10 Things You Absolutely Must Do in Florence in the Winter!

During Florence in the winter, there’s always the Ponte Vecchio, the David, and the Duomo, but these 10 tidbits are best enjoyed or only available when it’s cold outside (discover more about Florence weather)

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Things to do in Florence in December

Florence Must See

1. Hot Chocolate
I know. Hot Chocolate is at the top of the list things to do in December when it’s cold. What a cool, new thing you’ve never tried before, right? WRONG. First of all, if you’ve never been to Italy, you probably think hot chocolate is a liquid. But in this ingenious country, it’s not. What Italians call hot chocolate (you know, besides “cioccolato caldo”) is a thick, velvety rich drink that’s almost a pudding but not quite. It’s served with a spoon, so, you decide. For the absolute best hot chocolate in Florence, cross the Arno and find your way to “Hemingway.” Their menu includes creations from the world champion of artistic chocolate-making. A valid reason for the café being a little pricey? I’d say so. Savor a creamy, white hot chocolate with ginger, and try not to feel bad for those silly people who come to Florence in the summer.

Hemingway
Piazza Piattellina, 9
50124 Florence, Italy
Hours: Mon to Thu 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.,
Fri and Sat 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.,
Sun 2 p.m. to 1 a.m.

2. Winter-Friendly Gelato
Ahhhhhhh, crisp winter air and ice-cold gelato. Dang it! You overlooked that little detail when you planned this trip, didn’t you? Not to worry; you can have your gelato and in the winter, too! Just go to “Vestri.” This chocolatier offers delights straight from the beans of their cocoa plantation in Santo Domingo, and also serves up incredible homemade ice cream in a variety of daily flavors. Once you’ve picked your scoops, you can have them dropped right into a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Gelato, winterized. Keep it simple with classic flavors like crema (egg custard) or fior di latte (cream), and you’ll have everyone shivering through their regular gelati jealous in no time.

Vestri
Borgo degli Albizi, 11
Hours: open every day

3. Ice Skating
Nothing screams, “take that, summer vacation!” like open-air ice skating against a Renaissance backdrop. For just 6€ per hour shift*, you can rent skates and glide among locals at the “Parterre” (from November 30th – January 6th in 2013/14). From the city center, walk through both sets of arches in picturesque Piazza della Libertà, cross the street and continue up the stairs. On a rink that holds up to 200 skaters, you’ll have 199 chances to “bump into” the start of your Italian love story. 🙂

Parterre
Via della Madonna della Tosse, 9
50129 Florence, Italy (closest address)
*Hours: Daily hour shifts start at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m., and 11:30 p.m.
Fri, Sat, Sun and holidays also have midnight and 1:00 a.m. shifts!

4. Christmas Market
Every holiday season in Piazza di Santa Croce (from the November 26th to December 23rd in 2013), Florence hosts an authentic German-style Christmas market that will have you believing you boarded the wrong flight. Forty wooden stalls twinkling under their candy-striped roofs and boughs of evergreen await. You can easily spend a few hours following your nose through rows of homemade lavender soaps, roasting meats and sugary-sweet pastries. If you can’t stomach an entire 2 lb. stinco di maiale (pork shank) try a flame-grilled wurstel (bratwurst) with kraut and spicy mustard. Wash it all down with an artiginal beer or a toasty cup of Vin Brulè (hot, spiced wine, or called by its other name: Why You Are a Genius for Visiting Florence in the Winter). In addition to all the food, you’ll find everything from sheepskin slippers to hand-carved ornaments, perfect gifts for friends and family eagerly awaiting the return of Italian Santa Claus (you). And don’t miss the giant carousel turned bar, at night! Thankfully it doesn’t spin, but it sure does look gorgeous all lit up as you eat and drink yourself into holiday paradise.

Piazza di Santa Croce
Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily

5. Punch
If you want to warm up after a long day like a real Italian, order a glass of ponch. Italian punch comes in two varieties that couldn’t be farther from the high school dance cocktail. Ponch al Mandarino is pure, orange-flavored liqueur with an aroma so spicy and intense, it will literally tickle your nostrils. Ponch alla Livornese is a powerful kick of rum, coffee, lemon, cinnamon and sugar. Both are served piping hot in little glass mugs. Being a common cold-weather beverage, you can order a ponch in most bars. For a non-touristic adventure, try one at “Caffè Sant’Ambrogio,” where it seems every Italian in Florence hangs out sipping drinks in the adjacent piazza no matter what the temperature.

Caffè Sant’Ambrogio
Piazza di Sant’Ambrogio, 7
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. daily

6. Sales
It’s hard to find good things for cheap prices in Florence ( read more about street market in Florence). Luxury items come with matching luxury prices, and inexpensive stores sell merchandise that’s 1) definitely not made in Italy and 2) not going to last more than a month. You pretty much get what you pay for…except in the winter! For two glorious months (Jan 5 – Mar 5 in 2013) almost every store in Florence goes on sale. Use this as an excuse to take home famous leather goods from the San Lorenzo market, or bit of everything from store-lined streets like: Via dei Calzaioli, Via Roma, Via Del Corso and Via dei Banchi/Via de’ Cerretani. If you’re into designer brands, walk down Via Tournabuoni to shop Prada, Versace and Ferragamo, among others. If you’re into designer brands but your wallet’s not, take a 1-hr, under 5€ bus trip* to “The Mall,” that really isn’t even a mall at all, but a designer outlet boasting names like Fendi, Armani and Valentino. Whatever your taste, you’ll leave Florence with more, having spent less. Winter = WIN.

“The Mall” website:
http://www.themall.it/en/
*Click “visit,” “how to get here” for transportation options and departure times

7. Florence Museums
Probably the best thing about visiting Florence in the winter? The other visitors aren’t here! While summer sees museum ( here the complete Florence Museum list)lines wrapped around buildings and down the streets, off-season means you’ll spend a lot less of your precious time waiting in queue. So take advantage of shorter wait times to see all the Renaissance wonders your little heart desires. But, only buy a “Firenze Card”* if you really plan on going museum-crazy. This admission card sounds like a great deal; €85 gets you 72 hours of free public transportation and entrance to 50 museums in Florence. In “main museums,” there’s even a special line for cardholders. The downsides are: 1) Florence is small; it takes less time to walk to most museums than to take the bus or tram, 2) The average cost of Florence museum admission is around 6€; unless you plan on actually visiting more than 8 museums in 3 days, it might be better to pay individual entrance fees 3) If you come to Florence in the low-season, there aren’t long lines, anyway. So, weigh your options, and get to seeing more masterpieces than all the summer tourists combined.

“Firenze Card” website:
http://www.firenzecard.it/?lang=en

8. Tuscan soups
I know what you’re thinking, I ran out of ideas so I threw “soup” in there to make a perfect ten. Not true. Florentine peasants have been warming up with a hot bowls of Minestra (vegetable soup), Pappa al Pomodoro (tomato and bread soup) and Ribollita (vegetable and bread soup) since the 1200s. If the same recipes have lasted from the Middle Ages, you’d better believe they’re something special. Put them to the test at any typical Italian ristorante. We like “Il Latini” for its boisterous atmosphere, spoken menu and food so good it’s best to make a reservation. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed sitting at the communal tables amongst the natives, drizzle a little olive oil over your soup of choice and you’ll fit right in.

Il Latini
Via dei Palchetti, 6/r
055 210916
Hours: Tues – Sun: 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.

9. Concerts

After having your heartwarming soup at Latini, you might want to head out and enjoy a live concert, and in Florence under the festivities there are a lot of classical music concerts that go down, especially for New Years, all of them out in the open so you’ll want to know what to wear in Florence winter. Even though the most important this year is indoors at the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti that will be in remembrance of composer Giulio Caccini’s 400th year from his passing. Lucky for you, now you’ve got something to add to your things to do in Florence when it’s cold list.

Palazzo Pitti

Piazza de’ Pitti, 1

10. Nativity Scenes

If you’re in Italy during the winter holidays you’re gonna have a fair amount of Christmas related events around you. You have to remember that you are in a country where 70% of the population is Catholic, and the Pope has his country bordering on every side with Rome. Because of this, there will be a lot of Nativity scenes in the city, with the most important in Florence being the one right next to the Duomo. Also, if you decide to wander around the Tuscan winter, if you go to Rapolano Terme, near Siena, you’ll find the whole town takes part in making a huge and detailed nativity scene project, plus the views on the countryside there are amazing, and they have thermal baths.

Duomo

Piazza del Duomo, Firenze

Rapolano Terme

Siena Province

Events in Florence

Discover:

2019 events in-florence

2019 Christmas in Florence

Florence Weather December

When you visit Florence in Decemeber you have to think about what to bring right? I mean you definitely don’t want to be freezing or over packing. Maybe you’re coming from a pretty cold country so it won’t affect you that much, but now that my body is used to the Italian weather I feel the chills for all of winter. It’s not as bad as January and February, but it’s still pretty cold, especcially if you factor in the humidity. The range goes from 3°C to 11°C (that’s 37°F to 52°F). Anyway, don’t let that scare you as the Christmas atmosphere is to die for in the hub of the Renaissance.

FAQS

Is December a good time to visit Florence?

December is a great time to visit Florence, especially with all the decorations up in the whole city center, you can’t think of a place more magical than Florence. I mean it’s already magical on it’s own, if you add that Christmas charm it’s so much better.

What is there to do in Florence in December?

Florence in December is full of things to do, from a simple walk on the main shopping avenue, Via Tornabuoni, to going Ice Skating in the Parterre, you’ll find something to do with the whole family.

Is it cold in Italy in December?

It’s cold if you’re Italian, if you’re coming from the US it’s probably going to be pretty decent for you, but the temperature ranges between 3° to 11° Celsius, that’s about 35° to 50° Fahrenheit.

What is there to do in Florence at night?

During the Christmas holidays there is a lot of places that offer Christmas themed dinners, and drinks. In general I’d advise to stay inside clubs, restaurants and bars, cause you don’t want to be catching an Italian Cold now do you?

Useful Guide’s about the city of Florence:

2020 Florence the complete guide

Cultural life in Florence

Accommodations in Florence