Christmas Markets in Florence 2024

Every winter, Florence hosts a few Christmas markets for gift shopping, entertainment, and new gastronomic experiences. They usually run from late November to late December. Most markets operate on the weekends. In the weeks leading to Christmas, Florence hosts several Christmas markets selling everything from food and wine to handmade crafts. Piazza Santa Croce Christmas market with a German twist, traditional and cozy Fierucola dell Immacolata and Fierucolina di Natale, remote Christmas fairs in the Mugello area, and the villages of Chianti and Fiesole—let the Tuscan Christmas melt your heart.

Christmas Market on Piazza Santa Croce (November–December 2024)

The Weihnachtsmarkt Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce looks like a small Christmas village featuring wooden chalets, typical for the South Tyrol region of Italy. The Weihnachtsmarkt in Florence is a must-visit holiday tradition, celebrated for 500 years. Wooden cottages offer a range of delicacies, baked goods, ornaments, clothing, and gifts from around the world. You can find unique items like decorative cups and plates, jewelry, and artisanal products. For warmth, there are quality jackets, socks, mittens, and scarves, along with aromatic soaps and perfumes.

Food & Drinks

The market offers a delightful array of international foods, including Bavarian sausages, German chocolate cakes, mini crêpes, Dutch waffles, Polish bigos and pierogi, Hungarian Kurtoskalacs, French cookies, Austrian pretzels, and Italian tartufo. Warm up with hot chocolate or Vin brulé, and at the Santa Croce market, enjoy traditional bratwurst, a sweet chimney cake with various toppings. Mulled wine is also available, with some stalls offering mugs as souvenirs.

Christmas Market in San Donato Shopping Center in Novoli

In the Novoli area in the northwest part of Florence, the San Donato shopping mall is hosting its traditional Christmas market until January. More than 40 wooden houses are expecting visitors in the open square of the shopping center. This Christmas market is the perfect place to find original gift ideas while tasting typical Christmas food.

Smaller-Scale Christmas Markets in Florence

In addition to the main market, Florence features several smaller holiday events. On December 8th, Piazza Santissima Annunziata hosts a charming small fair. The Italian Red Cross organizes a Christmas Market Exhibition at Palazzo Capponi for three days. The Oltrarno Fair takes place for one day at Piazza Santo Spirito, while Fortezza Antiquaria, a two-day antiques and collectibles fair, is held in mid-December at Piazza Vittorio Veneto. For those willing to travel outside the city, Christmas markets are also available in Mugello, Chianti, and Fiesole. Other special events include the International Ceramic Fair at Piazza Ognissanti, the AILO Christmas Bazaar at Piazza Indipendenza, and the ATT Christmas Market at Palazzo degli Affari, Piazza Adua 1.

Although most Christmas markets in Florence close before Christmas, the festive season continues into early January and ends on January 6, the day of Epiphany.