Celebrate Christmas in Florence

A stroll through Florence during the holidays is a beautiful spectacle.

The city undergoes such a magical transformation that every night in December feels like a holiday. Christmas lights, in all of their elegant variety, dangle over the city’s otherwise dark streets; trees set within wooden boxes line the wide Via Callimala; and nearly every shop is decorated with colorful Christmas wreaths and ribbons. In the Piazza della Repubblica, a giant tree stands in the center, and next to it spins the bright red and gold carousel.

And then there are the activities: there are so many wonderful — and inexpensive — things to do in Florence that you may not have time to do them all.

Florence Christmas Market

First, there are the Christmas markets. In Florence, the most well-known market is the German market in Piazza Santa Croce, otherwise known as Mercato Tedesco di Natale. From December 3 through December 21, Florentines and tourists alike wander the aisles of decorated booths selling everything from German strudel to traditional pottery to handcrafts and Christmas candy for the kids. At the end of the market is a large “carousel” for adults (it spins very slowly): here you can partake in some hot spiced wine and a bratwurst.

Ice Skating in Florence

After visiting the markets, why not spend the afternoon ice skating? Because it’s not quite cold enough in Florence to skate on the Arno, the city of Florence offers an outdoor rink at Parterre, near Piazza della Libertà, from December 1 through January 13. For just six euro you can rent skates and glide on the ice listening to Christmas music. On Christmas Day, Santa Claus will stop by for a visit. Note that ice skating isn’t just for children: on the weekends you can skate until 1am.

Florence Nativity Scenes

You could also make a day of visiting one presepio (nativity scene) after another. Usually beginning December 8, which is the day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, until the end of the season, churches throughout Florence display their nativity scenes. While they are beautiful to see during the day, at night they can be stunning (pictured is the presepio of the Church of Santa Maria Novella).

Free classical concerts in Florence

And yet another gift from Florence is the gift of music: free classical concerts take place nearly every night in the city. Spend an evening listening to Debussy in Orsanmichele or Mozart in the Church of San Frediano in Cestello, and then the same evening listen to Haden at the Church of San Firenze.

In Florence it’s easy to get swept up in the magic of Christmas. While there may be a recession going on, here you forget about not having enough and to instead reflect on how much you have. Florence has a way of teaching you how to appreciate the simple joys in life, and during Christmas, this lesson hits home even more.

Topic:  General Travel | 4 Comments
Tags:  Christmas, family, Florence

About the author

Cheryl Tucker is a freelance writer living in Florence, Italy, for as long as she can. She gave up her apartment in New York City to see about making a life for herself here. She is working on her first novel, edits academic books, and eats very, very well here.