The calcio storico (also known as calcio in costume because players wear a medieval garb) is a "sport" whose origins are lost in antiquity. Since it was Romans soldiers who founded Florence around 60 BC, according to someone it derives from harpastum, an ancient Latin sport.

Whatever its origin... one thing is for certain: if you are spending your holidays in an apartment in Florence in the "season" of the calcio storico, the matches and the preceding ceremonial will be a great spectacle worth watching and photographing.

The list of those who have played calcio in costume in the course of the centuries includes three popes-to-be: Clement VII, Leo XI and Urban VIII. In 1491 and 1605 memorable matches were played on the frozen river Arno. And the calcio storico was so famous that some demonstrative matches were played in 1570 at Diocletian bath in Rome, and in 1575 in Lyon, France.

What are the rules of the calcio storico?

The four teams - the Bianchi of Santo Spirito, the Azzurri of Santa Croce, the Rossi of Santa Maria Novella and the Verdi of San Giovanni - vie with each other in the field prepared in Piazza Santa Croce (renting an apartment with a balcony in this corner of Florence would therefore be an excellent solution for watching the matches from a privileged point of view).

Each team composes of 27 players, or calcianti (5 "sconciatori", 7 "datori" and 15 "corridori"), who contend for a leather ball with the purpose of scoring a "caccia", that is, throwing the ball in the goal at the end of the field, after having dribbled round the last opponent.

Someone likens the calcio storico to football; actually it is more similar to rugby.