Florence at Christmas: The Definitive Guide to 2025–26

Florence is preparing for a really busy festive season. From Saturday 6 December 2025 to six January 2026, the town will host “Florence Lights Up”, a packed programme of sunshine exhibits, Christmas bushes, markets, live shows and actions for households in all 5 districts, not solely within the historic centre.

The highlights embrace videomapping on a few of Florence’s most well-known monuments, greater than 50 Christmas bushes, ornamental lighting in over 70 streets and squares, particular openings and workshops within the civic museums and an extended calendar of markets and neighbourhood occasions.

6 December: the day the town lights up

The Christmas season formally begins on Saturday 6 December with the lighting of the principle Christmas bushes:

Palazzo Vecchio – tree within the Cortile della Dogana Piazza del Duomo Piazza della Repubblica Piazza San Firenze Piazzale Michelangelo

The bushes in Piazza Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica and Piazzale Michelangelo are donated by the Comunità di Valle Valsugana e Tesino in Trentino, persevering with a long-standing hyperlink between the 2 territories. The tree within the courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio is obtainable by Stilli Solutions, whereas the tree at Santa Maria Novella station is sponsored by Socota.

In whole, greater than 50 Christmas bushes will likely be positioned round Florence, bringing a festive environment to all districts.

Florence Lights Up: videomapping and light-weight scenes

From 6 December 2025 to six January 2026, the “Florence Lights Up” mission will remodel the town into a big open-air mild gallery.

The programme is coordinated by the City of Florence (Economic Development and Tourism Department) and Fondazione MUS.E, with funding from the Italian Ministry of Tourism (UNESCO and Creative Cities Fund), the Metropolitan City of Florence, the Chamber of Commerce and personal companions corresponding to Lego and Montblanc.

Main videomapping websites

Ponte Vecchio – a brand new video projection will as soon as once more flip the bridge right into a shifting mild portray in the course of the festive season. Palazzo Vecchio – the façade will host a videomapping impressed by Florentine craftsmanship and the town’s creative custom. Church of San Paolino – one other historic façade concerned within the mild present.

Light projections and particular lighting schemes can even seem in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazza San Lorenzo, The façade of the Chamber of Commerce, The courtyard and monumental entrance of Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

Lights within the districts

Christmas illuminations should not restricted to the UNESCO space. Decorative lights will likely be switched on in lots of neighbourhood hubs, for instance:

District 2 – Piazza delle Cure

District 3 – Piazza Acciaiuoli in Galluzzo and Piazza Elia Dalla Costa in Gavinana

District 4 – Piazza dell’Isolotto and Piazza Pier Vettori

District 5 – Piazza Dalmazia and the park of San Donato

The municipal firm Firenze Smart is answerable for a lot of the public installations. This yr it has arrange: 65 bushes within the districts 51 bushes and 430 ornamental parts on lampposts related to the general public lighting community.

For the festive interval, a particular mild scene can even spotlight: The historic metropolis gates The Loggiato degli Innocenti, The loggia of San Paolo by the Museo Novecento

Firenze Smart has additionally accomplished the everlasting lighting of Ponte Santa Trinita, utilizing LED expertise with adjustable depth and color, managed remotely.

Christmas within the museums: visits, workshops and a Winter Camp

A big a part of the programme is devoted to tradition, notably by way of the Musei Civici Fiorentini and Fondazione MUS.E, with guided excursions, household actions and music.

Archaeology beneath Palazzo Vecchio

Every Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 and 12:45, guests can be part of guided excursions of the archaeological excavations beneath Palazzo Vecchio. The itinerary explores the Roman theatre of Florentia and the medieval layers beneath the present constructing.

Themed routes in Palazzo Vecchio

In Palazzo Vecchio, a number of actions join the palace to the traditions of the Medici household throughout Christmas and New Year:

“Squisita scoperta. Il Granducato di Toscana e la by way of del cioccolato” Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at 15:00 A route by way of the historical past of chocolate on the Medici court docket, together with a candy tasting provided by the historic café Rivoire. “Danze a corte” 20 December and 4 January Sessions at 15:00 for households and at 16:30 for adults Participants study Renaissance dances with a grasp and assistant in interval costume. “Invito alla reggia” – 2 January, 15:00 A go to within the firm of a performer taking part in Eleonora di Toledo, introducing guests to court docket life.

Throughout the festive interval, the exercise “Corte in festa” will present how the Medici household celebrated the Nativity and the arrival of the brand new yr. For youthful youngsters, storytelling classes will deliver to life characters and symbols of the town, corresponding to:

“Per fare una città ci vuole un fiore” “La favola della tartaruga con la vela” “Marzocco. Il leone di Firenze”

Santa Maria Novella and the Nativity

In the monumental advanced of Santa Maria Novella, MUS.E will provide itineraries targeted on the illustration of Christmas in medieval and Renaissance artwork: “Capolavori natalizi” – guided excursions that comply with Nativity scenes, the Adoration of the Magi and different festive topics within the cloisters and church. “Colori di luce” – a workshop for households impressed by the basilica’s stained-glass home windows, together with the rose window attributed to Andrea di Bonaiuto and the triple window of the principle chapel designed by Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Other museums and up to date exhibitions

Special Christmas actions and workshops are additionally deliberate in: Cappella Brancacci in Santa Maria del Carmine, Museo Stefano Bardini, Museo Novecento, MAD Murate Art District.

The programme contains guided excursions and creative workshops linked to present exhibitions, from historic portray to up to date artwork and images.

Winter Camp at Palazzo Vecchio

For youngsters residing in Florence or close by, MUS.E will run a Winter Camp in Palazzo Vecchio on 29, 30 and 31 December, from 8:30 to 16:30, with an English mother-tongue educator. The camp combines artwork, historical past and artistic actions inside the previous Medici palace.

Information and bookings for all MUS.E actions: musefirenze.it Email: [email protected] Phone: 055 054 1450.

Music within the museums

Thanks to partnerships with native music establishments, a number of live shows will happen contained in the civic museums, normally included within the entrance ticket (apart from the opening occasion within the courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio).

Among the scheduled occasions:

6 December – Palazzo Vecchio, Cortile della Dogana Afternoon efficiency in the course of the tree-lighting ceremony, with piano, voice and different musicians.

7 December – Museo Stefano Bardini Morning live performance by a viola ensemble from the Conservatorio Cherubini.

14 December – Museo Novecento Morning live performance with guitar ensembles performing items from fashionable and up to date composers.

21 December – Santa Maria del Carmine (Cenacolo) Saxophone quartet from the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, with a programme that crosses completely different kinds and intervals.

26 December – Santa Maria Novella Accordion duo taking part in Baroque and fashionable repertoire.

28 December – Palazzo Vecchio Afternoon “sound journey” with musicians from the orchestra La Filharmonie performing in varied rooms of the museum, with works by Maurice Ravel and contemporaries corresponding to Debussy.

4 January – Museo Stefano Bardini String duo (violin and viola) with music by Bach, Leclair, Mozart, Bartók and others.

6 January – Santa Maria Novella Wind quintet “Solisti Fiorentini” with a classical and Twentieth-century programme.

The little practice within the Cascine park

One of the preferred household sights returns to the Parco delle Cascine: the Christmas practice.

Children from 3 to 10 years outdated can board a small vacationer practice departing from the start of Viale Abramo Lincoln. The route contains stops and quick actions to find the historical past and nature of Florence’s largest city park.

Scheduled days (all with departures at 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00): Saturday 13, Saturday 20, Tuesday 24, Friday 26, Saturday 27 and Monday 29 December, Friday 2, Saturday 3, Sunday 4 and Monday 5 January

Participation is free, however reserving is required.

Markets, ice rink and neighbourhood initiatives

Christmas in Florence additionally means markets, meals, crafts and neighbourhood occasions, many organised by Centri Commerciali Naturali (native merchants’ associations) with the help of the City.

Florence Ice Village on the Fortezza

At the Fortezza da Basso, the Florence Ice Village affords: The Florence Eye Ferris wheel (55 metres excessive, in place till 30 March 2026) One of the longest ice-skating tracks in Europe (open till 31 January 2026) A Christmas village with stalls and leisure.

On a number of dates in December, Confartigianato’s leisure part will present music and exhibits for adults and kids.

Major Christmas markets

Among the principle markets and gala’s:

German Christmas Market in Piazza Santa Croce – till 21 December Artefacendo – craft truthful in Piazza dei Ciompi (6–7 December) ARTour – Il bello in piazza – artisan market in Piazza Strozzi (12–14 December) ARTour del Gusto Toscano – meals and wine artisans in Piazza Strozzi (19–22 December) ChristmasArs – Il Natale di Ars Manualis in Piazza Santa Maria Novella (18 December–7 January), with 18 picket chalets internet hosting Florentine and Tuscan craftspeople Christmas programme at Manifattura Tabacchi – free occasions all through December, with the official lighting of the Manifattura Christmas tree and a full calendar of workshops and exhibits for households.

In addition, virtually each weekend will function smaller markets, classic gala’s and antiques stalls in squares together with Piazza dei Ciompi, Piazza Santo Spirito, Piazza Indipendenza, Piazza Savonarola, Piazza San Marco, Campo di Marte and others.

Lights and occasions from merchants’ associations

Many streets and squares can have Christmas lights and aspect occasions funded partly by the town and partly by native companies. Among essentially the most lively areas:

Borgo Ognissanti and Via Palazzuolo Piazza Dalmazia and the encircling streets Borgo La Croce and Via Pietrapiana Viale Europa Via Gioberti and “Le Cento Botteghe” Ponte Vecchio and the encircling streets Via Cavour, Via Manni, Piazza delle Cure, Piazza dell’Isolotto Borgo di Peretola, Via Guelfa, Via del Corso, Via dei Serragli, Sdrucciolo de’ Pitti and lots of others

Some of those Centri Commerciali Naturali can even organise non-commercial occasions corresponding to avenue performances, youngsters’s actions and small neighbourhood events, notably on Sundays and public holidays.

Farmers’ markets

For those that favor native meals buying, a number of farmers’ markets will proceed in the course of the festive interval, for instance: Piazza Tasso – “Contadini in Piazza” on Friday afternoons Largo Adone Zoli – “La Spesa in Campagna” on Fridays Piazzale delle Cascine – “Mercato Campagna Amica” on Saturdays Piazza Leon Battisti Alberti – “La Spesa in Campagna” on Saturdays Piazza della Piccola – “Mercato Campagna Amica” on Tuesdays Piazza Elia Dalla Costa – “Contadini in Piazza” on Monday afternoons.

Practical info

Period

Main Christmas lights and “Florence Lights Up”: 6 December 2025 – 6 January 2026 Some sights, such because the Ferris wheel, will stay lively past Epiphany (test dates regionally).

Where to search out particulars and updates

Cultural programme and actions within the civic museums: musefirenze.it Bookings for MUS.E actions: [email protected], 055 054 1450 Neighbourhood markets and buying occasions: search for posters and knowledge from the Centri Commerciali Naturali in every space.

For residents and guests, the 2025–2026 festive season in Florence will likely be unfold throughout the entire city space: from the monumental squares of the historic centre to the neighbourhood streets, from museums to parks, with many alternatives to expertise the town in a special mild.

(Cover picture by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

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