June in Florence : Giugno a Firenze

There is one historical event that overshadows all others in June in Florence - the "Calcio Storico" or "Calcio in Costume". This is a medieval tradition which has taken place in the city with only minor breaks for centuries. It is a semi-polarizing event for Florentines and not without recent controversy, including the suspension of the event for a season several years ago to excessive violence. It also closes down much of the city around Piazza Santa Croce for weeks, bringing complaints from both residents and shop owners in the area.

And apparently these longtime complaints, especially from the businesses around Santa Croce, have taken effect - the event has been moved up by 2 weeks, breaking a long standing tradition. This year the matches will be held on June 1st and 2nd, with the final played on the 15th.

It is very difficult to find an "official" website for this so I default to the Comune of Florence: https://cultura.comune.fi.it/calcio-storico-fiorentino. They have links to tickets if available, etc.

The other major end of June event is the "Fuochi di San Giovanni" or "Fire of St. John", one of Florence's patron saints (yes, this being Florence they have two). The event is held on the evening of the Feast of St. John, which is June 24th each year, and is yet another centuries old tradition, and the final part of the day long celebration. The traditional spot to watch the fireworks is from one of Florence's amazing bridges. The official website is at https://www.sangiovannifirenze.it.

The famous road race (which is more of a road show nowadays) "1000 Miglia" or Mille Miglia (the 1,000 miles) also takes place in June (the 11th to the 15th), but this year the race is not scheduled to come through the center of Florence as it has in the past. Instead it will go through Siena and Prato - but if you are in Tuscany there should be several chances to see it if you are interested.

Of course there are many other things to do and see in June but these two annual events should be on the top of your list!

Last update: June 3, 2024 12:45 PM