Yes, back in the 1300s it was a long way, but the rich family of Florence like the Medici had very fast horses because here they took the political and economic control of my city during those years. 😁
About the flag wavers (here in Italy we call them "sbandieratori", because "bandiera" is the italian word for "flag"), since many years they are just for entertainment during some ceremonies, but they came from the historical role of the alfiere, the bearer of military or civic flag, when its handling could communicate different messages. 😊