Christmas in Florence, Italy is very special and a big deal, guaranteeing a unique and memorable experience that can only be experienced during the holiday season for travellers visiting from around the world, with the city decorated in bright fabulous Christmas lights, and decorations with music playing adding to the Christmas spirit and making it a wonderful experience for travellers to enjoy and relax in the historic city. The main square of Florence with the historic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore offers tourists a perfect setting for Christmas pictures with a Christmas tree, great for daytime shots and at night with the lights shining and fewer crowds. The city of Florence offers visitors many different activities to enjoy within the city centre and surrounding area. All major and important plazas in the city of Florence like Piazza del Duomo, Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza della Repubblica, have festive displays to celebrate the occasion of Christmas in a great way guaranteed to impress visitors and locals alike.
1. Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is an impressive sight to behold and never fails to impress the eye and fill the mind with wonder with its massive grand architecture and incredibly detailed design of the entire exterior and also the interior of the cathedral, with the massive impressive dome and church tower that can be seen from far away and many viewpoints on the outskirts quickly catching the eye. Surrounding the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore restaurants and many shops can be found for the visitors to relax, have food, or shop while gazing upon the magnificent impressive church and the Christmas decorations and lights around it.
2. Christmas Market
Florence is famous for its many Christmas markets, the most famous and largest of the Christmas markets being the German market, the Weihnachtsmarkt Santa Croce against the backdrop of one of Florence’s most iconic squares Piazza Santa Croce. Visitors can enjoy the sights and the shopping of the iconic Christmas market. The markets include Nataleperfile, ATT Christmas Market, Christmas in the Villa, Empoli Città del Natale, San Donato a Novoli, San Donato Shopping Center, and Arezzo Città di Natale
3. Luxury Shopping
Visitors in Florence during the holiday season can enjoy endless luxury shopping in the historic city with its many luxury shops. In Florence you will find all of the major luxury boutique shops, the first Salvatore Ferragamo store and museum, Versace, Dior, Max Mara, Gucci, Luis Vuitton, Hermés, Burberry, Fendi, Celine, Pomellato, Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Pinko, Givenchy, Tiffany, Roberto Cavalli, Balmain, Chanel, Bulgari, Chloe, Manolo Blahnik, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Zimmerman and Cartier all creating the ultimate luxury shopping experience and allowing fashion enthusiasts to shop until they drop, however, if visitors don’t plan to spend, the impressive window displays are worth taking a look.
4. Ponte Vecchio Bridge
The Ponte Vecchio bridge also known as the golden bridge in Florence is world-famous for the shops built along the bridge selling luxury jewelry and gold. The world-famous Ponte Vecchio is also the oldest bridge in Florence and also the only bridge to survive the second world war, with every other bridge in the city being destroyed. The bridge itself is built in 1345, a medieval stone-closed spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River.
5. Hot Air Balloon Tour Over Florence
Experience the historic Renaissance city of Florence from the skies with wine. The 3-hour-long adventure will start early in the morning on a sunny day with blue skies when the sun starts to rise and cover the landscape. Adventurers will experience floating in a hot air balloon for a 1-hour flight providing an immersive, impressive and uniquely memorable experience guaranteed to create lifelong memories. Tourists choosing this adventure will experience the feeling of floating above the historic city, and the Arno river while admiring the beauty of the architecture and detail of the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore as well as the famous Tuscan hill towns of Elsa Valley, Volterra, Certaldo and San Gimignano in the west, the Apennine mountain range in the north and adventurers will be amazed by Siena with Monte Amiata in the south and also while viewing the breathtakingly beautiful landscape of the Chianti Mountains in the east. Once the 1-hour hot-air balloon flight tour concludes, the pilot will land and you will get to enjoy a beautiful Prosecco breakfast. The Prosecco breakfast includes local fresh produce including the famous Pecorino cheeses from “Fattoria Corzano e Paterno” and olive oil with traditional Tuscan bread for enjoying and relaxing while reminiscing about the experience of floating in the hot air balloon.
