10 unmissable events and exhibitions in Florence in September 2025

September in Florence is the month when the city picks up pace again after the summer. There are concerts in the gardens, festivals in the squares, traditional food festivals, and art exhibitions that enliven every corner of the city. The temperatures are still pleasant, making it ideal for enjoying outdoor events both during the day and in the evening. Tourism is less suffocating than during the peak of August. 

Every weekend offers cultural or gastronomic events: music recitals, film screenings, exhibitions, and markets. In this guide, you will find 10 events not to be missed, with locations and dates, designed for curious spectators and discerning travelers. Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant Florence of September 2025.

We have lots of useful tips on what to see in Florence, depending on the length of your stay, whether it's a weekend or a week. In this case, we want to give you some original ideas for enjoying September in the Tuscan capital like a true Florentine.

The beating heart of Florence's cultural season continues to be the 2025 Florentine Summer, which from June 1 to September 30 offers 121 projects distributed among 139 organizers in 14 active spaces, with shows, music, theater, outdoor cinema, and cultural conversations spread throughout the city. So even in September, you will find many events in Florence that are absolutely worth experiencing.

Within this rich artistic program, the Firenze Jazz Festival (FJF) stands out, now in its ninth edition, scheduled from September 2 to 14, 2025, with over 100 artists involved in more than 30 events spread across 9 locations, from the main stage at the Anfiteatro delle Cascine to more intimate spaces such as Villa Bardini, the Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, and alternative clubs.

In addition to this, you will also find: electronic music festivals, independent film festivals, wine events, popular traditions such as the Rificolona, and charity sports initiatives. Below are 10 events, well documented with location, date, and how to get there. Each one is described in detail to help you plan your visit.

Let's start with an event for fans of contemporary electronic music.

An explosion of music awaits enthusiasts and young people at Parco delle Cascine on September 6 and 7, 2025. Decibel Open Air brings over 40 international artists to the stage, including Fantasm, Mau P, Klangkuenstler, Onlynumbers, Pawsa, and Prospa.

Two days of intense music will transform the park into an open-air sound festival, with an urban rave atmosphere, lights, installations, and DJ sets surrounded by greenery. This growing event, returning to the Florentine capital, attracts thousands of participants from all over Europe.

Location: Parco delle Cascine, Florence.

Dates: September 6–7, 2025.

On September 7, 2025, Florence will light up with the traditional Festa della Rificolona, a popular festival centered around colorful lanterns (rificolone). An event for young and old alike, it can be found in various locations both in Florence and in the province. This is a perfect way to immerse yourself in the city's traditions. Here we have listed the main events scheduled for the event in the historic center:

At 6:00 p.m., there will be workshops for children and families dedicated to the construction of rificolone.
At 8:00 p.m., the historical procession and lanterns will depart from Piazza Santa Croce towards Piazza della Santissima Annunziata.
At 9:00 p.m., the procession will arrive and the lanterns will be blessed.
At 9:30 p.m., there will be musical and theatrical performances in the historic center.
Finally, at 10:00 p.m., there will be the Rificolona competition with awards for the most beautiful and original lanterns. This is a festival enjoyed by the citizens, with gatherings in the neighborhoods and widespread parades.

Location: city center and neighborhoods (Santissima Annunziata, Impruneta, etc.)

Date: September 7, 2025

From September 12 to 20, 2025, the San Frediano neighborhood will host Sentiero Film Factory, a festival dedicated to independent cinema and short films.

With artistic screenings, meetings with emerging filmmakers, workshops, and educational talks, the event creates informal and convivial cultural spaces: alternative bars, courtyards, and urban spaces become temporary sets. Ideal for discovering new authors and discussing social and environmental issues. 

A great way to spend a summer evening outdoors.

Dates: September 12–20, 2025 

Location: San Frediano, various locations throughout the neighborhood.

In September 2025, major exhibitions continue at Palazzo Strozzi and others. During this period, you can find exhibitions such as “Helen Frankenthaler – Painting Without Rules” at the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and “The City of Women” at the Museo Novecento. The exhibitions offer dialogues between contemporary and classical art, with conferences, workshops, and guided tours. A dive into quality visual art. 

The focus this year is on the major exhibition dedicated to Beato Angelico, scheduled from September 26 until January 2026, an event that brings together for the first time works from the world's most important museums, including the Louvre, the Metropolitan in New York, and the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The elegant and immersive exhibition is spread between Palazzo Strozzi and the Museum of San Marco, offering a unique museum experience.

At the same time, the Museo Novecento offers a fascinating journey through the artistic expressions of the 20th and 21st centuries. Among the current exhibitions, one that stands out is dedicated to Lorenzo Bonechi, a painter from Valdarno, who reflects on spirituality and the female condition, and the immersive installation by Haley Mellin, an American artist and environmental activist, who invites us to rethink our relationship with nature. Until September 14, visitors can also admire the imposing urban sculptures by Thomas J Price, installed between the museum cloister and Palazzo Vecchio, in a powerful and symbolic dialogue with the very identity of the city.

Between the Renaissance and the contemporary world, these exhibitions confirm Florence's role as a crossroads of visual cultures, capable of fascinating and engaging different audiences, offering experiences that go beyond a simple visit: they are encounters with beauty, thought, and memory.

A detour from the usual tourist routes for an excellent cultural enrichment. 

Location: Palazzo Strozzi and Museo Novecento, Florence

Period: throughout September 2025

At the beginning of September, particularly during the first eight days, the province of Florence hosts festivals related to grapes and wine, such as the Festa dell'Uva in Impruneta (a competition between districts with spectacular floats), scheduled for Sunday, September 28, and the Chianti Expo in Greve in Chianti (September 5–8), with tastings and local producers. These events are easily accessible from Florence and complement the city scene with rural festivals and authentic folklore.

Greve in Chianti can be reached in about 1 hour by bus from the Florence bus station (SMN) with the 365A line of the Tiemme/Autolinee Toscane service. Frequency approximately every 30–60 minutes. Or by car (30 km) via the SR222 Chiantigiana, a scenic and pleasant route.

Impruneta is much closer, only 16 km from Florence: you can take bus line 366 from Florence Porta Romana or by car or scooter following the SR2 towards Tavarnuzze–Impruneta. The journey takes about 25 minutes.

Although these two events are outside the city center, they are perfect for enriching a visit to Florence with an authentic taste of Tuscany: wine, landscape, conviviality, and tradition.

This could also be an opportunity to take a tour and discover Chianti!

Location: Impruneta (Grape Festival), Greve in Chianti (Chianti Expo)

Dates: Impruneta, Sunday, September 28; Greve in Chianti, September 5–8, 2025

The historic non-competitive event Corri la Vita returns on Sunday, September 28, 2025, combining sport, solidarity, and culture. Thousands of participants run 6 km (for families and tourists) or 11 km (for athletes) between the Parco delle Cascine and the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria.

The official T-shirts are blue (designed by Ferragamo) and the event also involves curious onlookers and passers-by: along the route, participants pass monuments and cultural areas of the city. A colorful race that combines wellness and social commitment. A river of people will wind its way from Parco delle Cascine to Piazza della Signoria. The start is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. There will be two routes, one 11 km long for those who want to run, and one 6 km long for those who want to walk and discover the many cultural destinations along the way. 

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the following attractions free of charge throughout the weekend: the Opera di Santa Croce, the Palazzo Vecchio Museum, the Santa Maria Novella Museum, the Novecento Museum, the Forte di Belvedere, the Stibbert Museum, the Pecci Center, and many others. 

Registration for the event is open from September 1, 2025.

Location: Cascine – historic center up to Piazza Signoria

Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025

The September Fierucolina is one of the most beloved events for Florentines who frequent the Oltrarno district. It usually takes place on the second Sunday of the month, which in 2025 falls on September 14, in Piazza del Carmine, in the heart of one of Florence's most authentic neighborhoods. This fair was created with the aim of promoting organic farming and short supply chain artisanal production: each edition hosts dozens of small local producers who display and sell honey, cheese, seasonal vegetables, naturally leavened bread, preserves, and Tuscan extra virgin olive oils.

But Fierucolina is not just a market: it is also a place for cultural and social encounters. There are independent publishing stands, wooden toys for children, craft workshops, street performances, and small musical performances. Participation is free, and the atmosphere is that of a village festival within the city, where the pace slows down and forgotten gestures and flavors are rediscovered. It is an ideal event if you want to experience Florence in a genuine way, away from the more chaotic tourist routes, and perhaps take the opportunity to visit the splendid Basilica del Carmine, with its famous Brancacci Chapel.

Location: Piazza del Carmine, Florence

Date: September 14, 2025

In September 2025, every weekend in Florence will see the return of the Campagna Amica markets, a project promoted by Coldiretti to bring the short supply chain directly to the city's squares. These are genuine farmers' markets where you can buy fresh, local, seasonal, and zero-kilometer products, meeting directly with those who grow, raise, and process them. It is a perfect opportunity to rediscover a direct relationship with food and those who produce it, in an urban but people-friendly setting.

Among the most popular products are organic fruit and vegetables, Tuscan honey, sheep's cheese, wine, cured meats, stone-ground flour, aromatic herbs, and homemade preserves. In September, you can find figs, grapes, apples, pumpkins, and late summer vegetables. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with well-kept stands and vendors who are happy to chat and often willing to tell the stories behind each product. It is also an educational opportunity for children, who can observe agricultural biodiversity up close and taste authentic flavors.

The markets are held in various locations around the city: every Saturday morning in Piazza Tasso (Oltrarno), every Sunday at Parco delle Cascine (near the amphitheater) and in other neighborhoods such as Piazza Alberti or Gavinana on a rotating basis. Hours vary between approximately 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and admission is always free.

A recurring event that combines sustainability, food education, and urban quality of life: perfect for those staying in Florence for a few days and wanting to take home a piece of authentic Tuscany.

Location: Piazza Tasso, Parco delle Cascine, other neighborhood squares

Dates: Saturdays and Sundays in September 2025 (September 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28)

From September 25 to 27, 2025, the monumental complex of Santa Croce will host the new edition of Genius Loci, a festival that has established itself over the years as one of the most profound and poetic cultural events of the Florentine autumn. The initiative was created with the aim of recounting the spiritual and cultural identity of Florence through artistic performances that integrate perfectly into the historic spaces of the complex: the cloisters, the cenacle, the cloister of the Novitiate, and the Pazzi Chapel.

The Genius Loci program includes light installations, acoustic concerts, theatrical readings, meetings with philosophers and writers, as well as site-specific performances that interact intimately with the architectural and symbolic beauty of the place. The events take place mainly in the evening and at night, to restore an atmosphere of contemplation and wonder to the basilica and its sacred silence. In the past, artists of the caliber of Vinicio Capossela, Mariangela Gualtieri, and Marco Paolini have participated, and in 2025, prominent names are also expected, which will be announced at the end of August.

Participation is free, but online booking is required for each individual event, given the limited capacity of the spaces. This is an unmissable opportunity to rediscover the ‘genius loci’ – that invisible force that preserves the memory and soul of a place – in one of the city's most powerful symbolic hearts.

Location: Monumental Complex of Santa Croce, Florence

Dates: September 25–27, 2025

Thirteen intense days of jazz music will revolutionize Florence between September 2 and 14, 2025. The Florence Jazz Festival will feature over 100 artists in more than 30 events spread across nine locations: from the Cascine Amphitheater to elegant villas such as Bardini and Strozzi, passing through hidden clubs and lively squares. This year's theme is “Connected,” to highlight encounters between generations, languages, music, and communities, with the visual concept entrusted to street artist PixelPancho.

Among the protagonists are Alfa Mist (September 12), Bassolino, Coca Puma, Planet Funk (13), Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, and Alabaster DePlume (14). There will also be convivial moments such as Wine Talks with personalities from the world of cinema and culture, and a free shuttle service to make participation sustainable.

Location: various locations (Cascine, Villa Bardini, Limonaia, Santa Rosa bistrot, etc.), Florence.

Dates: September 2–14, 2025