With lights, trees and tinsel, Florence is ringing in
the holiday season. December 8 marked the official start of the season,
when Florence mayor Matteo Renzi lit the 16-metre tall pine tree, the city’s
tallest yet, in piazza Duomo. From the Casentino, the fir tree is decorated in
red gigli and shines bright each night with some 25,000 lights. As
always, on December 8, hundreds of Santas handed out candies to kids and
families in the historic centre, from Palazzo Strozzi to piazza Santissma
Annunziata.
The holiday spirit abounds in other areas of Florence:
fir trees stand in piazzale Michelangelo, at the Teatro dell’Opera di Firenze,
and piazza Santissima Annunziata; every major street in the historic centre and
periphery of Florence is lined with lights, as are the historic bridges; shop
windows and doorways are dressed for the season; and Santa puppets and red
ribbons decorate residential balconies and windows, and shop windows.
A special display lights up via Tornabuoni, where the
Consortium for the Protection of Tuscany’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil has erected
artistic installations of olive trees.
Every year, there is a life-sized Nativity scene
inside the Duomo, but this year, for the first time in recent history, there is
one on display outside. The Nativity scene in piazza Duomo features handmade
figures in terracotta from Impruneta.
So take an evening walk to explore festive Florence:
it will no doubt light up your holiday!
