You know what time it is.. basically its the time when I put on my writing hat and find the coolest events around Florence & Tuscany for the month of December, a beautiful time to be in town. I have been snapping photos of the Christmas lights set up around the city and Florence definitely doesn’t disappoint, the lights really do bring about a holiday feel and distracts from the icy cold threatening to give my fingers gangrene {yes I am exaggerating}. While many of the below events are Christmas related, you can be assured that as usual, you won’t be bored if you just do a little research on what’s going on in our little big city.

• International Cinema – Month of December at the Odeon Firenze (Piazza Strozzi along with two smaller theaters) until December 14th. My favorite film festival is still going on with gusto – and some of my favorite sections are starting this month. For the first week (until December 7th), you can check out the documentary portion – Festival dei Popoli, Finestra sul Nord – Northern-Eastern European (usually focusing on countries Estonia, Hungary & Finland) film fest is Dec 8-11 and is normally one of my favorite sections of the entire festival, Balken Film Festival is December 12 & 13, awards and ethnomusical sounds & images wind up the festival until the 14th.

• Sweets – Famous Macarons store, Laduree from Paris is opening in Florence on Sunday, December 8th! Via della Vigna Nuova (historical center).

• Sports – Firenze Winter Park is back and open until March? Ice-skating, snowboarding & snow-tubing ( they have one artificial pista) and various games & snacks. Yes all within an ATAF bus ride in Florence! Its located near Saschall on lungarno Aldo Moro.

• Christmas – Market ‘Nataleperfile’ at Palazzo Corsini December 6/7/8 on lungarno corsini 8/r from 10am to 7pm. An annual Christmas market in its 11th year and organized by FILE, Fondazione Italiana di Leniterapia Onlus. Not only do the proceeds go to a good cause, it is located such a beautiful location in Florence and bring your kids! There is a special space just for them, events listed here. The perfect place to pick up some Christmas Panettone!

• Art – Florence Biennale. (This year’s theme is  Ethics: DNA of Art) Until December 8th, contemporary art and related events explodes on the Florentine scene with artists from over the world. Events mainly take place at the Fortezza di Basso and a variety of other sites around town. You can find a full calendar of events here.

• Christmas – Annual AILO Christmas Bazaar, December 8th near piazzale Michelangelo. Every year these fine ladies hold this x-mas event which proceeds go to about a dozen local charities, kudos to them! It’s absolutely worth stopping by even just to sample the BBQ and absorb a little Christmas cheer. 10am – 5pm, Le Pagliere (ex Scuderie Reali), Viale Machiavelli, Florence.

• Christmas – British Institute’s Christmas market on December 13th, 3pm-6pm. Don’t miss the chance to pick up some English books, films and artisan products in order to support their library. lungarno Guicciardini 15.

• Christmas / (Tuscany) Christmas event/market going on on the outskirts of Florence. December 1, 8th, 15th and the 22nd. The town of Palazzuolo sul Senio transforms itself into Santa’s semi-wonderland with food stands (think ciambelle, vin brule, tortellini di marroni and much more, gifts and yes, a skinny Santa (he’s eats a Meditteranean diet).

• Christmas – Santa’s Wonderland at Montecatini Terme. Every weekend until January 6th. Lapland, Finland watch out! Montecatini Terme also has a series of cool Santa Clause related events for kids that has been going on for some years now.

Also don’t forget about the Christmas Market (German) in Piazza Santa Croce, I stocked up on various types of cheddar cheese and a pretzel to later heat up at home.

*Additional events can be found here, the Comune di Firenze’s handy December pdf event list.

ps. If I missed an event, please let me know by commenting below, plus check back as I always add events that I find out about throughout the month 🙂

Related articles

• November events in Florence, Italy (girlinflorence.com)