Scoppio del Carro

5 April 2026, Piazza Del Duomo, Florence

Easter in Florence offers a front-row seat to one of the world’s most explosive traditions: Lo Scoppio del Carro, or the ‘explosion of the cart. This 500-year-old spectacle centers on the Brindellone — a towering, flower-decked antique wagon pulled by white oxen through the city’s medieval heart to the Piazza del Duomo. The climax occurs during Easter Mass, when a mechanical dove — the Colombina — is ignited at the high altar and hurtles down a wire to strike the cart, triggering a magnificent symphony of fireworks and colored smoke. According to Florentine lore, a successful flight of the dove guarantees a bountiful harvest and good fortune for the city. It is a breathtaking display of Renaissance pageantry, where the sacred meets the profane in a celebration of rebirth.

Ready to join the celebration? Catch sparks this spring at This Time Tomorrow Florence