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Celebrate the New Year in Florence

What to do in Florence on New Year’s Eve and more.

If you’re planning on celebrating the New Year in Florence, keep in mind that the city offers events and attractions to fill your vacation (and extend your stay) beyond New Year’s Eve.  
During this time of year, lights and colors decorate historic Florence, the perfect backdrop for meandering through the city streets. Yet besides the festive décor, there’s no time like the holidays to visit museums and other city attractions – so be sure to book a few extra days in your New Year vacation. 


New Year’s Eve

On this special night you’ll find a number of concerts in the city’s many piazzas: check out the pop concert in piazzale Michelangelo, an all-night event with a booming stage.
Or for a more relaxed evening, listen to classical music in piazza della Signoria’s Loggia dei Lanzi, where the orchestra’s melodic tunes fill the air.
In the Oltrarno you’ll find upbeat, drifting notes painting the neighborhood with a festive and joyous vibe. 


And if you’re fond of symphonic orchestras, head to the New Year’s Eve concert at the Teatro dell’Opera. This year’s concert, directed by Fabio Luisi, features soloists from the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra and Choir, who will perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
You can purchase tickets here.  


Strolling around museums

Many museums are closed on New Year’s Day, though a visit to one of the city’s open museums is a perfect way to start the New Year. Among these you can visit: the Novecento Museum (open from 2.00 PM till 7.00 PM), the Palazzo Vecchio Museum (open from 2.00 PM till 7.00 PM), the Santa Maria Novella Museum (open from 1.00 PM till 5.30 PM).
Only on Destination Florence you’ll find special-price tickets for the exhibit il Cinquecento a Firenze in Palazzo Strozzi. 

If you’re looking for something unique and exciting, then consider organizing a guided tour, the best way to close 2017 and start the New Year!


The Procession of the Magi

On January 6, the day of the Epiphany, the city hosts the so-called Procession of the Magi: an entourage representing the Three Kings as they arrive at the bed of Christ the Child, a tradition dating to the Medici’s Renaissance Florence. The procession, an array of characters dressed in Renaissance attire accompanying the Three Kings, begins in the main piazza of Pitti Palace and concludes in front of the Florence Cathedral, where a nativity scene is set up for the occasion.
Follow the entire procession through the striking historic center – a truly remarkable sight to see. 

If you don’t want to miss this incredible event, then book a few extra nights at one of the hotels on our site.