Happy San Giovanni Day!

San Giovanni, the Patron Saint of Florence, is celebrated on June 24th and it is a Florence-wide holiday which means no work, no school, no stress.

In celebration, Florence holds its annual Calcio in Costume, an ancient game held in the Piazza Santa Croce which had been transformed into a sand pit where a traditional yet violent game that is part soccer, part rugby, and part boxing is played in medieval attire. The four participating teams are from different parts of Florence: white is the team from Santo Spirito, green is the team from San Giovanne, red is the team from Santa Maria Novella, and blue is the team from Santa Croce.

At night the city celebrates in an hour-long display of fireworks set off from Piazzele Michelangelo. The city is almost entirely shut down to vehicles and the streets flood with people crowding to get the best view, wine in hand.

Happy Holidays!