Summer in Florence: spaces and events that cannot be missed

Giardino dell’Orticultura

The Giardino dell’Orticultura is one of the historic parks in Florence: born in the mid-19th century at the behest of the Accademia dei Georgofili, also owes its uniqueness to the presence of a tepidarium, a beautiful Art Nouveau-style glass and steel greenhouse designed by the architect Giacomo Roster.

In summer, the park is transformed: from May to September, in fact, the cultural space “Giardino dell'ArteCultura” is set up inside it, and it is a venue with attached cafeteria, performance platform, gazebo for private events, classes and workshops for adults, children and families.

For the detailed program please visit the official website.

Parco dell’Anconella

The Parco dell’Anconella is located in the Eastern part of Florence, on the left bank of the Arno and is one of the green lungs of the city.

The area reserved for children's games is perhaps one of the best equipped, but in the summer there is no shortage of attractions reserved for adults as well: in fact, in the warm season, the park comes alive more than usual and from the late afternoon you can have an excellent cocktail at the bar and attend concerts, cinema, theater and other events strictly with free admission. 
For the complete program of the activities please visit the official website.

Murate Caffè Letterario

The Caffè Letterario de Le Murate was established in 2011 inside the complex of the Murate, the former jail in Florence, redelivered to the city after a restoration overseen by Renzo Piano.

Since the beginning, numerous initiatives have been carried out to turn it ito a multicultural place and it soon became a reference for Florentine cultural circles and beyond.

Book presentations, debates with authors, concerts, cocktails and after dinner proposals with electronic DJ sets are just some of the proposals, for a summer of culture and evenings in the company.
For the complete program of the activities please visit the official website.

Giardino Torrigiani 

A place that belongs to the history and culture of the city of Florence: a splendid Italian-style garden of over a hectare designed by hedges, flowerbeds and fountains that changes its shape and takes on different colors with each change of season.

Within this evocative space, the Serre Torrigiani hosts contemporary art, live music, DJ sets, film festivals and debates during summer evenings, while sipping one of the bistro's sought-after cocktails.

For the complete program of the activities please visit the official website.

Forte Belvedere

The Forte Belvedere is one of the most evocative places in Florence and offers breathtaking views of the city. The outdoor spaces can be visited free of charge, while a ticket is required to access the exhibitions.

Summer events programming includes photography exhibitions, collaborations with major Florentine museums and numerous other cultural events.

The Lungarni in Florence come alive from sunset onward thanks to the opening of several summer spaces offering street food, music and plenty of events. 

Lungarno del Tempio (La Toraia)

A place to enjoy great outdoor chianina burgers and all kinds of street food, but also a space full of live concerts, exhibitions, talks, dance classes and many other activities. 

Lungarno Colombo (Molo Firenze)

Concerts, live music, children's workshops, talks, theater performances and vintage markets to accompany summer evenings on the banks of the Arno while drinking excellent cocktails.

Lungarno Pecori Giraldi (Fiorino sull'Arno - Habana 500 Firenze)

A summer full of colors, lights and music on the banks of the river: surrounded by green vegetation and light installations, it will be possible to relax in the outdoor restaurant, pizzeria or sip cool cocktails. Among the trees, two stages that come alive with jazz music evenings, acoustic live, electronic DJ sets. Throughout the day various collaborations with proposals and activities for children.

In addition to major music events such as Firenze Rocks and Musart Festival, there are numerous festivals that touch on many different genres.

Firenze Jazz Festival 

Firenze Jazz Festival is considered one of the leading Jazz Festivals by the journals of the sector and involves numerous artists from all over the world. The festival involves historic villas, concert halls, Renaissance cloisters, agritourisms, clubs and venues, appealing to both an educated audience and newcomers.

Firenze dall’Alto (Florence from Above)

Firenze dall'Alto is a review of "other points of view," told by the unprecedented and privileged views from rooftops and terraces of Florence. Concerts, talks, performances and guided tours.

Throughout the summer there will be 10 encounters, from 10 different points of view to live 10 transformative experiences of cultural production and fruition.

Florence Dance Festival

The Florence Dance Festival was established with the aim of promoting the art of dancing and, at the same time, contribute to the revival, rediscovery, and sometimes rebirth of various public venues (Cascine Amphitheater, Roman Theater of Fiesole, Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza Santissima Annunziata, Chiostro Grande of Santa Maria Novella) that host it.

The Festival has always offered performances of the highest artistic and cultural value with the involvement of world-renowned artists and companies.

Cirk Fantastik

Cirk Fantastik! is a festival that started as an independent reality to bring to Florence the vanguard of the multiple expressions of the contemporary circus: it is a place to connect with various artistic experiences, weave relationships and nurture imagination and desire.

Cirk Fantastik! is a large open-air theater - with national and international companies and artists - that offers performances and work in progress designed to get behind the scenes of creations, outdoor cinemas to discover the history of circus, concerts, readings, meetings with experts and critics in the field, workshops.

Festival au Désert

The Festival au Désert is a multicultural musical event and a network for contemporary creation between Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe, starting with the collaboration between the Festival au Désert of Timbuktu (Mali) and Fondazione Fabbrica Europa, which wants to extend from Florence to other European capitals of culture.

A project conceived as an "open space", urban declination of the desert as an imaginative vision.

A journey/path/passage that from geographical becomes cultural, made up of creative encounters and co-productions that foster "artistic nomadism".

Concerts on the Sagrati

With the participation of the orchestra Toscana Classica, the concerts have the dual aim of engaging the vast audience of the Florentine squares - through a wide variety of musical genres - and stimulating interest in art.

The churchyards involved are those of the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Santo Spirito, Piazza San Firenze - in front of the Zeffirelli Foundation - and many others.

For the complete program of the activities please visit the official website of Toscana Classica.

Lattex Plus

A festival that explores the new trends of electronic music with a musical program full of events and the screening of a never-before-seen documentary about the women who made history in electronic music.

The event takes place at the Stazione Leopolda and the Manifattura Tabacchi.

For the complete program please visit the official website.

Apriti Cinema

The movie theater in the piazzale degli Uffizi: a program ful of events to enjoy art-house films in one of Florence's most picturesque venues. All performances are free.

OFF Cinema

An independent film festival under the stars, in the space granted by OFF BAR, at the Fortezza da Basso.

The intent is to enrich the Florentine scene with a new cultural offering oriented toward the promotion of expanded cinema.

Auteur short films, festival winners, international productions, talks by the authors and documentary screenings.

For the complete program please visit the official website.