Love it or hate it, Halloween is just around the corner and the way I can tell is by looking in the display window at any one euro shop. The holiday is of course yet another American invention but one that Italians usually enjoy, especially my boyfriend. He is sucker for any sort of haunted house. Living in a Florentine bubble can have it’s advantages in that there is a fair amount of activities going on during the 31st – for both kids and adults. In usual Girl in Florence style, I have listed them below. I myself have no idea what I am going to do for Halloween but probably it will involve a cocktail and some friends, we are leaning to visiting the town of Borgo a Mozzano (listed below) depending on the weather.

Unlike in the USA, most of my friends in Italy put together some sort of makeshift costume (if at all) and just go where the night takes them. We made some awesome halloween-themed search boxes on Attrakt.com about how to do your own halloween makeup which you can see here and some cool costume ideas here.  For a fun article from Time magazine asking the question..Have adults ruined Halloween? click here. ( I couldn’t help myself) and let me know what YOU think.

• Florence: Negroni cocktail bar is organizing a ‘aperiscuro’ – special aperitivo on Halloween night. I am certain many locals will be there since this area of Florence is popular with Italians anyway and next week happens to be a “ponte” or holiday weekend. address: Via dei Renai, 17r, 50125 Florence, Italy.

• Florence: Halloween party, aperitivo “WELCOME TO BURLESQUE” – Kitsch bar, Viale Gramsci 1, 3, 5 (piazza beccaria location). Starts at 9pm, enjoy a sumptuous aperitivo (this place has better food than Kitsch 2..seriously) and watch six special professional dancers partake in a burlesque show with famous drag queen LA PROJBIDA.

• Florence: Cinemas locally will be showing the Rocky Horror Picture Show on halloween night. Check out this link for details.

• Florence: “Nobodies Perfect” halloween party at Tenax discotheque. Via Pratese, 46, firenze. Special guests include Sven Vath and Maurizio Smitz. Sven is known as the German pioneer of techno music and if the ‘king’ of the techno German scene currently. Party starts at 9pm and entry is 35 euros a person

• Florence: “Devils Party” at Flog Auditorium. Via Michele Mercati 24b, Firenze (FI). Of course you can expect that Flog will have a pretty awesome Halloween party and this year is no different.  Pan del Diavolo will be playing followed by HorrorRockoteca accompanied by Spatter Video Selection. Party starts at 9:30pm. Entrance costs 8 euros.

• Certaldo (FI): Halloween in Certaldo. On October 31, an all-day Halloween celebration in the historical centers with music, gastronomic stands, pumpkins, costumes and masks. Fun for people of all ages!

• Florence: Halloween aperitivo at Cafetteria Piansa (Viale Europa 128 near coop gavinana in Firenze sud). 6pm-8:45pm – buffet and drink only six euros!

• Florence: planetarium, via Giusti 29, is having a halloween event for adults & kids at the planetarium with reservation. laboratory fun with a costume twist, this would be interesting for those wanting an educational angle with their Halloween fun! For more info call  Tel: 055/2343723.

• Florence: My favorite Vino Sfuso – Da Andrea, Piazza di Badia a Ripoli 1/R  is having a halloween festa for adults and kids from 4pm – 8pm at his store. Stop by for some sweets & treats and maybe pick up a bottle of vino novello. More details here.

• Florence: Canadian Island, via ghiberti 15, is having a having a halloween party at 5pm for adults and kids. Haunted house, trick or treat, market, games and more. All to help the organization F.A.T.E

• Florence: Ikea sesto fiorentino invites parents to bring their children in costumes to the store (anytime between 10am-7pm) for a special halloween day. At the entrance there will be face painting and goodies.

• Florence: 1950’s American Diner in Calenzano, Via Vittorio Emanuele, 40. On halloween night you can enjoy an awesome 1950’s style ochestra band called ‘The Twisters’ and dance to a different beat. This restaurant is really cool if you have never been, make sure to make reservations if you plan to attend this event.

• Florence: Hard rock cafe Florence, Halloween U2 tribute concert. 10:30pm-1:30am. Free entrance! For those interested in an additional ‘themed’ Halloween menu, email [email protected]. Special drinks for the night include the Hallowrita and bloody mary. Come in costume, more event details here.

• Florence: Halloween Rock Asylum – Lochness Lounge, via dei benci – October 31 at 10pm. Obviously I am a huge fan of this bar and I am sure Halloween is going to a night like no other. Rock music, gadgets, crazy costumes and great drinks. This is THE best bar in the Santa Croce area. More details here.

• Florence: Teatro dell’Ozio, the place I recently wrote about is having their own special halloween aperitivo for both adults and kids. From 6:30-11:30pm, you can find more details at their facebook event page. Come in costume!

• Florence: Baby Panda on via Baracca 1 is joining up with music together for a halloween party on the 31st. Games, songs, face painting, music and fun. Come in costume (in their shop they sell masks and Halloween gear and the like with a special halloween theme). Admission is free,they invite you to bring along some cookies, cakes or drinks :-). www.babypanda.it

• Borgo a Mozzano (Lucca): The Devil’s Bridge – The 19th Halloween celebration in Borgo a Mozzano (20 km from Lucca). From Wednesday 31/10 to sunday 04/11. The first and the biggest halloween celebrations in Italy! Make sure to read more about the spooky history of this bridge and the town here before going. Dress up and head over to take part in what is sure to be an interesting time, expect musical shows, live music, an awesome ‘passage of terror’ where locals team up to scare participants, themed dinners and much more all happening in this area. The official site for the festa is here.  Check it this video from 2011

For anything I have missed, please refer to this website (in Italian) which has a lot of different options (mostly of the adult variety).