What To Do In Florence At Christmas?

What to do in Florence at Christmas?

To say that Florence is beautiful is like saying that 2 + 2 is 4: obvious! During Christmas, the city seems to gain even more magic: decorated, it presents itself to visitors in an attractive and colorful way, invoking all the beauty that only the holiday season offers us. Today we will get to know what to do in Florence at Christmas. Read also How is Christmas in the Boot country? The traditions! Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams !!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

Introduction

Italy is magical at Christmas , but in Florence this magic is felt in almost every corner of the city! Florence is one of the most traditional cities in Italy, but it receives all the ‘modernity’ of Christmas lighting in a spectacular way. Today we will to get know what to do in Florence during the Christmas period. Also check out other posts about what to do for Christmas in Italy, in Venice , Milan and Rome !

1) What to do in Florence at Christmas? ICE SKATING AND VISIT TO SANTA’S HOUSE

All together, but very well organized! Here it’s 3 in 1, you’ll find a skating rink, markets and Santa’s house. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy Christmas in Florence.

Fortezza da Basso Skating Rink

The biggest ice rink in Europe arrives at Fortezza da Basso. Built around Poggi’s swimming pool, at Giardino Fortezza, it promises to be one of the highlights of the city during the festive period. In addition to the 300-meter track, the complex also offers visitors the Santa’s House, the Christmas village and several stalls with very interesting food, games and products. The complex will open on December 6th at 5:00 pm, and anyone who comes with a Fiorentina shirt, scarf or hat will enter for free. On this occasion, the track will be lit up in purple tones and at 06:00 pm the Christmas tree will be officially lit up . The complex is set up until January 6th.

Santa’s house

Santa’s house, on the other hand, will be positioned next to Viale Strozzi, easy to reach. It will open on December 8th and is a project of Compagnia di Babbo Natale – Onlus, a philanthropic association with a large presence in Italy. In Santa’s world, there will be no lack of goblins and reindeer. There will also be a beautiful light show inside the room where films and special lighting will be projected.

In the space, totally in the dark, you’ll find yourself surrounded by Christmas trees that will suddenly start to light up and the ‘snow’ doesn’t take long to put the finishing touches. I won’t be a spoiler, but Santa Claus also appears there to tell his story! 😉 It’s an immersive show in a space of about 200 square meters, in which you can immerse yourself in a suggestive Christmas atmosphere, a 20-minute story in projections where the audience will be fully involved in an incredible visual and sound experience!

Useful information

Skating Rink Hours: open every day, from 10:00 am to 0:00 am
Village hours: closes every day at 9:00 pm.
Prices: we also have the rental of skates, which will cost 2 euros and access to the track, for the first hour, 8 euros, from the second on, 5 euros.

2) What to do in Florence at Christmas? SEE THE FLORENCE LIGHT FESTIVAL

Another Fiorentino event that draws a lot of attention is the Florence Light Festival. The event officially opens on December 8th, so there is still no information available about hours and places, however, by accessing the website on December 8th, hours, locations and all the information will be available for you to see these amazing lights of Christmas. The Festival presents, in addition to street lighting, projections on famous and important points of Florence such as Vecchio Bridge , Vecchio Palace , Piazza della Signoria, among others. Find out about times when available, as it really is a spectacle. Don’t miss the tree in front of the Florence Cathedral : beautiful!The projections and the tree will be in Florence from December 8th to January 6th.

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3) What to do in Florence at Christmas? VISIT THE MARKETS

And now let’s go to the favorites: the Christmas markets. In Florence, of course, they couldn’t be absent either. The most important and famous are:

Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce

The official name is Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt, but it is simply called the Piazza Santa Croce Christmas Market. There, the most traditional products are products from Germany, such as Pretzels, strudel, mulled wine, but you can also find several places that sell northern European crafts. There is also the Santa’s house and an area intended for children. In the afternoon, there is also a performance of choirs, a charm!

When: from the 23rd of November to the 22nd of December
Where: Piazza Santa Croce
Hours: from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Christmas market at the San Donato mall (Novoli)

Another very popular market, it has about 30 stalls with various products, including typical cuisine. On December 21st, the market receives a visit from Santa Claus: the children will love it!

When : from November 16th to January 6th, 2020.
Where: San Donato Multipurpose Center, corner of Via di Novoli and Via Forlanini.
Hours: from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

2019 Emergency Christmas Space

At the Emergency Christmas Space market, in Florence, all purchases made there will have a part of the value going to the causes of countries affected by wars and extreme poverty. What a delight to buy and help those in need, isn’t it? The countries helped are Afghanistan and Iraq, and most of the money is donated to hospitals.

When: from November 30th to December 24th.
Where: Via Dei Gironi, 14.
Hours : Monday to Friday, from 12:00 pm to 07:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm and December 24th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Christmas Market in Gavinana, at Bartali Square

Another very charming place is on the outskirts of Florence. In front of Coop Shopping Center, you will find a space with several stalls that sell gifts, crafts and other very interesting objects.

When: from December 1st to December 23rd.
Where: Gino Bartali Square (between Viale Giannotti and Viale Europa).
Hours : from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Open day at the Four Seasons in Florence, the garden of Gherardesca

One of the most coveted luxury hotels in the city, it offers a very nice charity market in a beautiful place: in the historic garden of Gherardesca and, for a day, it hosts a Christmas market with various attractions such as children’s entertainment, good food tastings and performances of choirs, besides, of course, the visit of Santa Claus. This year, the funds will go to the Patrizio Cipollini Foundation, which is dedicated to creating educational programs. Admission, which will also be donated, costs 1 euro.

When: December 15th.
Where: Entrance via Piazzale Donatello, 12; Borgo Pinti 97 and Via Gino Capponi 54
Hours: from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

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Conclusion

What to do in Florence at Christmas? Florence will win over your heart at Christmas; the only problem is you want to go back there every Christmas! And i f you feel insecure or have no time, and need help to organize your trip, do not hesitate to look for me! I will love to help you make your dream trip to Italy. And how can I do that? Continue reading this post until the end and you will understand how can we make your life and journey easier.

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