Florence celebrates New Year’s Day on March 25th

Florence celebrates New Year, not just once per year, but twice including March 25th.

As well as for Pisa New Year’s celebrations, also Florence celebrates New Year on the Annunciation day, following an ancient calendar that had been used since the Middle Ages.

According to this calendar the new started on March 25th. This tradition went on and on until 1582, when the Gregorian calendar became the official calendar. But Florence ignored the new calendar and continued using the old one until 1749, when Duke Francis III of Lorraine set January 1st as the first day of the new year.

Florence celebrates this ancient tradition with a beautiful costume parade departing from Palagio di Parte Guelfa at 10.20 am on Sunday morning. It ends with a solemn mess in the Church of Santissima Annunnziata.

On Saturday March 24th there will be several free guided tours to lots of monuments such as Orsanmichele, Loggia dei Lanzi and Santa Maria Novella. For reservations call the number 055-2616056 from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 12 pm.

Don’t forget to download TooMuchFirenze, the unconventional guide to Florence!