Now that the holiday season has been renewed in all its vigour, here’s a round-up of things to do for New Year’s Eve 2022 in and around Florence.
Read the updated New Year’s Eve article for 2023.
Budget friendly options
Just wander the monuments lit up for the Green Line light festival. Check out the Ponte Vecchio with its video-mapping inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses; Palazzo Vecchio and piazza della Signoria with lights on the theme of the four elements; Museo Novecento and piazza Santa Maria Novella feature a video projection inspired by Francis of Assisi’s Cantico delle Creature; and the Michelozzo courtyard of Palazzo Medici Riccardi vaunts special effects, while the Chamber of Commerce and the gates and towers of the city also don a festive look for the season. No decision has currently been announced about any official fireworks or occasions organized by the City of Florence specifically for New Year’s Eve.
Wining and dining
Celebrate the most anticipated evening of the year at Hotel Savoy’s Irene Restaurant in a glamorous dinner with live music. Enjoy a welcome flute of chilled champagne, followed by a dinner of regional delicacies. 345 euro per person, drinks not included.
See in 2023 with a cenone (a big feast!) at a restaurant. Our recommendations include Ruffino’s Le Tre Rane, a half-hour drive from Florence, in the Tuscan countryside. Make sure you’re hungry for the three antipasti, a risotto dish, pasta course, beef Wellington as a main and dessert, plus wine pairings and Champagne at midnight. 95 euro per person.
Go lavish at the Four Seasons Florence New Year’s Gala with a five-course dinner at the Michelin-starred Il Palagio restaurant and after-dinner entertainment in the lobby, plus dancing in the Palazzo della Gherardesca courtyard. The glamorous experience will set you back 450 euro per person, drinks not included.
Hard Rock Cafè Florence is embracing an ‘80s and ‘90s vibe for its New Year’s Dinner with Tuscan band Suzy Q playing music by the likes of David Guetta and Bob Sinclair. 130 euro per person.
Serre Torrigiani Bistrot is hosting a rich New Year’s Eve dinner with the decadent dishes accompanied by a fine selection of wines and champagne. 150 euro per person for selection of red and white wines, 190 euro per person for selection of champagne.
Ring in the new year with a view at Grand Hotel Baglioni’s B-Roof restaurant. With a seafood-inspired menu curated by their executive chef as well as a midnight toast accompanied by live music, this will be a New Year’s Eve not soon forgotten. 220 euro per person.
Michelin star Chic Nonna di Vito Mollica is sure to impress with its multi-course meal and DJ set. For something a hint more laid back with all of the same grandeur, enjoy a New Year’s dinner in the Salotto Portinari Bistro. 340 euro per person in Chic Nonna and 220 euro per person in Salotto Portinari.
For a night of opulence, spend your New Year’s Eve at Enoteca Pinchiorri. The refined Florentine establishment presents a varied dinner menu complete with champagne. 590 euro per person excluding drinks.
Put your party hat on
The world’s not in the best of places, so you might as well start the New Year at the Drag Me To Hell – Final Stop 31.12.22 party at 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino (via Palazzuolo 11R). Feast your eyes upon a seven course seafood menu and raise your glasses to a happy New Year. 180 euro per person. After the plates are cleared, dance the night away with a live band from 11:30pm-2:00am. You must make a reservation in advance for 50 euros per person and 20 euros for drinks. Book your spot – T: 055 2966955, email: restaurant.sanpaolino@25hours-hotel.com.
Become a member of the Florentine social club Circolo Borghese to take part in the Palazzo Borghese’s New Year’s Eve Party. The six-course dinner costs 160 euro; after-dinner entrance 80 euro.
Villa Tolomei’s New Year’s Eve celebration is the ultimate in elegance, with guests treated to an 8-course menu that includes an after-midnight serving of lentils with cotechino (an Italian New Year tradition). Guests are welcomed to dance the night away with a live DJ performance. 180 euro per person at a shared table and 190 euro per person for a private table of 2-4 people.
Nightclub lovers can head to city centre institution Yab for the Gran Galà di Capodanno. Entrance + drink: 60 euro; entrance + dinner 150 euro.
Music to my ears
Enjoy an evening of culture as the city’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino orchestra dedicates the last night of the year to Beethoven with a performance of Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125. The concert starts at 6pm, followed by dinner with a musical performance by young musicians from the Maggio Musicale FiorentinoAcademy with bubbles and fireworks at midnight. Ticket prices for concert + dinner start from 260 euro; concert only 40 euro.
Opera enthusiasts might like to ring in 2023 at the New Year’s Eve Opera Gala at the church of Santa Monaca. Tickets cost 70 euro. Call or WhatsApp +39 329 7843935 or email: italianoperaflorence@libero.it
As the confetti settles, spend New Year’s Day with the Orchestra della Toscana at their concert on January 1. The program for the evening includes works by Giuseppe Verdi, Amilcare Ponchielli, and Giacomo Puccini. Ticket sales start at 15 euros.
