Are you tired of the commercialized Christmas season in the USA? Do you get worn out from the frenetic shopping and spending and the scurrying through jostling crowds of crass consumers? If yes, then you should consider spending your Christmas and New Years in Florence, Italy.
Celebrating Christmas and New Years in Florence is like a breath of fresh air. Yes, there are still the crowds of tourists (somewhat fewer than in the summer) but there is a very different feel in the air: a sense of community, a sense of serene harmony and celebration. It is palpable in the streets, in the piazzas, in the outdoor markets, and just about everywhere you go.
My wife and I spent a month in Florence from early December 2023 until early January 2024 and enjoyed our stay immensely. We rented an apartment within a 20 minute walk from the historic center, near a grocery store, a laundromat, and several good restaurants.
The weather was fine, despite it being early winter. Daytime temperatures were usually in the 50’s (ºF) but it did get down into the 40’s (ºF) on a few days. Evening temperatures were lower, mostly in the 40’s (ºF) but in the upper 30’s (ºF) for a couple of evenings. There was very little rain and no snow.
What are the advantages of going to Florence in December?
- The festive holiday atmosphere is wonderful. There is nothing like it in the USA (except possibly in a small number of isolated spots).
- There are smaller crowds than in high season. This means much shorter wait times for getting into museums. Also, getting reasonable priced lodgings in an area you are interested in is far easier.
- The entrance fees at museums are substantially lower. For 19 euros I got a ticket that provided entry to all of the following:
— Uffizi Galery(normally 25 euros during high season)
— Palazzo Pitti (normally 16 euros during high season)
— Archaeological Museum (normally 8 euros during high season)
— Opificio delle Pietre Dure (normally 4 euros during high season)
— Boboli Gardens (normally 10 euros during high season) - There are many tasty traditional treats available during Christmas time. These include roasted chestnuts, several kinds of panettone, Christmas pastries, and Christmas cookies.
So, what did we do in Florence? Well, I’m glad you asked that. Here is a list of the main things we did.
1. We wandered through the streets and piazzas to see the Christmas decorations
During the Christmas season the streets of Florence are bursting with decorations and lights and teeming with many families on their passeggiata (evening stroll).
2. We watched the light shows in Piazza Signoria and on the Ponte Vecchio
The light festival, promoted by the City of Florence, has now become a yearly tradition. From December 8 to January 7, videos celebrating a humanitarian theme are projected onto a wall of the Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza Signoria and on the Ponte Vecchio. This year’s light festival focused on the need to care for our planet.
3. We went to the Christmas Market in Piazza Santa Croce
The Christmas market has vendors from many European Union countries which is reflected in the variety of merchandise and food. We went on a week day and found it well attended. The mood was festive and harmonious, with children running about, adults admiring the merchandise, young couples holding hands and perusing the food, and older people in small groups chatting merrily. Nearby, across from the Santa Croce cathedral, a man was playing a lot of wonderful music on a violin.
On display were a variety of merchandise including Christmas ornaments and crafts. There were also many vendors of Christmas candies and pastries. Lots of food was also being prepared. These included Polish and German sausages, pulled beef, vegetarian items and sundry more. There was also mulled wine, hot chocolate, and roasted chestnuts.
4. We went to the Mercato Centrale
In Italy, food is all about flavor. (In the US, food is all about shelf life.) If you go to the Mercato Centrale you may never want to leave. It is a food lover’s paradise, replete with meats, fish, pastas, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, olive oils, dried meats, nuts, legumes, etc. — everything to tingle one’s gustatory fancy. The market is huge and very popular.
The upper level consists of row upon row of tables immersed in the wonderful aromas arising from the sandwiches and hot meals being prepared by food vendors for the hungry customers. There is also a cooking school at the far end.
5. We went to a concert at Piazza di Santo Stefano
We attended a nice concert at the Auditorium di Santo Stefano al Ponte Vecchio in Piazza di Santo Stefano. The orchestra performed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as well as music by Canon, Bach, and Mozart.
6. We went to the Uffizi Gallery
The building that houses the Uffizi gallery was originally constructed in 1560 for Cosimo I de’ Medici to house Florence’s various committees, agencies, and guilds. The top floor, however, was made into an art gallery for his family and guests. In 1769 the gallery was officially opened to the public and in time expanded to some of the lower floors. It is now one of the most popular art museums in the world.
7. We went to the Palazzo Pitti
The oldest part of the Palazzo Pitti was built in 1458 as the residence for a Florentine banker. In 1549 it was bought by the Medici family. For most of the next three hundred years it was the chief residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. A great number of paintings and luxurious possessions were accumulated and kept there.
In 1919 King Victor Emmanuel III designated the Palazzo Pitti and its contents a museum and donated it to the Italian people. It is now one of the largest art museums in the world.
8. We went to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure
This amazing museum is dedicated to the art of creating scenes from semi-precious stone inlays. It presents a lot of incredibly beautiful inlays embedded in fine furniture and in wall hangings.
The museum also shows an outstanding video that explains each step of the process, from painting a reference “sketch”, choosing stones of the right colors, cutting and polishing the stones, the careful assembly of the scenes, and then the final polishing. Also on display are several of the antique tools that were once used to accomplish the various steps.
In the photo below, the top is the semi-precious stone inlay based on the “sketch” painting shown below it.
9. We went to the National Archaeological Museum of Florence
The National Archaeological Museum of Florence was opened in 1870. It resides in a palace built in 1620 for princess Maria Maddalena de’ Medici. Its collection includes Etruscan and Roman remains as well as many Greek and Egyptian artifacts.
10. We went to the Museo Nationale del Bargello
The building that houses the Museo Nationale del Bargello was constructed in 1255 and is the oldest building in Florence. It initially served as the residence for “the Captain of the People” and later in 1261 for the highest magistrate of the Florence City Council. It later became the residence of the police chief and a few decades later a prison. But since 1865 this building has been home to a national art museum.
The Bargello houses masterpieces by Michelangelo, Donatello, Vincenzo Gemito, Jacopo Sansovino, Benvenuto Cellini, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Giambologna and the Della Robbia family.
11. We went to the Galleria dell'Accademia
The Galleria dell’Accademia was founded in 1784 and houses many paintings and a very large number of sculptures. The most famous sculpture is Michelangelo’s David.
An excellent video in one of the rooms explains the various techniques used to make a sculpture, from the initial plaster or clay model, through various casting, and finally the actual sculpting of the marble or other type of stone.
12. We went to the Piazzale Michelangelo to get beautiful views of Florence
The Piazzale Michelangelo was created in 1869 as part of major restructuring of the city walls in 1869. It is dedicated to Michelangelo and has replicas of some of his sculptures including a bronze replica of his sculpture of David.
We stayed for a couple of hours in order to get photos under different lighting as sunset approached.
13. We went to the Giunti Odeon bookstore-cinema
If you love books, beautiful architecture, and movies, then the Giunti Odeon is the perfect place to visit. It is located in Florence’s historic center, not far from the Ponte Vecchio.
The Giunti Odeon is in the Palazzo Lo Strozzino. Built around 1457 as the residence for members of the Strozzi family, the building later went through several ownerships. Sometime after 1914 it began to be converted into a magnificent cinema that opened to the public in 1922. Then in 2023 it was inaugurated as a bookstore-cinema. And what a splendid bookstore-cinema it is!
The ground level contains more than 25,000 books and at the far end is a huge movie screen. The upper level balcony provides plentiful seating that I found to be very comfortable. Movies are shown during the day and in the evening, either in Italian with English subtitles or vice-versa. The daytime movies are free but the evening movies require purchasing a ticket.
The Giunti Odeon is also popular with students. I saw many students studying or conversing in this beautiful setting. I also noted that the Giunti Odeon provides free high-speed internet.
More information on the Giunti Odeon can be found at: www.giuntiodeon.com/en/cinema
14. We watched New Year’s eve fireworks from Ponte Santa Trinita
In addition to the fireworks near the Ponte Vecchio at midnight, there were several festivities that took place in the evening of December 31. The major ones I’m aware of were:
- Gospel choirs in Piazza San Giovanni
- Jazz in Piazza Santissima Annunziata
- Live orchestra and dance in Piazza Santa Croce
- Pop singer-songwriters in Piazza del Carmine
- Marching bands in Oltrarno
- Songs and dances in Piazza della Signoria
16. We enjoyed just simply walking through the historic center of Florence
17. We enjoyed the food!
The food in Italy is fantastic! What else is there to say? Let the photos speak for themselves!
Tourist Information Office:
The main tourist information office is located across from the Santa Maria Novella train station.
Web site: www.feelflorence.it/en
Address: Piazza della Stazione, 4
Hours: Friday 9AM-7PM
Saturday 9AM-7PM
Sunday 9AM-2PM
Monday 9AM-7PM
Tuesday 9AM-7PM
Wednesday 9AM-7PM
Thursday 9AM-7PM
Restaurants:
I stay away from expensive restaurants and just seek out those that simply provide delicious meals. These are very popular among the locals but less frequented by tourists (although most of these restaurants do provide menus in English and the waiters understand some English). Some of my favorites are:
- Trattoria La Casalinga: Via dei Michelozzi, 9R, trattorialacasalinga.it/en/home-eng/
- Trattoria Bordini: Via Stracciatella, 9R, www.trattoriabordino.it
- Trattoria Giovanni: Via Sant’Augustine, 38R, trattoriagiovanni.it
- Trattoria I’Raddi: Via Ardiglione 47R, www.trattoriairaddi.it
- L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 22R, www.pizzeriadamichelefirenze.it
- Trattoria Dell’Orto: Via dell’Orto, 35A, www.trattoriadellorto.com
Train and Bus Information:
- The Santa Maria Novella train station is located within walking distance to the historic center. The address is: Piazza della Stazione
- The bus station is located close to the Santa Maria Novella train station. (These buses are for long distance travel, not for travel within Florence.) The address is: Via Santa Caterina da Siena, 15/17
- You can see schedules and buy tickets at the bus or train stations or you can use one of the following apps or web sites:
— (buses and trains) www.rome2rio.com or Rome2Rio app
— (mostly trains but also some buses) www.trainline.com or trainline app
— (just trains) www.raileurope.com or RailEurope app
Helpful Information about Happenings in Florence:
- General information about Florence (especially for expats) and events in Florence:
Florentine magazine: at newsstands, or by subscription (www.theflorentine.net) - Information about upcoming classical concerts:
www.classictic.com/en/special/florence-concerts/95/ - Museum hours and days of operation:
www.florenceartmuseums.com/florence-museum-hours/
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