Paper Lantern Festival in Florence. Festival in Florence How to get to Florence

Historical lantern festival(Festa della Rificolona) takes place in Florence every year on September 6–7. These numbers correspond to the eve of the birthday of the Mother of God.

The holiday dates back to the 17th century. Then it was customary for residents of surrounding towns and villages to come to Florence on the birthday of the Virgin Mary, who was always highly revered in Italy. People liked to celebrate this date in Florence's Piazza di Annunciation, dedicated to Our Lady. At the same time, the peasants tried to combine business with pleasure - not only to take part in the celebrations, but also to sell their goods profitably. Therefore, the eve of the birth of the Virgin Mary gradually turned into one of the most important city fairs.

Florence these days was flooded with crowds of peasant women, dressed up for the occasion in their best dresses. City dwellers, who believed that the village women dressed excessively, called them “lanterns” - Rificolona.

In memory of those times, today on the night of September 6-7 - after the traditional fair - a crowded procession with colorful paper lanterns in which candles are burning passes through the city. The procession, led by the cardinal, begins at the Basilica of Santa Croce and ends at Piazza Santissima Annuciata.

According to another version, the tradition originates from the triumphal entry of Florentine troops into Siena. This happened in 1555. The victorious warriors entered the captured city, lighting their way with lamps raised on peaks.

Be that as it may, the autumn lantern festival in Florence is very popular among tourists. They say that these days the museum city comes to life and shows its real face to guests.

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TOUR PROGRAM

Every year on the night of September 6-7, on the eve of the birthday of Our Lady, a colorful procession with paper lanterns containing burning candles takes place in Florence. The procession, led by the local cardinal, moves from the Basilica of Santa Croce to Piazza Santissima Annuciata. Many who were in Florence for the lantern festival say that the city is literally transformed at these moments. The history of the origin of the name of the holiday is quite unusual. The fact is that immediately before the birthday of Our Lady, a traditional autumn fair is held in Florence, which in the past attracted peasants from all over the area. Peasant women, for whom this event was the most important appearance in society, dressed, from the point of view of city women, too magnificently. For this, sharp-tongued Florentines nicknamed them “lanterns.” And it was this nickname that eventually passed on to the holiday that followed the fair, today accompanied by a colorful night procession.

Day 1. Florence

Arrival at Florence airport. Transfer and hotel accommodation.

Day 2. Florence

Breakfast. Free evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Tour of the churches of Florence.Local churches are not just religious centers, but real masterpieces of art, occupying a place of exceptional importance in the history and culture of Florence. You will visit the Church of Santa Maria Novella, where the tomb of Blessed Villana by Rossellino and the tomb of Bishop Fiesole by Tino da Camaino are kept. The chapels of the church are decorated with works by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Giuliano Bugiardini, Filippo Brunelleschi and many others. The Basilica of San Lorenzo is considered one of the monumental complexes of Florentine architects, as well as one of the “intelligent designs” realized by Filippo Brunelleschi. The Church of Santa Croce is famous for the burials of famous Florentines and is rich in fresco cycles, including those by Giotto. Free evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3. Florence

Breakfast. Free day in Florence. You can take part in the events of the autumn fair or book an excursion to one of the outlets located near Florence. Night procession with lanterns. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4. Florence

Breakfast. Excursion to the Chianti Valley with wine tasting.

Breakfast. Excursion to the Chianti Valley with wine tasting.Located near Florence and Siena, the Chianti region is famous for its excellent wines, gastronomic products and longevity! The geographical boundaries of the Classic Chianti zone include 70,000 hectares of land in the territories of the municipalities of Barberino Val d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve -in Chianti, Monteriggioni, Radda in Chianti, San Gimignano and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. Chianti Classico wines are made only from Sangiovese grapes, which local winemakers consider an original Italian variety, cultivated in this area for thousands of years. The wines are produced using ancient technology that has not changed for hundreds of years. You are given a unique opportunity to personally communicate with the best wine producers (after all, the wines included in the program can rightfully be called works of winemaking art), find out their views on what wine should be, and understand first-hand their philosophy of life, which allows them stay forever young. Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5. Florence

Breakfast. Transfer to Florence airport. Flight home.

*For technical reasons, minor changes are possible in the tour program.

Lantern Festival in Florence, Italy (Festa della Rificolona)

The history of the holiday dates back to the 17th century. Since the Virgin Mary has always been especially revered, her birthday on September 8 was celebrated on a special scale. The current one was at the center of the festive events.

Many residents of the surrounding villages also came to the city for the celebration. At the same time, they brought their goods, trying to sell them profitably. Therefore, the eve of the holiday turned into a large city fair. At the same time, the visiting peasants dressed up in their best outfits, but in the opinion of the townspeople, they were too luxurious and tasteless, for which they were nicknamed “lanterns.” This is where the tradition and the name of the holiday itself came from.

There is also a version that the tradition dates back to 1555, when it conquered its eternal rival Siena. Then the Florentine troops entered the city they had captured and lit their way with lanterns suspended on spears. Although this was in April.

Nowadays, every year after the fair, on the night of September 6–7, a procession led by the cardinal takes place through the city. At the same time, the townspeople carry all kinds of multi-colored paper lanterns with candles inside. The procession starts near and moves towards. This tradition is very popular among tourists. As they say -

Paper Lantern Festival: vivid photos and videos, detailed description and reviews of the Paper Lantern Festival event in 2019.

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Every year on the night of September 7, the eve of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (according to the church calendar), the magical flashes of hundreds of paper lanterns flash over Florence. Residents and guests of the city carry in their hands lampshades and lamps of the most bizarre shapes with candles inside, moving in an orderly procession to the Basilica of Santissima Annuciata, where the Florentine cardinal, after a short sermon, will send a blessing to his flock. The procession takes place as part of an ancient holiday - the Festa della Rifficolona Festival of paper lanterns, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, revered in Italy.

A little history

The tradition began in the 17th century, when villagers came to the city to sell their products at the fair and buy everything they needed for their homes. Since the journey to Florence was not short, they took lanterns and candles with them to illuminate the night road. The girls put on their best outfits and jewelry, because a visit to such a “brilliant” place was a real holiday.

The arrogant and arrogant Florentines laughed at the dresses of peasant women, considering them pretentious and ridiculous. The townspeople called the rural beauties rifficolona - “dressed up” in Italian, hence the name of the event. But over time, they too, forgetting their prejudices, began to join the procession.

What's happening

The festival begins with a fair, which attracts farmers from all over Tuscany. In Piazza Santissima Annuciata they set up stalls bursting with freshly harvested crops, bringing all the gastronomic diversity of one of Italy's most fertile provinces before the eyes of customers. In separate tents, traditional Tuscan dishes are prepared and treated to excellent wine.

Bargaining is accompanied by street performances and comic competitions in which anyone can take part.

The main and final event of the holiday is a grand evening procession, starting at approximately 20:00. People take lanterns in their hands and, accompanied by melodious children's singing, move along the elegantly decorated streets to the temple. You can join the demonstration at any time by first purchasing a lamp in one of the many stores or making it yourself.

Paper Lantern Festival