Although
there are few national holidays, it is not possible to
say that the Italians have few celebrations. The habitual
excuse usually is to celebrate the city or town saint
with a parade by the streets. Commemorations of miracles
and historical facts are also celebrated, as is local
fairs of talents and products.
The Carnival is one of the most renowned celebrations,
being the Venetian one of the most famous, although other
great celebrations of Carnival can also be found in Viareggio
in the Toscana and Acireale in Sicily. Between the religious
festivities it excels Easter, specially in Asis, Palermo,
the Vatican and Florence, where a competition of decorated
carts takes place.
Other festivities that are worth the trouble to visit
are: the Tournament of knights with armour in fight with
the Moors, a celebration that comes from the thirteenth
century (the first Sunday of September in Arezzo); the
procession Sagra di Santifisio, one of greatest and colourful
of the world (1st of May in Cagliari); the Gioco of Calcium,
a fight that comes from the sixteenth century (June in
Florence); in the Festa di San Gennaro people gather together
in the cathedral to pray before the blood of saint becomes
liquid (19 of September in Naples); and, finally, the
Venice gondola procession in the middle of July.
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