Festa di San Giovanni
Calcio Storico Fiorentino 2025

Festa di San Giovanni & Calcio Storico Fiorentino 2025

Each year, on 24th June, Florence celebrates the feast of Saint John the Baptist in spectacular fashion.

• Visiting Florence for the celebrations? Stay at the Plaza Hotel Lucchesi rated “Fabulous” by guests with stylish rooms, a stunning rooftop pool, superb views and excellent location.

The Event

• Festa di San Giovanni & Calcio Storico Fiorentino is perhaps one of the most important celebrations in Florence, featuring events from early morning to late evening.
• Over the years, the event has combined religious traditions with secular celebrations carrying on historical and enjoyable traditions for locals and tourists.
• Highlights include a stunning fireworks display along the river Arno and the Calcio Storico Fiorentino matches, an early form of football featuring some of Italy’s hottest players!
• Stay at the Grand Hotel Minerva, located close to the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella featuring one of the best Gym views in Europe, facing the stunning piazza.

Morning: the Candle Ceremony (La Cerimonia dei Ceri)

• Celebrations begin in the early morning with The Ceremony of Candles.
• A stunning parade goes through the city’s historic centre to the Piazza Duomo.
• Events end with the candle presentation to the Archbishop of Florence.

Afternoon: Calcio Storico

• A quintessentially Florentine event where the four teams from the city’s historic neighbourhoods have a face-off.
• The Whites of Santo Spirito, the Reds of Santa Maria Novella, the Greens of San Giovanni and the Blues of Santa Croce.
• Every year a total of three matches are played – two semi-finals and the final.
• The matches follow the historical procession of the Florentine Republic, with the flag-bearers and musicians.
• Matches are adrenaline-fuelled and intense. The athletes are also very easy on the eye.
• Our top tip! Try and grab a seat at the bleachers in Santa Croce during the final.

Evening:  The “foci” – Fireworks.

• Marvel at the Fochi di San Giovanni, a fantastic firework show that begins at 10 pm.
• The display lasts for an hour. Fireworks are set off from Piazzale Michelangelo and can be seen from several points in the city.
• Catch the best views of the fireworks from the banks of the River Arno.

Best hotel rooftops to catch the fireworks

• Se.sto on Arno – The Westin Excelsior – Enjoy a dinner in the lounge and experience the best of the fireworks.
• La Terrazza Rooftop Bar – Hotel Continentale – Book a front-of-the-line seat and enjoy Champagne from 21.45 to 23.30.
• Empire Rooftop Bar – Hotel Plaza Lucchesi – An unprecedented and breathtaking view of the city. Sip a drink by the pool while admiring the Duomo and the fireworks display.

Gay Florence

• Florence is one of the most popular cities with international tourists, and prices are high year-round, so plan your trip well in advance.
• Head to the Santo Spirito neighbourhood, just out of the city centre, with some great cocktail bars for a breath of fresh air and a less touristy atmosphere.
• Enjoy spectacular city views at Piazzale Michelangelo, close to Santo Spirito.
• Shop like a rockstar along Via de Tornabuoni, home to the city’s top designer stores.
• No trip to Florence is complete without taking in the Statue of David. Book a skip-the-line ticket and save time.

Gay Bars

• Piccolo Café – A 2-min walk from the Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence. Piccolo Café attracts a mix of locals and tourists and is home to a large penis mirrorball. What’s not to love? Gets busy after dinner (from around 11.30 pm)
• Queer Pub – Another bar in the Santa Croce neighbourhood, a little smaller, serving great cocktails and playing a mix of pop and house music.
• Twist Bistro – In between the Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Galleria dell’Accademia, Twist is the perfect place for an aperitif before dinner and hosts popular theme nights and drag shows.
• Check out the top hotels closest to the gay bars along Santa Croce.
• Rasputin – Gay-friendly secret cocktail bar with a speakeasy-style.

Clubs

• Fabrik – Gay cruise and fetish club (15 minutes from the centre) popular with bears and hosts special theme nights and naked Sunday afternoon events. Trains run frequently from Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station and stop at Calenzano, right opposite the club. It’s housed in an industrial-style building with over 600 square meters of bars, video rooms, private booths, and a cruising area.
• Crisco Club – Longest running cruising club in Florence, just metres from the Duomo. Small, busy and fun with different theme nights, including naked and jockstrap parties.
• Florence Baths – Complet with an outdoor whirlpool and cruise garden, a very busy gay sauna in the Summer season.

Parties

• The Shade @ Limonaia di Villa Strozzi – Combination of entertainment, music, stand-up drag comedy, and drag shows.
• Icon – Weekly event run from September to May in the historic centre of Florence, close to Piazza della Signoria. Plays a mix of pop and commercial music.
• Bear Troops – Popular bear party on select Saturday nights. The event takes over the Fabrik Club in Calenzano.
• Pride Park – Epic pop-up parties with world-class DJs, drag queens, and Italian superstars, held throughout the Summer in outdoor locations.

Dining

• Cucina Torcicoda – Located just a few steps from Piazza Santa Croce, the restaurant features different rooms with a pizzeria & gourmet dining options in an elegant space with modern art.
• Trattoria Il Francescano – The ideal place to taste traditional Tuscan specialities and great outdoor seating next to Basilica di Santa Croce.
• Mercato Centrale – Open-air market inside a former warehouse with everything from delicious Pizza to sublime truffles.
• La Giostra – Family-run restaurant with a long waiting list for reservations, so plan ahead. World-class wines, fresh pasta, excellent T-bone steaks and the occasional celebrity.
• Locale – Creative Tuscan dining & inventive cocktails in a 1500s palazzo with a 13th-century basement.

Recommended Hotels in Florence

Here are the hotels we recommend that have good reviews and keep you close to all the gay bars and Attractions

Hotel Bernini Palace,    Hotel Spadai,    Grand Hotel Cavour,  Hotel Balestri