Florence at Christmas: best things to do, tips. All you need to know for a trip you’ll love (Christmas 2025)

Enjoy Florence at Christmas with out travel guide to the festive season in Florence. Best things to do, what you need to know, family-friendly events in Florence this Christmas to celebrate the festivities and make the most of the city in the festive season.

Christmas is an exciting time to be in Florence.

During the holiday season, Florence shines bright with many Christmas lights illuminating its elegant center and enticing visitors of all ages, with family-friendly Christmas events in many of its piazzas, historical palazzi and parks.

However, Florence at Christmas gets very busy and the number of visitors plus the inevitable rearrangement of opening hours of museums and attractions for the festivities, means some planning is in order!

While you don’t need to have a set schedule for the festive season in Florence, some tips are helpful and this is what this page is for!

In this practical guide to Florence at Christmas, you will find all you need to know to plan the holidays in beautiful Florence.

Florence at Christmas TL;DR (Summary)

Christmas is a wonderful time to visit Florence but a busy one. Between the 23rd of December and the 6th of January in particular, tourism demand peaks: advance booking of accommodation, tours and attractions is a must.

Christmas affects the opening hours of museums and attractions. Since museums operate independently form one another, it is paramount to check the website of each place you want to visit to the schedule they follow each year. The most common days to watch out for are the afternoon of the 24th December (Christmas Eve), the 25th December (Christmas Day), the 26th December (St Stephen’s Day) and the 1st of January.

Christmas Day affects the running of tours. Christmas is a family holiday and it is common for operators not to run tours on this day to allow for family time. If you are planning on tours or classes, especially with local small businesses, they will most likely not run on Christmas Day.

Restaurants and shops are operational during the Christmas break but do observe closures on the 25th. Usually, shopping is in full force as this is prime buying season so closured are normally limited to festive days like Christmas Day itself. You will however find essentials (supermarkets, pharmacies) although not all will be open: best to check with your local host what opening hours their local shops follows this year, not to be caught out .

Restaurants may require reservation and may have set menus on 24 December evening (Christmas Eve); Christmas Day (lunchtime) and NYE. Making arrangements ahead is advisable.

To find my personal recommendations to enjoy Florence as a family and my tips, please check here >>> my family guide to visiting Florence with kids.

The best things to do in Florence at Christmas

The best things to do in Florence at Christmas are a mix of traditional sightseeing, shopping and seasonal activities.

Since Florence at Christmas can be rather cold, as you will see most of them area indoors or focus on making you feel cozy!

Stroll around Florence city center and enjoy the Christmas lights

Florence city center is an open air museum and, at Christmas, becomes a very Christmassy one since lights go up decorating the streets and piazzas.

Lights usually go up from mid-November, although usually to fully enjoy them you need to wait until a little later, with the ceremony of the lighting of the trees usually happening on the 8th December.

Enjoying Florence city center is easy: you can stroll in your own time or, if you prefer guidance, you can find her >>> my favorite walking itinerary in Florence city center.

Go artisan gifts shopping in Oltrarno

Florence has a fantastic artisan tradition: you can find handmade good all over the city but a particularly good area is Oltrarno, where you have many artisan workshops that are great both to explore and to get gifts!

You can explore in your own time or take a guided tour like this one which is a great way also to learn what to look for when buying handmade and traditional crafts in the city.

Take a cooking class

Florence has a strong culinary tradition and over Christmas, when the cold enters your bones, finding refuge in a warm cooking school to indulge in a meal of handmade pasta and wine is a delight! Cooking classes I like in Florence is this one which is suitable for the whole family. It is a fun and hands on way to spend and afternoon and the group setting makes it festive and social!

Go to a museum

Of course, no trip to Florence would be complete without at least one museum visit! Just make sure you reserve tickets ahead for any you want to visit as especially the Uffizi and Accademia sell out fast.

Fantastic museums you may want to visit in Florence are:

• Uffizi (I recommend you get a guided tour for this one)
• Accademia (easy without a guide, but do reserve your tickets ahead as it is very popular)
• Bargello
• Leonardo Interactive Museum – fantastic for adults but also for kids as it is hands on

Enjoy a festive brunch or meal in a luxury hotel

Florence has beautiful luxury hotels and some go all out for Christmas with wonderful and atmospheric seasonal brunches. Hotel Brunelleschi, Lungarno Collection, Four Seasons are all exceptional addresses for a festive treat.

Go to a Christmas event

Florence hosts some cute events for Christmas, ranging from local Christmas markets to concerts. Dates tend to be released very close to the time, but usually see events during the weekends in December, the 8th of December, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve.

Go to a concert: Christmas concerts in Florence this Holiday season

The Christmas season is a time for concerts and music. Recurring, seasonal ones include:

• Christmas Concert at Teatro Verde, 24 December 2025
• Christmas Concert at Florence Auditorium, 7 December 2025 

Christmas Events in Florence

This is the list of the events currently scheduled for Christmas in Florence in 2025/26.

The full calendar of events has only been pre-announced so far with most dates for public events are still to be confirmed.

The information on this page is provided by the event organizers and the Municipality of Florence. All events are susceptible to changes at the organizers’ discretion.

Lighting of the trees ceremonies [Dates TBC]

The best Christmas trees in Florence and in Piazza Duomo, Piazza Della Signoria and Piazzale Michelangelo.

The official lighting ceremony for all of them is planned for the 8th December at the following times

• Piazza del Duomo @6.00pm Map https://maps.app.goo.gl/VjBGuSR59FaxJM2z8
• Piazza della Repubblica @6.30pm Map https://share.google/0nov6wBePNl57owEm
• Piazzale Michelangelo @.7.30pm Map https://maps.app.goo.gl/8LGdwgTaiYVjrRws5
  

The ceremonies are officiated by the Mayor of Florence and city dignitaries and have special guests such as the Light Gospel Choir and Corteo Storico della Repubblica Fiorentina (a historical organization: their costumes are the best!)

Smaller trees also dot smaller squares and local areas of the city, for a total of about 60 of them around town!

Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce

A Florence Tradition, the Santa Croce Christmas market comes back in Piazza Santa Croce from 23 November to 22 December 2025 with wooden huts all decked out and selling food and gifts.

This year the market will also have live music at weekends when kids may also be able to meet Santa!

Other Christmas markets and shopping opportunities you may like are planned in:

Natale per File 12-14 December 2025: not a German style market but a Christmas market inside beautiful Palazzo Corsini in support of File, an organization offering free care to people affected by severe illnesses https://www.leniterapia.it/event/nataleperfile/

Fierucola di Natale, 21 December 2025, Piazza Ognissanti, exclusively dedicated to artisan, ethically produced and sustainable gifts

Emergency Christmas Shop (shop run by the NGO Emergency, providing medical help to the victims of war and poverty in conflict areas), perfect for gifts big and small. Dates for 2025 haven’t been confirmed yet but usually 22 November to 24 December, Nove Botteghe, via Gioberti 61

Christmas Bazaar, the ‘American’ Christmas market, Tepidarium del Roster, Via Bolognese 17A [2025 dates yet to be confirmed]

Florence Ice Village and Santa Encounter [NOT yet confirmed for this year]

Florence Ice Village is a seasonal event that brings to Florence two exciting features: the biggest ice skating ring in Tuscany and a ferry wheel!

The event this year is in a new location, in Parco delle Cascine where families also find a Christmas Village with seasonal and food stalls, opening on 1st December. The ice rink will be operational until mid-January.

Parco delle Cascine is aso where Santa likes to come when he’s in Florence and where kids age 3 to 10 can meet him!

This Santa experience at Cascine Park comes complete with a mini train ride across the park that makes you explore this large green area before delivering you to Santa himself.

The train ride and Santa encounter are a package and must be booked in advance. Link to book here >>> https://www.eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-trenino-al-parco-768210808207 <<<

Santa’s house and letterbox

If your kids are worried Santa may not know where to deliver presents this year, they’ll love to learn Santa has a special postbox in Florence that delivers straight to the North Pole!

The post box is in Palazzo Vecchio, right in the center of Florence, and is active from the 7th of December to the 24th.

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KGqJazsqBhi8jBGL8

Epiphany (6h January) The arrival of La Befana

La Befana is a magical visitor who comes to children’s homes on the night between the 5th and the 6th January (the Epiphany), bringing sweets in a stocking to nice children (if you’ve been naughty, she gets you coal instead! Read here >>> all about Epiphany and La Befana in Italy <<<<

In 2026, the children of Florence expect her also to make a daytime appearance at 11.30 in Piazza della Repubblica. Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TTj2Hg2sM56Mpe4P6

NYE events in Florence piazzas

Several music events take place in Florence’s main piazzas on New Year’s Eve. The main ones are planned as follows (no additional info available yet):

• Piazza Signoria – Canto e Magia (Songs and Magic)
• Piazza Duomo – Gospel concert
• Piazza del Carmine – Pop e Cantautorato (pop and singer-songwriters)
• Piazza Santissima Annunziata – Jazz
• Piazza Santa Croce – orchestra con scuole di danza (Orchestra and dance schools)
• Oltrarno – Marching band.

Where to eat in Florence at Christmas

Christmas lunch is a big family event in Italy, and this affects the ability to eat out on the day.

If you are planning to have Christmas lunch in Florence, it is best to make plans ahead.

You can find here >>> our list of recommended restaurants in Florence <<< with contact details for current opening hours and availability.

Some of the most festive for the atmosphere are in the city hotels and more upscale restaurants. Contact them directly with good notice to make special arrangements for children.

Some you may want to consider this year:

Four Seasons Hotel

• 24 December – Christmas Eve dinner,
• 25 December – Christmas Brunch; Christmas dinner
• 26 December – Santo Stefano Brunch
• 31 December – NYE Dinner Gala
• 1 January – NYE Brunch

Hotel Brunelleschi

• Christmas Lunch, 25 December 2025 from 12.30 pm (Kids menu available) Website: Hotel Brunelleschi Christmas Lunch

Hotel Lungarno Collection

• 25 December – Christmas Lunch at their 1 Star Michelin Restaurant Borgo San Jacopo, view over the Ponte Vecchio. Website: Lungarno collection dining experiences

Hotel Savoy

• 24 December – Christmas Eve dinner
• 25 December – Christmas Lunch
• 31 December – NYE dinner with live music
• 1 January – New Years’ Day Brunch
• Website: Hotel Savoy Florence

Ristorante elisabella (2 Michelin stars)

Christmas Luch and Ristorante Elisabetta

The Museums of Florence at Christmas: opening hours / festive closures – what you need to book and how

The Christmas festivities impact the opening of museums and attractions. If you find yourself in Florence at Christmas, you may need to know the following:

The Uffizi Gallery is closed on 25 December and 1st January, as well as every Monday during the year. You can find the Uffizi Official site here. My recommended group tour of the Uffizi is this one, while my top of the top pick is this semi private tour with early entrance – for me, it is the best of both worlds as you have a personal connection with the guide, but a better price point than going fully private (plus it is fun to meet other visitors!) Also, the earluy entrance allows to avoid the insane crowds of this time of year.

The Accademia Gallery is closed on 25 December, 1 January as well as every Monday. It also has shorter opening times on the 24 and 31 December (last access 5.30pm, closure at 6pm). Th official Accademia site is this one. If tickets are sold out, I usually find them on GetYourGuide, a provider I use extensively and have excellent experience with.

Bargello Museum: closed on Christmas Day. You can find the official site here.

Florence at Christmas – pin this!