And so this
is Christmas … in Tuscany! For gift buying, festive concerts, nativity
re-enactments and entertainment for kids, Florence and Tuscany have plenty to
offer. Wrap up warm and celebrate the most magical time of year with friends,
family and maybe even Santa himself!
Christmas fairs, markets and festivals
German Market: Warm up with an apple strudel
and a steaming mug of mulled wine, and buy some handmade gifts from all over
Europe. Until December 16, piazza Santa Croce, Florence, www.vetrina-toscana.it
European University: Thirty exhibitors selling
artisan products, handmade Christmas decorations, food and much more. December
13 (3-9pm) and 14 (10am-6pm), the cloister of Badia Fiesolana (via dei
Roccettini 9), Tel. 055/4685378.
Solidarity market: Many charities are selling
Christmas goodies in piazza Santa Maria Novella. Help raise money and discover
the work of these organisations. Until December 22 , www.comune.fi.it
Festival of Fusigno: Welcome in
Christmas Day by eating sausages and drinking local wine round a huge bonfire
in the centre of Londa. Evening of December 24, www.comune.londa.fi.it
Natale di Emergency: Market to raise money for the Italian medical charity, Emergency. Until December 24, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour, Florence, http://tinyurl.com/ctc3qml.
For Kids
Santa by boat: On December 22 and 24, Father Christmas will arrive
in Florence by boat (on the Arno, between Ponte Vecchio and Ponte alla Grazie)
to give Christmas greetings to Florentines and their kids, www.comune.fi.it
Santa’s Village: Children will meet fairies,
elves and even Father Christmas himself in the centre of Camaiore; until January
6, www.comune.camaiore.lu.it
Winter Park: Ice skating on a large rink (800 square metres) next
to the Obihall with a real snow track for skiing and snowboarding; also a bar,
restaurant, exhibition stands and entertainment for children. Until January 27,
Obihall, Lungarno Aldo Moro, Florence, www.firenzewinterpark.it
Fiabesque: The whole town of Peccioli
transforms into a magical world of fairy tales, with street games, performers,
dance and workshops. January 5 is Cartoon Night, when the focus is on ‘toons.
Centre of Peccioli, December 26, 29, 30 and January 5-6, www.fiabesque.org
BEST CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Christmas concerts
Orchestra della Toscana: Together
with the choir of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, a Christmas concert with
music by Weber and Mendelssohn at Teatro Verdi in Florence on December 23 (5pm,
via Ghibellina 101), and in Pisa, Piombino, Livorno, Figline Valdarno and
Poggibonsi on December 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively. See www.orchestradellatoscana.it
Xmas in Jazz: Featuring George Gershwin’s An American in Paris and
Eric Whitacre’s October, among others. December 23, 9pm, Teatro della Pergola,
via della Pergola 18, Florence, www.filarmonicarossini.it
Gospel choir: Forty voices strong, The Pilgrims fuse spiritual and
gospel. Proceeds will be donated to the Oncology Operative Unit of Pescia.
Teatro Pacini, Pescia (PT), December 22, 9pm, Tel. 339/7787677; www.pilgrims.it
Ognissanti Church: concert from the Suzuki school of Florence, by children aged 3-15. Chiesa Ognissanti, Borgo Ognissanti 42, Florence, http://tinyurl.com/d7cwhpj.
Nativity Scenes
Christmas in the World: A
collection of over a thousand nativity scenes from all over the world,
displayed in San Giovanni Valdarno’s Basilica di Maria Santissima delle Grazie
(piazza Masaccio). Until January 6, www.natalenelmondo.it
Naples Nativity: A traditional Neapolitan
nativity scene plus nativity paintings from the Ente’s collection. Free entrance
with obligatory reservation at emanuele.barletti@entecrf.it.
Until January 6, Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, via Bufalini 6, Florence.
Around Tuscany. Other towns known for the
exceptional nativity scenes in their historic centres are Palazzuolo sul Senio,
Cerreto Guidi, San Godenzo, Calenzano and Cigoli (most of them remain at least
until January 6).
Nativity re-enactments
Angels,
shepherds, oxen, sheep, Wise Men and the baby in the manger: several towns put
on re-enactments of the Christmas story, involving hundreds of residents and
animals, and large parts of their historic centres. Towns presenting live
nativity scenes include Casole d’Elsa (December 26, 29, 30; www.casole.it), Rosignano Maritime (December
24; www.comune.rosignano.livorno.it),
Lari (December 26; www.prolocolari.it),
Barga (December 23; www.comune.barga.lu.it),
Ceretto Guidi (December 23; www.comune.cerreto-guidi.fi.it)
and Castiglion Fiorentino (December 23; www.prolococastiglionfiorentino.it).
