Celebrate Pisa New Year’s Day

Since 1749 Pisa celebrates the New Year on March 25th and not only on January 1st.

In fact Pisa used to follow its own calendar and celebrate New Year on March 25th that was the Annunciation, occurring 9 months before the Gregorian calendar. Peculiarity of this day it’s the fact that at 12 o’clock a ray of light penetrates through one of the Duomo’s stained glass windows and hits a marble egg on Giovanni Pisano’s pulpit – this year it will happened at 1 o’clock because of the time shifting.

And every year Pisa celebrates its glorious past with several events, festivals and concerts that will animate the city on the week end of March 24th and 25th.

Among the events listed there are some special openings of churches and museums, as Galileo Galilei’s home on Sunday March 25 from 4 pm to 6 pm with guided tours.

At 4 pm on Saturday will start the costume parade that will end in several piazzas in the center of the city where knights will fight each other, ladies and musicians will dance, and flag-throwers will show off their capabilities. The medieval dances and fights will go on all evening until midnight.

In addition all shops will be open until 10 pm and restaurants will serve special menus, celebrating local food and traditions.