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Here’s our round-up for December 12-19, 2024.
Teatro Niccolini will show the new musical 'Rachmaninoff and the Tsar' and a screening of 'White Nights' with the movie's stars in attendance.
A dazzling performance by the skilled ballerinas of the Romanian National Opera on December 22.
Where to have your festive meals this Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Videomapping on Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio and San Paolino gathers gazers to share in the Christmas spirit. Lights spread the cheer all over the main squares and monuments of the city, with decorated trees adding to the joy. There’s a wide range of activities organized both in the centre and suburbs, above all aimed at families, and even Santa Claus and his elves show up to enjoy festive Florence.
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At 5pm on December 14 in front of the Basilica of Santa Croce, there’ll be a celebration of the feast of Saint Lucia with a choir of 16 young people from Stockholm who will give a 30-minute performance of traditional songs. Starting in procession from the cloister of Santa Croce, they then reach the parvis of the Franciscan Basilica and finally the Pazzi Chapel.
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Angela Detanico and Rafael Lain are the artists behind Flowering of Light, a large video installation on display in the Sala d’Arme in Palazzo Vecchio from December 8 to January 8, curated by Sergio Risaliti. The images seem to play with the question of inverted time, beginning and ending with cosmic darkness before blossoming into fields of flowers that seem like galaxies far away from us.
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The Sala Grande in Palazzo Vecchio hosts an exhibition dedicated to the significant Florentine figures from December 17 to March 9. Curated by Carlo Francini and Valentina Zucchi, the display marks the 450th anniversary of the deaths of Cosimo I de’ Medici and Giorgio Vasari, offering the opportunity to explore in detail the magnificent works of the Great Hall, which was one of the highest achievements of the relationship between Duke Cosimo, who commissioned the project, and Giorgio Vasari, its main architect.
The artisanal workshops led by the “prince of antique dealers”, Stefano Bardini, and his son Ugo in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are the subject of an exhibition that journeys through the tradition of woodwork. Focusing on the artisanal expertise and production that made the Bardini workshops famous, the exhibition displays period objects and accessories which fascinated international patrons attracted to the dream of the Italian Renaissance.
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Renaissance art historian Paola Vojnovic hosts a free online conversation with author Sarah Dunant at 7pm, on the topic of her best-selling novel In the Company of the Courtesan and courtesan culture in Renaissance Italy. To get the invitation write to paola50122@gmail.com.
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Photographs by Piero Percoco, curated by C41, go on display in Building 11. The photographer and teacher at Leica Akademie Italia has been exhibited in both national and international galleries and festivals such as Dusseldorf Photo Weekend, as well as having been published in the likes of The New Yorker, Vogue Italia and Rolling Stone magazine.
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Hear from The Swingle Singers on December 14, and Dame Helen Mirren, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Taylor Hackford will take to the stage of Teatro Niccolini for a showing of White Nights and a chat on December 18.
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The Grammy Award winning choir have played with Aretha Franklin, U2 and Celine Dion, with the inspiring power of African gospel music returning to Florence. Tickets via Box Office Toscana.
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On December 14+15, Tenuta Ruffino Poggio Casciano opens its doors from 10am to 7pm for a visit of the historic cellars and the renovated spaces of the estate. Enjoy a tasting of Ruffino wines that await you together with plenty of Christmas gift ideas, crafted to make your celebrations unforgettable. For info and bookings, contact hospitality@ruffino.it or call 055 6499750.
Find out moreArtisanal food products from small producers come to the central piazza, providing ample choice for Christmas. 9.30am-6.30pm
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At 6.30pm on December 18, The British Institute of Florence holds its annual Christmas Concert, an unmissable mix of readings and singing with mulled wine. Free admission and open to all.
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For the whole month of December, the stores and ateliers offer a special shopping atmosphere and calendar of events for all ages. On the weekends of December 7-8 and 21-22, Building 9 will host the Creative MANI-Factory market, organized by the Heyart association, dedicated to emerging creativity. From food and wine tastings to designers and illustrators, the sales of one-off pieces will be enhanced by dance performances, exhibitions, music by Bioritmo and more, not forgetting workshops for little ones like ‘Today I print like Warhol’, bookmark making, and festive readings.
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The Christmas village returns to spread its festive cheer! The 55-meter high Ferris wheel and 1300 square meter ice-skating rink (the largest in Italy!) are usually accompanied by an exciting lineup of (soon-to-announced) unmissable events. (Ferris wheel until March 31)
Find out moreVersiliadanza’s recently announced seasonal programme features Paola Corsi performing a national premiere of La Sognatrice on December 14, a work that treats solitude and fear.
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The rebuilding of the historic centre of Florence 80 years after the destruction caused by the Second World War is explored in detail, elaborating on how the post-war reconstruction process allowed the city to be reborn while respecting its identity.
See moreThe festival dedicated to audio, narration and podcasts features many guests and previews, presenting audio narrations from all over the world, subtitled in both Italian and English. Expect listening sessions, talks, workshops and meetings to explore the various interactions between storytelling, podcasting and radio languages, with guided tours and more.
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The PIC EO artists of the Trisomia 21 Association (working to support those with Down syndrome and their families) can be found in the spectacular Gherardesca Garden as part of the annual charity event that sees entertainment, gourmet food by local producers and more, with all proceeds donated to Trisomia 21 and Contesto Ets.
Find out moreExplore an ancient wire knitting technique and create your own piece of jewellery with Maria Glezelli, either for yourself or as a gift. 2-8pm.
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The Children’s Lending Library (situated under St James on via Rucellai 9) holds a Christmas party on December 14, with a visit from Santa Claus, face painting, crafts, caroling, baked goods, games and much more. Members enter free of charge, with 3 euro per family for non-members.
Open Doors Review mark their 6th issue with a launch at SOTTO al British (lungarno Guicciardini 15) from 5-8pm on December 12. Join members of the Open Doors community for an aperitivo with a musical interlude by Wendepunkte. Along with a celebration of the written works from recent contributors will be a selection of artworks from previous issues of the magazine with special attention to this edition’s featured artist, Tatiana Stadnichenko.
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Works by Daniela De Lorenzo (1959) go on show in dialogue with pieces by 19th century sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini, inaugurated on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and as part of the L’Eredità delle Donne festival. The exhibition offers a visual encounter between ten female busts by Bartolini and studies by the Florentine artist on the female body, made using photography, video sculpture and installations.
Find out moreA free admission event presented by Fiore Sul Vulcano in collaboration with Manifattura Tabacchi focuses on music and sexuality, with a talk curated by La CLIT, performances, and a DJ set by Italians a Go-go, singing all the greatest hits of Italian music from the sixties through to today, with sparkling wine and cotton candy.
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The swanky Cinema Paradiso screens a series of Christmas Classics this December with popcorn thrown in for good measure and an intriguing drinks menu. The lineup includes much-loved favourites like Home Alone, The Grinch, and Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday.
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Christmas fever starts to seep into the city, with piazza Santa Croce hosting the much-loved market in the picturesque piazza. Over 50 characteristic wooden huts fill with the scents, sounds and flavours of the festive season, with Santa even making an appearance and live music adding to the atmosphere from November 23-December 22.
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Welcome to The Art of Style, where art, fashion, wellness, and personal transformation come together. The gallery is designed as an immersive experience—from rotating art exhibits and transformative clothing to ...
Wednesday Lecture at The British Institute of Florence 22 January at 18:00 Federica Parretti, the current custodian of Il Palmerino, will share insights into the life and art of her ...
A 6km (2 hour) walk in the footsteps of the early 20th century Anglo-Florentines takes you to discover the Edwardian community of Florence when it was “more English than England”. ...
Create your personalized perfume with perfumer Silvia Madari as she guides you through the secrets of fragrances. Book into one of our open workshops or create a private experience for ...
