Italy, Europe

Florence in December

Holiday markets and lights without big-city crowds. The Christmas-to-New-Year week bumps prices back up.

GoodChilly, highs near 52F (11C), festive lights

Florence Duomo, Italy — FlorencePhoto: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

December is a good month to visit Florence. Holiday markets and lights without big-city crowds. The Christmas-to-New-Year week bumps prices back up.

Weather: Chilly, highs near 52F (11C), festive lights
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What December is like in Florence

December is chilly, with highs near 52F (11C), and the city is dressed for the holidays. Lights hang over Via Tornabuoni, a German-style market fills Piazza Santa Croce, and churches set up nativity scenes. Crowds and prices stay low for most of the month, then rise in the week between Christmas and New Year.

This month suits couples, families, and anyone who likes holiday cities without big-city crowds. Watch the calendar: December 8, 25, and 26 are holidays with closures. If you want the festive feel at the lowest cost, come in the first half of the month rather than over Christmas week.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about Florence this month.

The Santa Croce Christmas market

Wooden stalls with food, gifts, and warm drinks fill the piazza. It is a fun evening stop with kids.

Holiday lights on Via Tornabuoni

The city's smartest shopping street is lit up for the season. An evening walk from there to the Duomo is a simple pleasure.

Nativity scenes in the churches

Many of Florence's churches display nativity scenes. They make a good quiet break between museums.

What to pack for December

A warm coat, hat, and gloves
Waterproof walking shoes
Layers for heated museums and cold streets
A compact umbrella

Our timing tip

Come in the first two weeks of December for festive lights at low-season prices, and check holiday closures on December 8, 25, and 26.

Book Florence for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Florence
Opens a hotel search for Florence in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
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Vacation rentals in Florence
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Florence
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Florence for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

Christmas season

Late November through Epiphany, January 6

Lights on Via Tornabuoni, a German-style market in Piazza Santa Croce, and nativity scenes in the churches.

Things to do in Florence

Full guide

Uffizi Gallery

Closed Mondays. Book a timed slot weeks ahead in season and take the first entry; the Botticelli rooms are a different experience at 8:15am.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

The Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome

The cathedral floor is free; the dome climb requires a timed reservation that sells out days or weeks ahead. 463 steps, no elevator, worth every one.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Galleria dell'Accademia

Closed Mondays. It is essentially David plus a strong supporting cast, so a booked one-hour visit does it justice.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Ponte Vecchio at dawn

By midday it is a moving crowd between goldsmith windows. At 7am it is yours, with the Arno mirror-still below.

Tickets and tours →

Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato

The classic city panorama. Walk up for sunset, then keep going ten minutes to San Miniato al Monte, the most beautiful church view in Florence.

Tickets and tours →

Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens

The Medici's second act, across the river in the Oltrarno. Pair it with the artisan workshops of the surrounding streets.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Book the Uffizi and Accademia for opening time and do one per day; back-to-back headline museums is the classic Florence mistake even without crowds.
The Duomo's exterior, the Ponte Vecchio, and the piazzas are the free Florence: see them before 8:30am, then spend midday inside timed-entry sights or across the river in the Oltrarno.
Day-trip crowds flow in from cruise ports and Rome roughly 10am to 4pm. Structure your days as early-morning and evening Florence with an excursion or long lunch in between.
Cross the Arno: the Oltrarno's workshops, Santo Spirito's piazza, and San Miniato absorb almost none of the tour-group flow just five minutes from the Ponte Vecchio.

Know before you go

Mondays are the Florence trap: the Uffizi and the Accademia both close, and several other state museums do too. Plan Monday as your Duomo, Oltrarno, or day-trip day.
August around Ferragosto (August 15): a real share of family-run trattorias, leather workshops, and small shops close for two to four weeks. Major museums stay open.
Holy Week reshapes the city when it falls: Easter Sunday centers on the Scoppio del Carro, and Easter Monday is a full national holiday with heavy domestic travel.
Fixed holidays to plan around: January 1 and 6, April 25, May 1, June 2, June 24 (Florence only), August 15, November 1, and December 8, 25, and 26.