When someone says Florence, most people think of Botticelli, Brunelleschi, or the Ponte Vecchio. But this city has another face—raw, instinctive, and ancient. Every June, when the air is thick with the ripe summer sun and the evening bells slowly mingle with the chirping of crickets, Florence seems to travel back in time. Because something awakens that is more than just a game. More than a sport. More than tradition.
Calcio Storico Fiorentino — the historic Florentine football. Or as many call it: one of the world’s most brutal sports, more like a gladiator fight than a football match.
At first, you hear only the pounding drums. Then come the flag bearers, the procession, the period costumes, and finally, as the players step onto the dusty field—it’s as if the Middle Ages come alive. Four teams, four city districts: the blues of Santa Croce (Azzurri), the whites of Santo Spirito (Bianchi), the reds of Santa Maria Novella (Rossi), and the greens of San Giovanni (Verdi). Behind every color beats the heart of a neighborhood, echoing centuries of stories, family pride, and an identity that even the modern world has not erased.
The tournament’s climax always takes place on June 24th, the feast day of San Giovanni, Florence’s patron saint. The day begins at dawn with a candlelight mass, followed by a grand procession through the city, and culminates in the afternoon final when warriors run out into the arena in front of Santa Croce. The evening ends with fireworks over the Arno, as Florentines laugh and cry all at once.
The first time I watched a match, I didn’t know what to make of my feelings. The fight is real—no acting, no choreography. It’s painful, bloody, wild. And yet… somehow mesmerizing. Because in this dust, in these shouts, in this ancient ritual, there is everything you need to know about Florence: passion, courage, dignity.
This is not just a spectacle. This is the city’s heart. If you visit Florence in June, don’t just admire the Duomo or the galleries. Sit in the stands and watch the match. Be part of something more real than any guidebook can promise.
Because Florence has a face only those who look behind the scenes can see. And Calcio Storico is exactly that: a gateway to the city’s soul.