Christmas in Florence 2025: lights, concerts and winter charm

Florence in December transforms into a city of lights, sound and stories. Between the Renaissance façades and the illuminated streets, the holidays bring together tradition, culture and open-air enjoyment — all with the unmistakable Florentine atmosphere.

The lights of December

The holiday season officially begins on 7 December, when Florence Lights Up returns. Monuments and façades across the city will glow with colourful video projections inspired by the #EnjoyRespectFlorence campaign. The lights will shine every evening from 5.30 p.m. to midnight, until 7 January 2026.
The next day, 8 December, brings the traditional lighting of the Christmas trees: at 6 p.m. in Piazza Duomo, 6.30 p.m. in Piazza della Repubblica and 7.30 p.m. at Piazzale Michelangelo, with views stretching across the illuminated skyline.

For art lovers, Sunday 7 December is also a special occasion: it’s the free-admission day in Italy’s state museums, offering the chance to visit the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens without charge.

Music fills the city

Florence’s concert halls offer a rich programme of music throughout the month.
At the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the season opens with Bach’s Matthäus-Passion (4, 6 and 7 December), followed by a Christmas Concert on 7 December morning, and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto on 12 December. Later in the month, Riccardo Muti conducts a symphonic concert on 19 December, marking fifty years since the death of the Florentine conductor Vittorio Gui.

Opera takes centre stage with Puccini’s La Bohème, presented in multiple performances between 20 and 31 December. On Christmas Eve, the Orchestra della Toscana performs its traditional Christmas Concert at the Teatro Verdi at 5 p.m., welcoming the festive night in music.

Markets and local traditions

From 15 November to 21 December, Piazza Santa Croce hosts the beloved German Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt), with lights, handmade gifts and food stalls serving strudel, wurstel and hot drinks.
A more local touch comes on 14 December with the Fierucolina del Carmine, a small organic fair in Piazza del Carmine where artisans and farmers sell handmade crafts and natural products.
The same weekend, Palazzo Corsini hosts Natale per FILE (12–14 December), a Christmas charity market supporting the city’s hospice foundation.

And for those who prefer outdoor fun, the Florence Ice Village returns to the Fortezza da Basso gardens from 28 November to 6 January — with Italy’s longest skating track and a 55-metre Ferris wheel offering views over the city’s rooftops.

Exhibitions and contemporary art

Beyond the festive lights, Florence celebrates art in all its forms. At Palazzo Strozzi, the exhibition Fra Angelico runs until 25 January 2026, exploring the luminous world of one of the Renaissance’s most spiritual painters. In the same courtyard, the monumental installation The Message by KAWSadds a contemporary dialogue between past and present.

Meanwhile, the Uffizi Galleries open a new exhibition on 16 December, titled “Once Upon a Time. Sculptures from the Medici Collections”, displaying rarely seen works from the Medici era (until 12 April 2026).

Christmas and the days beyond

As Christmas Eve arrives, the city slows down and lights reflect on the Arno. Churches, theatres and squares echo with music and gatherings. On Christmas Day, Florence offers a quiet beauty — from the illuminated cupola of the Duomo to the views from Piazzale Michelangelo. The days between 26 and 30 December are ideal for unhurried strolls, museum visits and short trips to Fiesole or the surrounding hills.

(Cover foto by Any.colour.you.like via Flickr)

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