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Calcio Fiorentino is an early form of football that originated in Italy in the 16th century. In the olden days, the sport was mainly reserved for rich aristocrats and Β were known to get seriously violent as teams struggled to get the highest number of goals.The popularity of the sport gave birth to theΒ festival of parades, costumes and of course,Β the tournament held in Florence, Italy in June every year.
Though the sport is similar to football, Calcio Fiorentino also allows the use of legs, hands, teeth and nails. Played with teams of 27 (incredibly gorgeous) men, let’s just say it’s a little more hardcore than average football. Henry III of France called the game ‘too small to be a war and too cruel to be a game.‘
Now here is why it is the perfect place for you to plan a bachelorette party. The festival takes place in Florence, one of the most beautiful places in the world as well as being a cultural mecca. The colourful parades are a sight to behold, the city has some amazing food and extremely hot men will battle it out gladiator-style right before your eyes. Need we say more?
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The sport is played mainly by four teams, theΒ Santa Croce / Azzurri (Blues),Β Santa Maria Novella / Rossi (Reds), Santo Spirito / Bianchi (Whites),Β San Giovanni / Verdi (Greens). These are the four neighbourhoods, each named after its most important church. It is essentially aΒ classic fusion of football, rugby and street fighting. Players are allowed to use any means necessary in order to get the ball down the opponents’ end of the field, before throwing it into a thin net spanning the width of the pitch in order to score.
Now if you’re wondering what kind of extreme circumstances can drive a bunch of men into a field where injury is assured, the answer is the pride. There is a certain gratification to be enjoyed when you are associated with the sport. Being part of your local team affords the men an honour almost unrivalled by anything else. There are no special prizes for the winners, the most they get is a banquet in their name but that is about it.
There have been no deaths caused by the brutal fighting in the game, but on-site medical professionals have seen plenty of gory stuff. At least 10-12 members from each team require medical attention during the game as broken bones, ruptured muscles and blood loss are common. During a particularly severe bout in 2013, almost 20 players from each team had to be immediately hospitalised.
(Credits: www.dailymail.co.uk)
Calcio Fiorentino is one of the most hardcore sports in the world and people travel from all over to witness the sandy fights between these men. The festival represents a cultural tradition that began ages ago and still manages to retain most of its roots. It takes place over the last two days, the finals, of the tournaments. The entire city is known to join in the happy celebrations so this is also your chance to experience a sample of the quirky Florentine culture.
June also happens to be the perfect time to visit Florence. There are various events all around the city such as the fireworks display for St. John the Baptist, concerts, festivals and tours that you can check out with your girl pals.