were not dressed enough, gave them the nickname "flashlights". The procession, which passes from Santa Croce to Piazza Santissima-Annunziata, is headed by the Cardinal.
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