Updated for 2023
Florence in summer is peak season for a reason, but it’s honestly one of our least suggested time to visit. In fact, if you’re looking to experience Florence life and less of your fellow tourists, winter might actually be a better time to visit… especially if you’re keen to save some euros.
A lot of Tuscans return home for the holidays and are swapped with Italian and European visitors. The city comes alive in the lead up to Christmas and New Year with beautifully illuminated streets, outdoor performances, holiday food tours and chestnuts stands and new wine (vino novello) at various nooks!
So if you’re tempted to visit, but just need a little more convincing before you press book, this is our guide to the best things to see, do and eat in Florence in winter.
Our top 3 reasons to visit Florence in winter
Less tourists: This should be reasons 1, 2 and 3. December to February is low season for Florence, which means it’s your best chance to experience local life without the crushing crowds. There tend to be more Italian and European travelers, for sure though so not entirely “tourist-free.”
Competitive accommodation: Accommodation rates take a dip during December in Florence, as there is less demand and more options in the center
Sale season: January in Italy is the sale season, so you can take advantage of this and do some shopping. After all, you’re saving on flights and accommodation, so why not splurge?
What to expect weather-wise
Florence enjoys a transitional Mediterranean climate throughout the year which means it is one of the milder European cities in December. The sun is still shining (relatively most days) and the average day time temperature is around 11°C, while it goes down 3°C during the nights. Rainfall is lesser than previous months, around 10 days of the month and rare forecasts of snow.
What to pack
Come well prepared for the fickle winter weather in Florence with waterproof layers and comfy, warm shoes. Although snow is unlikely, it might rain during your trip. A warm and waterproof winter coat as well as an umbrella are musts. Scarves, gloves, and hats will also keep you warm while you explore. Due to high humidity, cold evenings will chill to the bones.
Top things to see and do in Florence in winter
Christmas markets
The biggest Christmas Market in Florence is held in the Piazza Santa Croce, where you can find everything from handmade crafts to food products. Rows of wooden stalls twinkling under their candy-striped roofs and boughs of evergreen will make you think you’ve teleported to Germany. Lose a few hours following your nose through rows of roasting meats and sugary-sweet pastries. Then stock up on everything from sheepskin slippers to hand-carved ornaments that make perfect gifts for friends and family.
Also check out the Fierucola dell'Immacolata (December 8th in Piazza Santissima Annunziata) and Fierucolina di Natale (December 16th in Piazza Santo Spirito).
Do a food tour!
We offer festive dinner crawls and aperitivo tours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Check out this post to get a taste of what we normally do and book our dinner crawl or our Aperitivo cocktail & snack tour. Festive menus aren’t listed on the tour page but rest assured we have a pop-up menu full of traditional Italian holiday dishes planned! Beyond the holidays, they make for something fun to do and guarantee you a toasty table full of local specialties.
Visit Boboli
Of course, museums and galleries are the go-to in winter, but if you feel like something outdoors, hit up the Medici’s favorite personal giardini (gardens), Boboli (Piazza de' Pitti, 1; Every day). Directly behind Pitti Palace, these Italian gardens influenced the tone for many European courts and is populated by ancient and Renaissance statues.
Visit Firenze Winter Park
Open every day until February 25, Firenze Winter Park is your Tuscan mountain getaway in city. Located in the Teatro Obihall garden, this winter wonderland features two indoor ice rinks, a ritzy restaurant and an array of yummy food stands. From ice-skating to snowy aperitivi, this park is the perfect spot to get your winter fix without trekking far from Florence. Inside, you’ll find the Rifugio del Ghiottone, a chalet eatery offering mountain-style dishes.
Visit the Florence Light Festival
The lighting of the tree is just the official focus of the opening of the Florence Light Festival. A number of monuments and iconic locations around the city will be lit up or decorated in light displays. Among these is a video projection on the Ponte Vecchio. The city’s famous churches and towers are colourfully rendered throughout the month, making Florence even more beautiful through its winter nights.
See The Nutcracker
Every 23rd of December at 8:00 p.m, the Pergola Theatre hosts the most famous Christmastime show, The Nutcracker. You can spend a few hours watching one of the world’s most famous and beloved ballets in one of the most beautiful theatres of Italy.
Chantilly al Panettone gelato, naturally!
Top things to eat in Florence in winter
To eat around town at our favorite restaurants in Florence, sign-up for our Progressive Dining Crawl and bookmark our Wine & Dine Ideas for Christmas and New Years Florence and my Where to eat in Florence on Christmas Eve/Day guide.
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a Florentine tradition. It first appeared at the Medici court in the 16th century and the city’s nobles fell instantly in love, serving it instead of wine at meals in Palazzo Pitti. When the weather cools even the slightest, cravings hit for cioccolata calda or Italian hot chocolate. Unlike the drink you might find in other countries, the Italian version of this classic is made has an almost pudding-like texture and is served in tiny cups or glasses. Here are our favorite places to enjoy Italian hot chocolate in Florence.
Cotechino and lenticchie (lentils)
Cotechino, also Zampone is a type of cooked down pork bits (the good stuff) and rind, spiced with what seems like Christmas mulled wine (nutmeg, cinnamon, wine etc) and then formed in a tube and sliced. It is served with lentils because they are thought to resemble “coins” thus bringing prosperous luck to the New Year. Check out more recipe for making this traditional dish at home!
Caldarroste
Nicknamed ‘caldarroste’ in Italian, roasted chestnuts are a great segue in the series of seasonal classics. Traditionally, caldarroste are fire-roasted in a holed pan before being wrapped up in a butcher paper cone and enjoyed piping hot as you stroll through the city. During winter months, caldarroste stands line the major shopping streets of Italian cities, luring residents and tourists alike with the warm, toasty aroma of the roasting chestnuts.
Cammillo is closed for the Xmas period, but plan to go when open
Ribollita
The word ribollita translates from the Italian to "reboiled," as this soup was typically made by reboiling leftover bean and vegetable soups the next day, adding bits of stale bread for a thicker and more filling stew. The three main ingredients always found in any variation of ribollita are stale bread, homemade broth, and cooked beans. Despite its humble beginnings, every restaurant in Tuscany seems to have its own version of this soup on the menu.
Panettone
A Christmas without panettone is barely a Christmas in Italy. Its name simply means “large loaf of bread”. Light, fragrant and pleasantly rich, panettone tradizionale is a sweet, leavened cake, usually filled with raisins and candied fruits. Modern variations also include chocolate and pistachio! Panettone is traditionally eaten on Christmas Day with Moscato d’Asti, a crisp and often sweet sparkling white wine made from the Moscato bianco grape and produced mainly in the province of Asti, in northern Italy.
Punch (or as the locals call it, Ponch)
Tuscany has two main types on Ponch worth trying: Ponch al Mandarino is pure, orange-flavored liqueur with an aroma so spicy and intense, it will literally tickle your nostrils. Ponch alla Livornese is a powerful kick of rum, coffee, lemon, cinnamon and sugar. Both are served piping hot in little glass mugs.
While if you’re looking for somewhere cozy to hunker down on a cold winter’s evening, check out our guide to the best enotecas in Florence.
Where to attend a traditional Christmas service in Florence
From 8 December, you can catch a life-size nativity scene, made entirely with terracotta figures, in the Piazza del Duomo. It’s one of many nativity scenes you’re likely to see around the city and obviously just the start of the religious festivities held in the city around this time.
If you do wish to attend a traditional Christmas service while in the city, head to the Duomo for midnight Mass in Italian on Christmas Eve! As entrance to the mass is on a first-come, first-served basis, we recommend arriving before 10:30pm to ensure a spot.
Want to experience the Christmas Mass in English, instead? Head to St. Mark’s or St. James (both holding midnight Masses at 11pm), complete with joyful music.
San Miniato Abbey, open for a mass with Gregorian chant: 24/12 midnight.
Keep in mind that, outside of the hours when Mass is being held, Florence’s churches are mainly closed on Christmas Day. At the Duomo, the entrance to climbing the dome is closed on both Christmas Day and December 26.
A float from the 2019 Viareggio Carnival. Photo from Wikipedia.
Day trip detour
Viareggio
Viareggio Carnival is one of Italy’s most spectacular Carnival parades and floats. It’s only an hour from Florence and well worth the trip. The highlight of every carnival is the parade of gigantic floats. Made out of papier-mache, they are known for their irreverent political satire and social commentary, but also for their sheer size with some stretching as high as 30 metres!
