Waiting for Epiphany & ‘la Befana,’ 1/6/26

 

DOWNTOWN FLORENCE

A legal holiday in Italy (banks, stores and offices are all closed although the major museums will be open), Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Christ child.

Palazzo Medici Riccardi, venue of the Renaissance artist Benozzo Gozzoli ‘s Journey of the Magi fresco, will host children ages 8 – 12 in a historic treasure hunt, il Biribissi, which will highlight works of art in the palace.  Participants must pay admission to the museum (€10, ages 18 -25 €7, free for university students as well as for 17-year-olds and under, plus €4 non-residents to participate in the activity, €2 for residents of the greater Florence metropolitan area.

January 6 is also the day of la Befana, when gifts are exchanged marking the end of holiday festivities.

La Befana is an elderly, witch-like woman, who knows which children have been good or bad throughout the year.  On the evening of January 5, Italian children hang out stockings in the hopes of them being filled with sweets.  The naughty children can expect lumps of coal.

There will be several events where La Befana will make a daytime appearance in downtown Florence.

Spectacular antique and vintage cars will gather at the Cascine Park at 9 am to form a parade that will wind down city streets, ending at Piazza Santa Maria Novella at 11 am, where La Befana will arrive to distribute gifts to kids.  Thanks to the funding of the event’s organizer, CAMET, members of the local Fratellanza Militare (a volunteer ambulance service) will give food packages to families in need.

La Befana will then fly to Piazza della Repubblica where she will make a spectacular descent on her broomstick from the central arch at 11:30 am.  Once on the ground, she will hand out candy and sweets to kids and their families courtesy of Conad and the Sieni Pastry Shop.  The event will be televised live locally including an interview with Florence mayor Sara Funaro.

At 3 pm, Befana will land on top of the Loggia dei Lanzi next to Palazzo Vecchio and come down to the square, Piazza della Signoria, to give treats to children.

ARNO RIVER EVENT

The public is invited to take a boat ride on the Arno river between 10 am and 12 noon, accompanied by the Befana, setting out from the Canottieri Comunali on Lungarno Ferrucci up to the Verrazzano bridge. La Befana will also give  stockings full of goodies to kids at the Comunali boathouse, with refreshments for all.