20 August 2026
Florence
December is not a peak season in Florence, which means shorter wait times at tourist attractions and a chance to enjoy Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations in a quieter atmosphere.
And you can visit Christmas markets, ice skate, attend the Light Festival or the Bryan Adams concert!
Florentine December classics
Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence houses the world's largest collection of Italian Renaissance art, including sculptures and paintings from the 12th to 17th centuries. Artists in the gallery include Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and many others. The gallery is relatively less crowded in December.
Florence Cathedral
Florence Cathedral is best known for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the third largest church in the world. This Gothic Renaissance church also includes five must-see attractions: Brunelleschi's Dome, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the Church of Santa Reparata, Giotto's Bell Tower, and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, all of which are festively decorated in December.
Academy Gallery
Home to Michelangelo's David, the Accademia Gallery is an 18th-century art school turned museum. In addition to classical paintings and sculptures, the Gallery also has a new section opened as the Museum of Musical Instruments. Admire these works of art at your own pace in the less crowded month of December.
Boboli Garden
The Boboli Garden is a historic park that was developed on 45 hectares of land between the 15th and 19th centuries. Today it is the largest outdoor museum in Florence, filled with sculptures, fountains and grottoes. Be sure to take your umbrella with you when you stroll through the Upper Botanical Garden and Cypress Avenue.
Pitti Palace
Pitti Palace is the largest museum complex in Florence. The Palace's list of museums includes the Royal Apartments, the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Treasury of the Grand Dukes (the Silver Museum), the Porcelain Museum, the Carriage Museum, and the Museum of Costume and Fashion. Queues at these museums are shorter in December.
Bargello Museum
The Bargello Museum is housed in a 13th-century palace, the oldest public building in Florence. It is an art museum that has one of the largest collections of Renaissance sculpture, such as Donatello's marble statue of David. It also houses collections of ceramics, enamels, textiles, tapestries, waxes, ivory, silver, armor and coins. Make sure the museum is open on your desired dates in December before booking.
Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the City of Florence, is a museum with a viewing tower and a patrol walkway. A medieval fortress built on Roman ruins that houses works of art from the Renaissance period. It is definitely a building that encapsulates Florentine history. Be sure to visit this place in December, when there are fewer visitors.
Medici Chapels
The museum and the burial place of the Medici family are together called the Medici Chapels. They were built next to the Basilica of San Lorenzo by Michelangelo and Buontalenti between the 16th and 17th centuries. The highlights of the attraction are the Chapel of the Princes and the New Sacristy, both of which are less crowded in December.
Events in Florence in December
Santa Croce Christmas Market
Place: Piazza della Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence
Dates: November 28, 2022 - December 20, 2022
The Santa Croce Christmas Market is a 500-year-old Christmas tradition in Florence. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, the Christmas market is lined with wooden stalls selling delicacies, novelties and gifts. Here you will find gourmet specialties such as bratwurst, pretzels, chimney cake and mulled wine as well as Dutch crepes and waffles and Austrian pastries.
Florence Ice Village
Venue: Garden of the Fortezza da Basso, Florence
Dates: December 3, 2022-January 15, 2023
For the Florentine holiday season, the Fortezza da Basso Garden is transformed into a Christmas-themed park every December. The highlights of the Ice Village are a large ice rink and a giant Ferris wheel open from 10 a.m. to midnight each day. The park also hosts a plethora of events and activities for people of all ages.
Light show
F-Light Festival (Florence Light Festival)
Location: All of downtown Florence
Dates: December 8, 2022 - January 9, 2023
All of Florence lights up with color during the holidays. The Florence Light Festival features giant illuminations, illuminated facades and light shows throughout the city. The "Reflections" themed light festival, which begins with the lighting of the Christmas tree in front of the Duomo, is definitely something to keep an eye on in December.
But what is the weather like in Florence in December?
The days have only nine hours of daylight. It is therefore necessary to plan the itinerary accordingly.
December marks the beginning of winter in Florence, with cold days and very cold nights. This month sees the shortest days in Florence, under mostly cloudy skies. It rains for about 5-8 days, but hardly ever snows.
Bring an umbrella with you because in December Florence is subject to some downpours and you need to dress warm because it is often cold and windy.
