Colors of Florence - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Perhaps, temperament is the main national feature of local people. They are also quite expansive and are very sociable. Local residents are very flattered when visitors are interested in sightseeing, show excitement towards the local culture and observe historical monuments enthusiastically. If a tourist is able to surprise the locals by his/her knowledge of the city’s history and local culture, this person will earn endless respect.

Despite the fact that local restaurants and cafes provide visitors with a rich selection of alcoholic beverages, the locals are quite modest when it comes to drinking alcohol. Even famous grappa is mostly the prerogative of tourists. This drink is not very popular among the locals. Only wine remains an invariable attribute of every meal. Many varieties of wine here have a small percent of alcohol, so Florence residents can afford a glass of this drink even in the midst of the workday.

When it comes to describing work and business, they also have their own national characteristics. Informal communication is very common among the local people, so even a serious business meeting can be arranged in a restaurant or at home of one of the business partners. Businessmen believe that this form of communication makes it easier to establish contact and understanding with colleagues. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

National colorful carnival celebrations are another notable feature. They take place every year and do not remain without attention of curious tourists. Florentine Carnival is held in March and symbolizes the arrival of spring. Holidays, which were conducted in 15 - 16 centuries, are absolutely not similar to those carnivals that travelers can see these days. If earlier celebrations were accompanied by exceptionally costumed processions and folk festivals, nowadays they have a rich entertainment program. No need to say that these entertainments are mostly targeted at travellers. However, some elements of holidays remained unchanged - colorful costumes and masks, which tourists usually buy as souvenirs.

The city of Florence captivates the tourists from all over the globe at any time of the year. And even those who have visited this city already, know: for the festive mood you can come back here again and again. Perhaps, this explains why tours to Tuscany are always in high demand. For this, Florence has all the possibilities. Many international, national and local cultural events and celebrations are held here. The first interesting event takes place in January - Chocolate festival, which is the part of the "Florentine Winter" promotion event. You will have the sweetest opportunity ever to admire and taste delicious and unusual chocolate sweets and desserts. During the festival, various popular musical bands perform on the small stages. The cultural program includes a ball-masquerade, musical shows, parades.

On May 8 in Florence takes place the International festival of Irises. It lasts almost for a week when gardeners and landscape designers from Italy and all over the world gather here. This event is held on one of the most spectacular sights of Florence - Piazza Michelangelo. The Ice Cream Festival finishes the spring events on May 23. This festival is still young but has already gained a certain popularity among tourists and ice cream producers. And it's not surprising: the fame of Italian ice cream spread far beyond Europe, and to visit Italy and not try it - is equivalent to not seeing the Roman Colosseum. The festival hosts master classes, presents books, competitions.

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.