Italy, Europe

Florence in November

Gray but rewarding: white-truffle season peaks and the museums are calm. Pack for rain.

Quiet valueCool and damp, highs near 59F (15C), the rainiest month

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

The straight answer

November is a quiet, good-value month to visit Florence. Gray but rewarding: white-truffle season peaks and the museums are calm. Pack for rain.

Weather: Cool and damp, highs near 59F (15C), the rainiest month
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What November is like in Florence

November is cool and damp, with highs near 59F (15C), and it is the rainiest month of the year. The trade-off is calm: museums are quiet, hotel prices drop, and white-truffle season reaches its peak on local menus. Late in the month, the Christmas lights and the Santa Croce market start to appear.

It suits travelers who come for art and food and don't need sunshine. Couples and solo travelers on a budget do well. It is a weaker choice for day trips, since the countryside is wet and dark early. If you want mild weather with low crowds, October is the better bet.

Make the most of November

What is especially good about Florence this month.

White-truffle season peaks

Truffles show up on pasta and eggs all over town. It is a real reason to come in late autumn.

Quiet museums

The Uffizi, Accademia, and Pitti are calm, so you can take your time. A rainy day becomes a museum day without any stress.

Christmas season starts

From late November, lights go up on Via Tornabuoni and the Christmas market season begins in Piazza Santa Croce.

What to pack for November

A waterproof jacket with a hood
Waterproof shoes with good grip
A warm sweater or fleece
A sturdy umbrella

Our timing tip

Plan your outdoor walks for the drier mornings and save museums for the afternoons, when showers are more likely.

Book Florence for November.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Florence
Opens a hotel search for Florence in November, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for November
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
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 November. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in November

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.