December in Florence is cold, damp, and dark by 4:30pm. That is the single most important thing to know. The Arno runs high and grey, fog settles in the valleys around Fiesole, and the stone streets of the centro storico hold a chill that cuts through thin jackets. Average highs sit around 12°C (54°F) with lows dropping to 4°C (39°F), and you'll likely encounter rain on roughly half the days you're there. The 86% humidity makes it feel colder than the numbers suggest.
That said, December has a quiet appeal that the summer crush of 12 million annual visitors obliterates. The Uffizi, which sees 45-minute queues in July, is walkable in 10 minutes most December mornings. The Weihnachtsmarkt at Piazza Santa Croce fills the square with wooden stalls selling vin brulé and handmade ornaments. Side streets in Oltrarno smell of roasting chestnuts and woodsmoke from the artisan workshops. It's a Florence you can actually hear, one where your footsteps echo off Brunelleschi's Duomo without competing against tour-group megaphones.
The trade-off is real, though. Shorter days mean you lose golden-hour light by 4pm, some smaller restaurants in San Niccolò close for winter breaks, and the Boboli Gardens feel barren rather than lush. If you need blue skies and gelato weather, wait for May. But if you want Renaissance art without elbowing strangers, good Tuscan red wine by a fireplace, and hotel rates well below summer peaks, December rewards patience and a warm coat.
Why visit in December
- The Galleria degli Uffizi, Galleria dell'Accademia, and Palazzo Pitti all have dramatically shorter queues compared to the June-September peak, when waits regularly exceed 90 minutes
- Hotel rates in the centro storico drop well below summer highs, with 4-star properties near Santa Maria Novella significantly more affordable than peak-season equivalents
- The Weihnachtsmarkt at Piazza Santa Croce and the F-Light festival give the city a distinctly festive atmosphere through most of the month
- Seasonal Tuscan cooking is at its most comforting. Ribollita, lampredotto, and bistecca alla fiorentina pair with Chianti Classico in front of open fires at trattorias across Santo Spirito
- The low-angle winter light over the Arno from Ponte Santa Trinita creates photography conditions that the flat summer sun cannot match
Worth knowing
- Rain falls on approximately 14 days, and the persistent dampness combined with 86% humidity makes outdoor sightseeing uncomfortable without proper layers
- Daylight is limited to about 9 hours, with sunset around 4:30pm, which cuts short any plans for afternoon walking tours or golden-hour photography
- Some smaller family-run restaurants and shops close for 2-3 weeks around Christmas and Capodanno, particularly in the Oltrarno and San Frediano neighborhoods
- The Boboli Gardens and other outdoor spaces lose their appeal entirely. Bare trees, muddy paths, and grey skies make them poor substitutes for the May-to-October experience
Best for
Think twice if
December in Florence brings cold, damp conditions typical of inland Tuscany. Mornings often start with fog along the Arno valley, clearing to overcast or partly cloudy skies by midday. Rain tends to arrive in steady, grey spells rather than sudden downpours, sometimes lasting an entire day. Frost is possible on clear nights, particularly in the hills around Fiesole and Settignano. The humidity makes 4°C feel appreciably colder than the thermometer suggests, especially when wind channels down the narrow streets of the centro storico.
Seasonal caution
- Temperatures occasionally dip below 0°C (32°F) on clear December nights, particularly during the second half of the month. Ice can form on cobblestones and bridge surfaces near the Arno in early morning hours.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | 3 | 96 |
| Feb | 13 | 4 | 91 |
| Mar | 16 | 5 | 100 |
| Apr | 19 | 7 | 92 |
| May | 23 | 12 | 104 |
| Jun | 30 | 17 | 45 |
| Jul | 33 | 19 | 34 |
| Aug | 33 | 19 | 60 |
| Sep | 27 | 15 | 136 |
| Oct | 22 | 12 | 115 |
| Nov | 16 | 7 | 133 |
| Dec | 12 | 4 | 119 |
Headline events
Weihnachtsmarkt di Piazza Santa Croce
Late November through December 20
Florence's largest Christmas market fills the piazza in front of the Basilica di Santa Croce with over 50 wooden stalls selling handcrafted gifts, Tuscan food products, vin brulé, and seasonal ornaments. The market draws both locals and visitors for nearly a month and defines the city's festive atmosphere.
Best things to do in December
Unhurried mornings at the Galleria degli Uffizi
cultureDecember thins out the Uffizi crowds enough that you can stand alone in front of Botticelli's Primavera for minutes at a time. The Sala dei Botticelli, which becomes a shoulder-to-shoulder bottleneck in July, feels like a different room entirely. Book a morning slot online, though same-day walk-ins work on most weekday mornings.
Summer waits of 90+ minutes drop to near-zero on December weekday mornings, and the galleries stay uncrowded enough for extended viewingBooking tipPre-book online to guarantee your preferred time slot, though December walk-ins are usually possible on weekdays
F-Light, Florence Light Festival
cultureThe F-Light festival projects light installations onto the facades of major landmarks including Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, and the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte. The projections begin after sunset, around 5pm, and run through the evening. Walking the route from Piazza della Signoria across the Arno takes roughly 90 minutes.
The festival runs exclusively in December, using the early 4:30pm darkness as a canvas for the projections on Renaissance architectureBooking tipFree to attend. Start at Palazzo Vecchio and walk south across Ponte Vecchio for the best sequence
Truffle hunting in the Mugello valley
foodThe hills of Mugello, about 40km north of Florence, still yield tartufo nero (black winter truffle) through December. Several agriturismo operations run half-day hunts with trained dogs, followed by a lunch built around the morning's finds. The cold, damp soil conditions in December tend to produce flavorful specimens.
December is the heart of tartufo nero season in Tuscany, and the cool, moist Mugello soil is at peak conditions for foragingBooking tipBook at least a week ahead, as group sizes are kept small, typically 6-8 people per hunt
Ponte Vecchio and Arno golden-hour photography
photographyThe low December sun hits the Arno at a sharp angle in the late afternoon, turning the river surface copper and gold beneath Ponte Vecchio. The best vantage point is from Ponte Santa Trinita looking east. By 3:30pm the light is already shifting, and you'll want to be in position by 3pm on clear days.
The low winter sun angle creates a warm, directional light across the Arno that the high summer sun, nearly overhead at midday, cannot replicateCooking class focused on Tuscan winter dishes
foodSeveral cooking schools in the Oltrarno and Santa Croce neighborhoods run December-specific classes centered on ribollita, pappardelle al cinghiale, and castagnaccio. The classes typically visit the Mercato Centrale or Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio first to source ingredients, then spend 3-4 hours cooking and eating.
December brings cavolo nero, chestnuts, and wild boar into full season, making it the right month for hearty Tuscan recipes that don't appear on summer menusBooking tipBook at least a few days ahead. Classes fill faster in the week before Christmas
Evening passeggiata through the Christmas lights on Via de' Tornabuoni
cultureFlorence's most upscale shopping street, Via de' Tornabuoni, is strung with holiday lights each December. The walk from Piazza Santa Trinita north to Piazza Antinori takes about 10 minutes and passes the flagship stores of Ferragamo, Gucci, and Roberto Cavalli, all housed in Renaissance palazzi. The lights typically switch on in late November.
The holiday lighting installation runs only from late November through early January, and the early December darkness means the display is visible from around 5pmDay trip to Siena's Mercato nel Campo
day_tripSiena, about 75 minutes south of Florence by bus or train, hosts a large December market in the Piazza del Campo. The same shell-shaped piazza that holds the Palio in July fills with stalls selling Sienese panforte, ricciarelli cookies, and local crafts. The smaller December crowds in Siena make it a good pairing with Florence.
The Mercato nel Campo runs in early-to-mid December, and the reduced tourist numbers in both cities make a day trip more relaxed than at any other time of yearBooking tipBuses from Florence's SITA station run roughly hourly to Siena. No reservation needed, but check return times
What to eat in December
On menus now
Ribollita
This thick bread-and-vegetable soup built on cavolo nero (Tuscan black kale), cannellini beans, and stale bread reaches its peak in December when cavolo nero hits full season after the first frosts. Restaurants across Santa Croce and Santo Spirito serve it ladled over toasted fettunta.
Castagnaccio
A flat, dense chestnut-flour cake made with rosemary, pine nuts, and raisins. December is the tail end of chestnut season in the Mugello hills north of Florence, and bakeries in San Lorenzo still carry fresh batches through mid-month.
Peposo
A slow-braised beef stew cooked with an aggressive quantity of black peppercorns and Chianti. Originated in Impruneta, south of Florence, among terracotta kiln workers. Trattorias in Oltrarno serve it as a December staple, often alongside polenta. The dish needs 4-5 hours of braising, so it tends to appear on menus as a daily special rather than a permanent fixture.
Panforte
A dense, chewy confection from Siena made with candied fruit, nuts, honey, and spices. Florence's pastry shops stock it heavily through December, and it appears on dessert menus across the centro storico. The texture sits somewhere between nougat and fruitcake.
Street food peaks
Lampredotto
Florence's signature tripe sandwich, served from trippaio carts year-round, but particularly satisfying in December when the hot, peppery broth and salsa verde cut through the cold air. The cart at the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio stays busy through winter.
What to drink
Vin brulé
Mulled wine made with Chianti, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, and star anise. It's sold at every market stall during the Weihnachtsmarkt and in many bars around Piazza della Repubblica through the holiday weeks. One of the cheapest warm drinks you'll find at the market.
Regular events in December
F-Light, Florence Light FestivalFree
Light installations projected onto landmark facades across the centro storico, including Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio. Free to attend, running nightly after sunset through the month.
Early December through mid-JanuaryCapodanno (New Year's Eve) in Piazza della SignoriaFree
Florence's main New Year's Eve celebration takes place in front of Palazzo Vecchio with live music, fireworks at midnight, and crowds gathering from around 10pm. The piazza fills early.
December 31Feast of the Immaculate ConceptionFree
December 8 is a national holiday in Italy. Most shops and some restaurants close, but churches hold special services. The Duomo's mass on this date draws large congregations.
December 8Fierucola de' Ricolti winter marketFree
A small organic and artisan market in Piazza Santo Spirito, running one Sunday per month year-round but with a winter holiday edition in December that adds seasonal food stalls and handmade gift items.
One Sunday in December, typically mid-monthBest places this December
Galleria degli Uffizi
museumBotticelli, Caravaggio, Leonardo. December's thin crowds let you linger in rooms that become cattle chutes by June. The Corridoio Vasariano, the elevated passage connecting to Palazzo Pitti, reopened in 2024 after years of restoration.
Centro StoricoBasilica di Santa Croce and Piazza Santa Croce
churchThe Franciscan basilica holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. In December, the piazza out front hosts the Weihnachtsmarkt, so you can combine the visit with a warm cup of vin brulé afterward.
Santa CroceSan Miniato al Monte
churchA Romanesque church perched on a hill south of the Arno, about a 20-minute walk uphill from Ponte Vecchio. The December afternoon light from this vantage point turns the Duomo and campanile golden. Gregorian vespers are still sung daily at 5:30pm.
OltrarnoMercato Centrale (San Lorenzo)
marketThe ground floor of this 19th-century iron-and-glass market hall sells fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and seasonal chestnuts. The upper floor has sit-down food stalls. In December, the produce vendors carry cavolo nero, cardoons, and fresh porcini.
San LorenzoPalazzo Pitti and the Palatine Gallery
museumThe Medici's sprawling palazzo across the Arno houses Raphael, Titian, and Rubens in the Palatine Gallery. December attendance drops sharply from summer levels, and the ornate rooms feel more like a private collection than a public museum.
OltrarnoPiazzale Michelangelo
viewpointThe panoramic terrace overlooking Florence from the south. On clear December mornings, the view stretches to the Apuan Alps beyond Prato. Worth noting, the fog can also sit heavy in the Arno valley below, creating a sea-of-clouds effect with the Duomo poking through.
OltrarnoOfficina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
shoppingOne of the oldest pharmacies in the world, operating since 1612 in frescoed rooms near the train station. December is a good time to browse its soaps, perfumes, and herbal remedies without the summer queues that snake out the door.
Santa Maria Novella
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Insider tips
The Uffizi's Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in December are typically the emptiest slots of the entire year. If you want Botticelli's Birth of Venus to yourself, those are the mornings to aim for.
Many of Florence's best December meals happen at neighborhood trattorias in Santo Spirito and San Frediano, on the Oltrarno side. These spots tend to close for a break between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6), so eat there in early-to-mid December.
The roasted-chestnut vendors (caldarrostai) set up on street corners around Piazza della Repubblica and the Ponte Vecchio starting in November. The smell of chestnuts roasting over charcoal is one of December Florence's defining sensory markers.
If the fog rolls in along the Arno, head uphill to San Miniato al Monte or Piazzale Michelangelo. The fog often sits in the valley while the hilltop sits in clear, cold sunshine, giving you a view of the Duomo floating above the mist.
The Biblioteca delle Oblate, near the Duomo, has a rooftop terrace cafe with a close-up view of Brunelleschi's dome. It's a local spot, rarely mentioned in guidebooks, and a warm place to read or have coffee on a cold December afternoon.
Avoid these mistakes
- Packing only a light jacket because 12°C sounds mild. The 86% humidity and wind off the Arno make it feel significantly colder than the thermometer reads. Bring real winter layers.
- Assuming all restaurants will be open during Christmas week (December 24-26). Many family-run trattorias in Oltrarno and San Frediano close entirely for several days. Check ahead or eat in the centro storico, where more tourist-facing spots stay open.
- Skipping the Palazzo Pitti because you've already visited the Uffizi. The Palatine Gallery holds Raphael and Titian in lavishly decorated rooms, and December crowds there are even thinner than at the Uffizi.
- Planning a full day of outdoor sightseeing without accounting for the 4:30pm sunset. By 3:30pm, light starts fading. Front-load outdoor activities in the morning and save indoor museums for the afternoon.
- Visiting the Boboli Gardens expecting lush greenery. December strips the gardens to bare branches and brown grass. If formal gardens matter to your trip, visit the indoor Giardino di Boboli greenhouse or save the outdoor gardens for April-October.
Practical tips for December
Book Uffizi and Accademia tickets online in advance, though December walk-ins are possible on most weekdays. Dress in removable layers because museums, churches, and restaurants vary wildly in heating. Many family-run restaurants close from December 24 through early January, so confirm reservations during Christmas week. The December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a national holiday with widespread closures. Sunset hits around 4:30pm, so schedule outdoor plans and photography for morning and early afternoon. Carry an umbrella daily. Rain is frequent but rarely torrential, and it typically clears within a few hours. Train connections to Siena, Lucca, and Pisa remain frequent in December, making rainy-day trips straightforward.
FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Florence?
December is a good time if you prioritize museums, food, and lower costs over warm weather. The Uffizi and Accademia have minimal queues, hotel rates drop well below summer levels, and the Christmas market at Piazza Santa Croce adds festive atmosphere. The trade-off is cold, damp weather, 9 hours of daylight, and some restaurant closures around Christmas.
How cold does Florence get in December?
Average highs sit around 12°C (54°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), but the 86% humidity makes it feel colder than those numbers suggest. Clear nights can dip below freezing, particularly in the second half of the month. Proper winter layers and waterproof shoes are not optional.
Are the Christmas markets in Florence worth visiting?
The Weihnachtsmarkt at Piazza Santa Croce is Florence's main Christmas market, with over 50 wooden stalls selling handmade ornaments, Tuscan food products, and vin brulé. It runs from late November through around December 20. It's pleasant for an hour or two of browsing, though it's smaller and less elaborate than northern European Christmas markets in Vienna or Strasbourg.
What is there to do in Florence on a rainy December day?
Florence's museum density makes rainy days easy to fill. The Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti's Palatine Gallery, the Bargello, and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo can absorb a full day between them. The Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo is a covered market with food stalls, and the Officina di Santa Maria Novella is worth an hour of browsing. Cooking classes run rain or shine.
Do restaurants close in Florence during Christmas?
Many family-run trattorias, particularly in the Oltrarno and San Frediano neighborhoods, close from December 24 through December 26, and some extend their break through Capodanno (New Year's Day) or even to Epiphany on January 6. Larger, more tourist-oriented restaurants in the centro storico tend to stay open but may run holiday-only menus. Confirm reservations for Christmas week.
Things to Do in Florence in December
Free cancellation Tuscany Day Trip from Florence: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Lunch at a Winery
Day trip — 12 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa from Florence
Outdoor experience — 13 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Florence: Pasta Cooking Class with Unlimited Wine
Cooking class — 2.5 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside
Cooking class — 4.8 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Florence Pizza or Pasta Class & Gelato Making at a Tuscan Farm
Cooking class — 5 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Tuscany Tour: Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano + Lunch & Wine Pairing
Day trip — 12 hours, free cancellation.
via ViatorLast verified by automated review (v1.7.2) on June 22, 2026. What is automated review?