10 Things to Do in Florence in October

As with any time of the year, the list of things to see in Florence in October is almost endless: palaces, museums and churches will keep you going for days during your stay. Moreover, you will do so when the weather has not yet turned too cold and with fewer tourists than in high season.

To further increase the interest of a trip to Florence, the month of October is full of festivals and events that will complete your stay. Music lovers, those looking to experience the city's gastronomy or those who want to take advantage of the evenings to discover the hidden side of the city are in luck if they have decided to travel during these dates.

Taking advantage of the fact that in October Halloween is celebrated, I propose you to take a night tour to learn about some of the darkest aspects occurred in the long and interesting history of Florence. For this, the most comfortable will be to hire a guided tour so that you can listen to the explanations, but of course you can also do it on your own.

Some of the places you can not miss are the following:

• The Palazzo Bargello, in the heart of the historic center. Today converted into one of the best museums in Florence, for several centuries it was the prison of the city.
• In Piazza della Signoria, Friar Savonarola, one of the most controversial characters of Florence, was executed at the stake.
• In the square where the Palazzo Pitti is located you can hear the story of Bianca Capello, who died along with her husband Francesco I de Medici in strange circumstances, possibly poisoned.
• In the Piazza del Duomo you can learn more about the conspiracy that ended the life of Giuliano Medici inside the cathedral itself.

As it happens in the rest of the wine producing countries, October is one of the best months to taste the result of the first harvests. Those who are in Florence for 3 days or more will find no better activity than visiting some of the surrounding wineries to get to know the wines of the Tuscany region, especially the famous Chianti.

There are options for all tastes:

• Hire an organized tour of the Chianti Fiorentino region in which you will visit a castle winery and another located in Chianti Senese, accompanied by a wine expert, who will explain the secrets of production and guide you in the tasting.
• Hire an organized tour of Florence to visit some of the most popular taverns in the city, tasting their wines and crostinis.
• Look for taverns in the neighborhoods of Oltrarno, Santo Spirito or San Frediano and take advantage of the sunset (the usual aperitivo time in Florence) to make the tour.

On October 8 is celebrated one of the most important festivals in Florence, the one dedicated to Santa Reparata, considered the protector of classical culture. If you are in the city I recommend two things: attend the fantastic medieval parade that runs between Piazza di Parte Guelfa and the Duomo and visit the crypt of the ancient church of Santa Reparata, today in the cathedral.

That church was once one of the most important in the whole city and on it was later erected Santa Maria dei Fiore. Today, thanks to excavations carried out last century, you can visit part of the ancient building, where two popes, some bishops of the city and artists such as Giotto and Brunelleschi are buried. In order to see the remains you will first have to have tickets for the Duomo.

The legend of Santa Reparata

The story of the Florentines' fervor for this martyr began in 404, when the Ostrogoths (one of the so-called barbarian peoples) besieged the city. The defenders of Florence destroyed all the surrounding fields so that the attackers could not get food for the duration of the siege and, finally, the Romans arrived to prevent the conquest.

Legend has it that on the day of the arrival of the Roman army Santa Reparata was seen flying over the city and the Florentines attributed the salvation of the city to her presence. For that reason, instead of celebrating the victory on the day it happened, they began to do so on the day of the saint, October 8.

Possibly you've been looking for some places from which to have a good view of Florence. The most common way is to buy a ticket to the dome of the Duomo, although viewpoints like the one located in piazza Michelangelo do not go to the saga. However, if you travel in October, you will be able to contemplate the city from a unique and different perspective: in a hot air balloon.

• At the Festival delle Mongolfiere you will have the opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon, in free flight or in captive flight (tethered to the ground). This festival is held during two weekends in October (although sometimes one has already fallen in November) at the Hippodrome del Visarno.
• At the same time various workshops and educational activities, both for children and adults.
• In the evening a show takes place during which illuminated balloons rise over the city while live music is performed.

Art in Florence is not limited to the finest works of the Galleria dell'Accademia or other examples of painting, sculpture or architecture. The city has also had a great historical relationship with other genres, especially music. Starting in October, precisely, begins the classical music season organized by the association Amici della Musica.

Almost every day of the month you will have the opportunity to attend the best classical music concerts in the country. Most of these events are held in the central and historic Teatro della Pergola and I recommend you try to buy tickets in advance, as the success of the audience is always guaranteed.

The association that organizes them turned 100 years old in 2020 and has distinguished itself during that century of history in spreading musical culture in Florence and the rest of Italy.

I know that Halloween is not a Florentine or Italian holiday, but no one can doubt that in recent years it has spread so much that it is already part of the festive calendar of most European cities. In the case of Florence, where it is widely celebrated, it benefits from the atmosphere of its cobbled streets and the mystery they exude. Therefore, if you are there on October 31, the best thing to do is to join in and enjoy the various activities that take place on this day in the city:

• In the garden of the Libri Liberi bookstore and at the Teatrino Gallo there are readings of scary stories, candy giveaways and a costume contest takes place.
• In the Palazzo Vecchio (which is also one of the must-see spots on any guided tour of Florence) there is a Halloween celebration at the Museum and a workshop of readings about the witch hunt for children.
• If you want to enjoy the night in Florence on that date just go to one of the many bars, pubs, nightclubs or even restaurants that organize their own events.

For art lovers with a penchant for contemporary art, I recommend attending one of the exhibitions that take place on the occasion of the Florence Biennale.

Although it does not have the prestige of the one held in Venice, this event organized in October every two years in Florence is becoming more and more relevant:

• It attracts many important artists from all over the world, more than 400 from almost 80 countries.
• The center of the Biennale is located in Fortezza da Basso, an ancient fortress of the fourteenth century that today is used as a space for fairs and exhibitions.
• For 10 days, exhibitions and events are held in various parts of the city.
• The culmination of this event is the awarding of the Lorenzo il Magnifico prize to an artist of special relevance.

And if contemporary art is not your thing, you can always admire the best paintings of the Uffizi Gallery.

The gastronomy of Florence has to be part of any self-respecting trip. One of the best ways to get to know it in depth is to take part in a gastronomic tour of Florence, which will undoubtedly include one of the most appreciated ingredients: buffalo mozzarella. The month of October in Florence hosts a fair dedicated to this product, no less than in Piazza Santa Croce.

At the stalls set up in this place you can taste different varieties of this type of cheese made from buffalo milk. As it is known all over the world, it is one of the ingredients that cannot be missing in an authentic Italian pizza, although its gastronomic value goes beyond as you can discover in this event.

In some restaurants also take advantage of this event to offer menus featuring this cheese and in which you can not miss a glass of wine from the region.

If you are going to Florence with children you might be worried that they might get bored in the museums. In case your trip is in early October you can stop worrying, as the so-called Firenze dei Bambini, a series of events aimed at the little ones, is taking place.

All the activities that take place during the 3 days of the festival are free of charge. In addition, children will be able to enter for free (accompanied by an adult) in several museums, such as the Palazzo Vecchio, the Museo del Novecento or the Cloister of Santa Maria Novella.

All these places and some more host activities and initiatives for children to learn to enjoy the art of the city. On the last day, as a farewell, a film will be shown in the Salon dei Cinquecento of the Palazzo Vecchio.

At the end of October, one of the most important gastronomic events in the region takes place in Barberino di Mugello, just an hour from Florence. The protagonist of this festival is the truffle, both in its black and white version. Food lovers who want to learn more about this culinary gem should try to pay a visit to the town.

Throughout the historic center you will find stalls offering both types of truffle, as well as derived products. Other local and national specialties are also available.

With the arrival of autumn, the weather in Florence begins to leave behind the summer heat. Even so, during the day it is still not cold, with average highs reaching 21 ºC (70 °F). Evenings and nights are no longer oppressive, with minimum temperatures averaging 11°C.

What is increasing is the possibility of rain, so I recommend that you check the weather forecast shortly before leaving.

October marks the end of the high season in Florence. This does not mean that the streets are completely empty of tourists, but it does mean that the large crowds of the summer are no longer to be seen.

Despite this, it is still convenient to buy skip-the-line tickets for the most important monuments.