Florence during Christmas.....need some advice
 

My fiance and I will be in Florence for our honeymoon from December 23 (arriving by train from Venice) until December 26 (departing by car rental for Radda and Cortona).

Have any of you been in Florence during Christmas? Can you suggest some things to do on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day? I'm assuming that most major attractions will be closed, but there must be something for us to do, aside from walking the city and enjoying the festive time of year.

Your insight is greatly appreciated!!

staceyloren
I did some of the research and writing for this article last Christmas:

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsle...letter_16.html

There are phone numbers and email addresses that should help you.

I would definetly contact the tourist office for restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A nice hotel dining room would defintely be open... Other restaurants have special dinners for both nights. Attending chruch services would be great, I think.

Most tourist attractions will be open on Christmas Eve, but not Christmas Day. Ask the tourist office for information on opening hours over the holiday.

I'm not sure where you are, but the Italian National Tourist Office in NY should be able to help you and further direct you.

Have fun!
Debbie

ttt

Debbie, thank you for posting that article, I am going to save it.

Staceyloren, here is link to a thread on SlowTravel's message board about Christmas in Florence:
http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums?a...11#93110399611

I am envious. I bet Firenze is beautiful on Christmas Eve...

staceyloren, you must read my response to your first post :-D

To find your previous posts, click on your name, either within a post or at the top of the Europe forum page.

There may be concerts, vocal or orchestral, at various concert halls in Florence on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, some websites to look at would be:

www.teatrodellapergola.it
http://www.teatroverdifirenze.it/
http://www.orchestradellatoscana.it/
http://www.maggiofiorentino.com/eng

On Christmas Day, if you get a nice, not too cold day, you could dress warmly and walk across the Ponte Vecchio, through the outskirts of Florence and up the hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo and see the beautiful San Minatao church and their mosaics. Great views of Florence and the surrounding countryside from here. The church should be open as it is Christmas. If you have a car you can drive up, but the walk is great, albeit quite uphill (hey you are young. . . ) You could take a taxi and walk down, an easy walk. If you do this early you can get to a mass, or if you do it later in the day you can attend the afternoon mass. I have been to Sunday masses there and they sometimes have a choir. An old list I have shows that they have Sunday masses at 8.30, 10, 11, 12 and 5:30 in winter They probably have additional Christmas services. I don't think they have English masses, but your hotel could probably give you this information.

Also on Christmas Day, if you have a car you could drive up into the hills above Florence, walk around and have lunch at either the Villa Massa or the Villa San Michele, both should have their restaurants open. Great views of Florence and both have excellent restaurants. If you don't have a car, you should be able to get taxis, and if you go to Fiesole, I assume the buses would be running on a holiday schedule as well. You could do this on Christmas Eve to have dinner, but it will be dark early so you won't have views.

Just walking around Florence is also a nice thing to do on Christmas Day and Eve, the streets will be quiet and everything will be decorated and lit very prettily.