Christmas and New Year vacations in Tuscany

Each year, Florence turns on the magic with Florence Lights Up. From December 6 to January Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, the San Paolino Church, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazza San Lorenzo, Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Chamber of Commerce become the protagonists of spectacular videomapping that transforms the façades of the most important monuments into an explosion of shapes, colors and volumes.

Also scheduled is the return of the Florence Ice Village in the gardens of the Fortezza da Basso, where you can have fun on the ice-skating rink and admire views of the city from the spectacular Ferris wheel rising up 180 feet (55 meters).

Lovers of classical music can delight in the performances of the Orchestra della Toscana, with concerts and operas in various locations, along with the traditional Christmas Concert held from December 17–24 in a different city each night, starting with Poggibonsi and ending with Florence in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

In Arezzo, videomapping and light shows connect every street in the historic center, illuminating the city with Christmas lights and offering a novel reading of the architecture, alleyways and piazzas.

In Lucca, plays of light redesign the historic buildings and churches of the historical town center. Projections, moving images and art installations light up Piazza Anfiteatro, Piazza San Michele, Palazzo Ducale and many other corners of downtown.

In Pistoia, the façades of the main buildings in Piazza Duomo are also well adorned for the season. Starting on November 22, the historic city center will once again be lit up each evening with Christmas illuminations and videomapping.

Sports and mountain lovers will find plenty of ideas for fun in Tuscany!
Ski slopes at high-altitude in Abetone, Zum Zeri, Garfagnana and Amiata are bolstered by a bevy of other engaging activities for the whole family, such as snowshoeing in the whitened woods.
In Lunigiana, from the Apennine passes easily reached by car, are many routes for both experienced winter walkers and first-time snow trekkers. Amiata likewise offers routes of all types and difficulty to discover the snowy face of Europe’s largest beech forest.

With prestigious locations and natural pools, Tuscany is a true spa paradise. 

From the historic territory of Lunigiana, with its caves and springs rich in minerals, to the waterfalls of the Cascate del Mulino in Maremma, Tuscany’s healing waters also flow amidst the iconic hills, gullies and forests in Valdichiana, Val d’Orcia and Terre di Siena, all the way to Versilia and the Etruscan Coast.

These springs have been frequented since antiquity, including by some illustrious characters. Poets such as Byron and Shelley and musicians like Paganini and Puccini have bathed in the Bagni di Lucca, while Pope Pius II Piccolomini, Saint Catherine of Siena and Lorenzo the Magnificent are known to have visited Bagno Vignoni.

Today, Tuscany boasts some 30 establishments dedicated to wellness—not only for health but also beauty treatments and sensory pathways in dreamy landscapes.

Don’t skip the charming Christmas markets in Tuscany’s piazzas where you can buy gifts, sip mulled wine and even meet Santa Claus!

In Montepulciano, also until January 6, there is the Villaggio di Natale, with a Christmas market held in the magical setting of Piazza Grande and along the adjacent streets.

Piazza Santa Croce in Florence hosts the traditional Weihnachtsmarkt, the Christmas market with over 50 stalls in quaint wooden cottages peddling arts, crafts and foods from all over Europe.

But to end the year on a sweet note and sprinkle your holidays with a dusting of powdered sugar, nothing beats a traditional Christmas dessert!