Best events in Florence this week June 29-July 6 2023

Here’s our round-up for June 29-July 6 2023.

Enjoy the outdoors with a list of fun activities to enjoy throughout the week. Cultural festivals, outdoor cinemas and live music make the list as everyone tries their best to beat the heat.

4 July 2023
FESTIVITIES

American Independence Day

Celebrate American Independence Day in Florence at The Florentine’s Red, White + Blue party at Hotel Savoy in piazza della Repubblica on July 4 at 7pm. Expect burgers and sauce galore, fine Ruffino wines and a lemon layer cake kindly provided by the US Consulate, as well as live music and the chance to meet new friends. 40 euro, which includes a donation to Friends of Florence. Reserve your spot (places are limited): enquiries.savoy@roccofortehotels.com.

Other July 4 options include an Italian-American menu of Tuscan antipasti, freshly baked pizzas, barbecue food and local wines at Villa La Massa, just outside Florence. Plus, from 6.30pm, the Cloister of Santa Maria Novella (entrance from the piazza, no. 18) will open for an evening of dance, food and fun with the Tuscan American Association.

Festival au Dèsert

This multicultural music festival is in collaboration with the Festival au Désert that originated in Mali. The band Tinariwen will play tracks from their latest album Amatssou, inspired by the music and culture of the Tuareg people of Mali.

Every Thursday
SUMMER NIGHTS

Live at 25

25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino hosts a weekly “Live at 25”. Guests can enjoy live music and DJ sets every Thursday evening from 7pm-10:30pm.

June 30-July 2
FLIGHT

Festival del Volo

This festival dedicated to flight returns for its second edition at the Ultravox Festival. Touch the sky with three days of planes, drones, hot air balloons and more. Guests can enjoy workshops and demonstrations from industry professionals learn about topics such as kite building and Leonardo da Vinci’s amazing inventions. Entrance is free.

July 1+2
CULTURE

Festa Tanabata

Take a trip to Japan without getting on a plane. The Tanabata party is a Japanese summer fest that originated from an ancient love story. Enjoy fun workshops such as origami and silk painting as well as writing a wish for the Shinto Temple in Japan. Tempt your tastebuds with a sake lesson and try traditional Japanese cuisine. The evenings conclude with performances of dance, music, taiko drums and calligraphy. Free entrance.

July 3
LIVE BAND

Bowland

Three unlikely high school friends met in Tehran, Iran and moved to Florence to start a band. Now, better known as Bowland, they come to Fiesole for a performance. Their sound is influenced by a wide range of styles and reflects the Middle Eastern roots of the three kids who grew up on western influences. Tickets are 19.80 euro on TicketOne.

July 3
FOOD

SU.GO food truck

Every Monday in July, Manifattura Tabacchi opens up its gates for food trucks. On July 3, SU.GO food truck will arrive and create the perfect bites for anyone in the area. SU.GO specializes in creating hearty dishes using organic seasonal ingredients to promise the freshest meals.

July 4
NIGHTLIFE

Divina Show

Ex-Central Park, now Central Club returns just in time for the summer after 12 years of absence. Starting off strong, they host a night of the best throwback songs of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. Tickets cost 25 euro for apericena and the show. For those interested in coming only for the show, entrance costs between 12 to 15 euro.

July 4-August 27
OUTDOOR CINEMA

Cinema in Villa

One of the most beautiful city spots opens up for the perfect summer night hideaway. The Cinema in Villa program offers film screenings enjoyed in the great outdoors of Villa Bardini. Classic 90s blockbusters to Oscar award-winning new hits will be screened throughout the summer. We’re particularly excited about L’ultima notte di Amore on July 4, Le Otto montagne on July 14, Disco Boy on July 17 and Amusia on July 25, all of which will be screened in Italian with English subtitles. We’re also looking forward to seeing Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Air on July 18, Empire of Light on August 2 and Tár on August 5, which will all be shown in English with Italian subtitles. Tickets cost 5 euro and screenings begin at 9.15pm.

July 6+10
CLASSICAL CONCERT

Classical concert

The Scuola di Musica di Fiesole performs two classical concerts in the Villa San Michele gardens. The idyllic greenery combined with the sounds of the talented musicians promises a beautiful summer night. Each of the performances will be followed by an aperitivo and the cost to attend is 50 euro. For reservations, please contact concierge.vsm@belmond.com / +39 055 5678200

July 7
LIVE MUSIC

The History of Tango

The beautiful courtyard of the Bargello National Museum presents an outdoor classical concert. Flautist Marta Mazzini and guitarist Omar Cyrulnik lead a night of rhythmic tunes. Songs from Argentina, Brazil and other parts of the world will be played in a celebration of Tango.

Until July 2
EXHIBITION

Beyond the Walls of Sant'Orsola

Beyond the Walls of Sant’Orsola is the inaugural exhibition of the future Museo Sant’Orsola as the long-derelict former religious complex reopens temporarily. Believed to be the final resting place of Lisa Gherardini, supposedly Leonardo da Vinci’s model for his Mona Lisa, the 14th-century nunnery welcomes site-specific art by London-born Sophia Kisielewska-Dunbar, the first artist-in-residence at Sant’Orsola, and Alberto Ruce, a Sicilian urban artist living in Marseille. French company Artex is investing over 30 million euro to develop Sant’Orsola and the urban renewal project is expected to be completed in 2025.

Until July 20, Michel Mayor event in September tbd
OUTER SPACE

Notti d’Estate ad Arcetri

A totally out of this world program of events hosted by the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica. Participants have the opportunity to learn about outer space through workshops, film screenings and lectures with astrophysicists as well as enjoy a telescope observation of the sky at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory. The program will close out with a special talk with 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics winner professor Michel Mayor. Registrations are required for all events. 

Until July 23
EXHIBITION

Nel Segno della Libertà

This exhibition aims to give a voice to the dreams of prison inmates through art as well as reflect on the concepts of freedom and punishment. The artists involved (all of European origin) were asked to interpret their works through some of the foundational concepts of the EU such as freedom, unity, memory, community and equality. The location of the exhibition used to act as a men’s prison between 1848 and 1983, tying in with the theme.

Until August 6
CINEMA

Apriti Cinema

Light up your summer nights with an outdoor cinema in the piazza of the Uffizi Galleries. Night after night, films will be screened in original languages with Italian or English subtitles. Entry is free and subject to availability.

Until September 5
EXHIBITION

Luca Giordano-Maestro Barocco a Firenze

More than 50 works connected to the Gallery of Mirrors and Biblioteca Riccardiana will make up this major exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi on Baroque master Luca Giordano (1634-1705). Expect a series of sketches on loan from the National Gallery in London as well as other important artworks from private collections in Europe and the United States, the Uffizi and the Opera del Duomo Museum in Siena, among others.

Exhibition info
Until September 8
CHILDREN

Centri Estivi

Manifattura Tabacchi hosts a series of children’s workshops. ONOUKA presents a workshop centered around the integration of nature in art. Fortezza Crew provides skateboarding lessons along with maintenance activities for skateboards and a finger skate contests for young wood pushers. Il Parachute di Icaro aims to address and educate on urbanization. Through engaging theatrical exercises and music, participants will be inspired to create ideas that will better the future of city life.

Until September 14
LIVE MUSIC

Firenze Dall’ Alto

This is what the magic of Florence is all about. 10 locations, 10 sunsets, and 10 events throughout the summer make up this festival with amazing views. Enjoy a number of musical performances in some of the city’s most beautiful locations.

Rachel Feinstein in Florence

Arizona-born artist Rachel Feinstein opens an exhibition of her works in a tripartite show at Museo Stefano Bardini, Palazzo Medici Riccardi and Museo Marino Marini. Ranging from painting to sculpture inspired by classical and Renaissance art as much as from modern cartoons and fairytales, the works contrast with the masterpieces in situ by Donatello, Michelozzo and Marino Marini.

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LIGHT MODE
DARK MODE