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Florence’s calendar is anchored by religious and civic festivals that have run for centuries, rather than a single headline event. The two dates that matter most are Easter Sunday, when the Scoppio del Carro explodes a cart outside the Duomo, and 24 June, the feast of San Giovanni, when the Calcio Storico final fills Piazza Santa Croce. Around these sit a long music season, food fairs and Christmas markets. Here is the full run of what to plan a trip around. For more on the weather by month, read our weather by month guide. For more on the things to do, read our things to do guide.
Florence Events: Winter and Spring
Epiphany and the Cavalcade of the Magi (6 January)
On the feast of the Epiphany, a costumed procession of the Three Wise Men winds from Palazzo Pitti to the Piazza del Duomo, re-enacting the arrival of the Magi in 15th-century dress. It is free and family-oriented, and the route is lined with spectators by mid-morning. It marks the formal close of the Christmas season in Florence. For more on the neighborhoods, read our neighborhoods guide. For more on the where to stay, read our where to stay guide.
Scoppio del Carro (Easter Sunday)
A 350-year-old tradition, the Scoppio del Carro, or Explosion of the Cart, sees an ornate wagon packed with fireworks wheeled through the city by white oxen to the Piazza del Duomo. At the midday Gloria of Easter Mass, a rocket disguised as a dove flies down a wire from the cathedral altar to ignite the cart; a clean, loud explosion is read as a good omen for the harvest. Arrive by 09:30 to get within sight of the cart, as the piazza fills to capacity hours ahead. For more on the travel tips, read our travel tips guide.
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (late April to June)
Florence’s principal opera and concert festival, the Maggio Musicale, runs its programme between late April and June at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in the Parco delle Cascine, with selected orchestral concerts at the Teatro della Pergola. It has premiered works by conductors from Zubin Mehta, its long-time principal conductor, to younger international names. Ticket prices vary widely, from student seats around €15 to €120 or more for prime opera stalls, and the spring programme is published each January.
Florence Events: Summer and Autumn
Calcio Storico (24 June)
On the feast of San Giovanni, four teams from the historic districts square off in the Calcio Storico, a brutal, no-holds-barred mix of football, rugby and wrestling, in a sand-covered arena set up in Piazza Santa Croce. The semi-finals take place earlier in June and the final is on the 24th. Tickets for the final are hard to come by and pricey, but the lead-up parades and the spectacle around the piazza are free to watch. Book accommodation months ahead if you plan to attend.
Estate Fiorentina (June to September)
The city’s summer season, the Estate Fiorentina, programmes dozens of open-air film screenings, concerts and readings across courtyards, gardens and the Piazzale Michelangelo through the summer. Many events are free or under €10, and the programme is published in June. It is a low-cost way to spend a warm evening after the daytime sightseeing is done.
Festa della Rificolona (7 September)
On 7 September, on the eve of the Nativity of Mary, children carry paper lanterns, or rificolone, in a procession from the Piazza Santa Felicita to the Piazza Santissima Annunziata, a tradition tied to farmers arriving in the city for the following day’s market. It is free, lively and family-friendly, and an easy event to catch if you travel in early September.
Florence Biennale (October)
Held every two years in the Fortezza da Basso, the Florence Biennale is a contemporary art and design fair that runs about ten days in October. A day ticket is around €20, with discounts for students, and it draws artists and galleries from dozens of countries. Because it is biennial, check the year before assuming it runs during your visit.
Florence Events: Christmas Markets
Weihnachtsmarkt Florence (late November to late December)
Florence’s central Christmas market is a German-style affair in Piazza Santa Croce, running from roughly the last week of November through Christmas week, with wooden stalls selling mulled wine, ornaments and sweets, plus a small rink in some years. It is free to wander. A smaller market operates in Piazza della Repubblica through December.
If you want to time a trip to the autumn harvest or the quieter winter shoulder, the best time to visit Florence guide breaks down the trade-offs between weather, prices and crowds for every month.
