The Befana is coming to Florence and Tuscany, all the appointments
Of Ivana Zulian
From the Meyer hospital to Piazza della Signoria, the old lady will also fly to Piazza della Repubblica. The steam train returns to San Piero a Sieve
Reckless and cheerful more than ever, the Befana returns to Tuscany with her load of sweets and smiles for all the children.
Florence
The Epiphany of the firefighters will stop on January 5th (4pm) in Isolotto squarethen on 6 January as per tradition (from 10.30) you will descend on a rope from the ladder car to reach the terrace of theMeyer Children’s Hospital, to deliver the socks donated by the firefighters to the young patients, then accompanied by the operational Fire Brigade and the staff of the National Fire Brigade Association, she will tour the departments outside the structure, to greet guests from the glass. At 11.30 she will move toIstituto degli Innocenti, then at 3 pm arrival in Piazza della Signoria: here the old lady will glide from the Loggia dei Lanzi escorted by five firefighters. The National Association of Firefighters and the Old Glories of historic Florentine football will collect free donations to be used for the protection and conservation of the historical and artistic heritage (the greenery of the Boboli Gardens damaged by recent atmospheric disasters) and for the Association la Stanza Next .
The old lady who will “fly” is also sprightly in Republic Square (11.30) from La Rinascente, for the event organized by the Municipality of Florence, Confcommercio and EdiliziAcrobatica. The Befana comes rowing (from 10 to 12) at Municipal rowers of Florence, aboard a dragon boat loaded with sweets. The Florence Dragon Ladies and many other members of the Canottieri will take on the role of the Befana and will take care of the party: a snack full of pandoro and mulled wine for the adults.
The “grandmother” will also stop in the afternoon in District 2 a Villa Arrivabene and in piazza delle Cure, at 3.30 pm, in the Galluzzo – Due Strade area at the Casa delle Arti (where the Befana party for children will be held) and will get on board a red spider for the parade of vintage cars in the center (arrival at 11.30 in Piazza Santa Maria Novella) for the Camet initiative.
Tuscany
The Befana in Tuscany will demonstrate agility and acrobatics: on January 6 it will descend from Bell tower of the Cathedral of Pistoia, from the Tower of the Municipality of Arezzo, and from the bell tower of the Collegiate Church of Sant’Andrea in Empoli. A Fucecchio the traditional Cavalcade of the Magi will be held, a Bargo on 5 and 6 January, for the Festa della Befana, the main place of the event will be Piazza Angelio, with the flight and lighting of the traditional pyramid.
A Carmignano, from 3 pm, the Befana will wait for the children at the Archaeological Museum of Artimino to accompany them on a guided tour, in Montespertoli a magic show and games with soap bubbles in the square. In Anghiari the Befane will arrive in the historic center aboard historic cars to distribute sweets, in Castelfranco by bicycle, in Massa Marittima on skates in Piazza Garibaldi, at the skating rink.
In Casentino, the great bonfire of the puppet depicting the Befana will be lit in the square of Soci, in the municipality of Bibbiena. Then the Befana train returns, the historic steam train which will leave at 8.50 from Florence to arrive in San Piero a Sieve at 10.50: upon arrival, the Befana will distribute the stockings to all the children. For Epiphany a Marina of Pisa diving into the sea is back: the meeting point for all participants is in piazza Sardegna at 11 for registrations, followed by the arrival of the Befana Avis at 11.45 with sweets for the children and bathing in the sea at 12. The initiative, now in its 15th edition, is promoted by Avis Pisa and Amici del Mare of Livorno, sponsored and supported with the contribution of the Municipality of Pisa.
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