Italy has events NO rational country would permit. 500 TONS of oranges thrown at each other. Live SNAKES on a saint's statue. 54 men PUNCHING each other in Renaissance costume. A 30-meter TOWER carried through streets. These survive because Italians believe tradition > common sense.
1. Battaglia delle Arance, Ivrea: 500 TONS of oranges, 3-day battle. No red hat = target. 2. Calcio Storico, Florence: 27v27 Renaissance fight-football. Most VIOLENT sport in the West. 3. Festa dei Serpari (Cocullo, Abruzzo, May 1): Live SNAKES draped on San Domenico's statue and paraded. Pre-Christian origin. 4. Corsa dei Ceri (Gubbio): 400kg candles carried at a SPRINT uphill.
5. Mamuthones (Mamoiada, Sardinia): Sheepskin-masked figures with 30kg cowbells. 3,000+ years old. 6. La Macchina di Santa Rosa (Viterbo, Sep 3): 30-METER, 5-TON illuminated tower carried by 100 men. UNESCO. 7. Infiorata (Spello/Genzano/Noto): Streets carpeted in millions of flower petals, destroyed by procession. 8. Volo dell'Angelo (Castelmezzano): FLY 1,500m on a cable between cliff-top villages at 120km/h. €40. 9-20: Regata Storica Venice. Presepe Vivente (living nativity — Matera caves). Corsa degli Scalzi (Cabras — barefoot saint race into sea). Gioco dell'Oca Gigante (human board game). Rificolona (Florence — kids' lanterns set on fire). La Giubiana (burning straw witch). Sagra del Maiale (entire pig nose-to-tail). Tuffo di Capodanno (freezing sea swim Jan 1). Faradda Candelieri (Sassari — UNESCO giant candles). Madonna della Bruna (Matera — float DESTROYED by crowd). Battaglia del Grano (Jelsi — wheat battle).