Christmas and New Year vacations in Tuscany

Each year, Florence turns on the magic with Florence Lights Up. From December 7, Ponte Vecchio becomes the protagonist of spectacular projection mapping that transforms the facades of Florence’s famous ‘old bridge’ into an explosion of shapes, colors and volumes. Also set to be lit up are the Palazzo Vecchio facades, Piazza Santa Maria Novella and the Palazzo Medici Riccardi’s Medici Garden. In this garden, amidst plays of light that enliven the orange trees, statues and the lemon house—the Limonaia—you can also admire the splendid Christmas Tree.
Scheduled events include the return of the Florence Ice Village at the Cascine Park, in Piazza Vittorio Veneto. From December 1–12, you can have fun in the ice-skating rink, visit the markets and enjoy views of the city from the panoramic Ferris wheel from a height of 180 feet (55 meters).
Then on Sunday, December 15 at 11:30 am is a truly special event for children, Auguri dall’Alto. For the occasion, Santa Claus and his Elves will descend from Palazzo Vecchio’s Torre di Arnolfo to wish everyone happy holidays!

Classical music lovers can delight in the performances of the Orchestra della Toscana offering concerts and operas in various locations around the city, the traditional Concerto di Natale  which, from December 18–24, will take place in a different city each evening, starting with Cortona and ending with Florence in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is a magical place to spend a festive day with excellent music and enchanting arrangements. A Christmas Concert will be held on December 22, while from January 3–5, the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, conducted by Timothy Brock, will offer up three evenings of pure magic thanks to two great masterpieces by Walt Disney—Fantasia and Fantasia 2000—along with the most splendid symphonic pages of the classical repertoire, performed live in sync with images from the films.

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 Siena from December 6–8 is the Mercato nel Campo,  a historical re-enactment of the “Mercato Grande” in Piazza del Campo, with more than 140 exhibitors selected as spokespeople for excellent food, wine, arts and crafts from the Sienese territory, along with other typical Italian products.

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!