7 best events and exhibitions not to be missed in Florence in January 2026

The new year has just begun, and Florence awakens under a softer, gentler light. Winter invites the city to reveal its most intimate side, made of quiet streets, the comforting scent of coffee, and squares that finally slow their pace.

In this calmer atmosphere, the Tuscan capital feels easier to breathe. Travelers have the space to observe, linger, and let themselves be surprised by details that often go unnoticed in summer. Between folkloric events, art exhibitions, and concerts, January brightens the city and turns each day into a unique opportunity to discover Florence far from the crowds.

It’s a month where everything finds its natural balance. Museums are more enjoyable, walks along the Arno become small privileges, and the daily rhythm of Florentine life comes back to center stage.

It’s the perfect time to explore what to do in Florence January and dive into a calendar full of events that welcome the new year with beauty and a slower, more conscious pace.

In Florence, the first month of the year is filled with events that move between music, art, traditions, and winter atmospheres, creating a perfect blend of culture and everyday life.

The city never ceases to amaze. Its Renaissance beauty lives side by side with a lively, curious contemporary scene that speaks through its squares, museums, and deeply rooted neighborhoods. In January, this dialogue becomes even more intriguing: everything slows down, allowing visitors to truly listen to what Florence has to say.

The selection of events that follows is born from this spirit, an invitation to explore a Florence that constantly renews itself while staying true to its essence. A way to begin the year guided by the culture, history, and vibrant energy of a city that remains timeless.

The Cavalcade of the Magi moves through Florence’s historic center like a living story, filled with period costumes, solemn atmospheres, and a procession that recalls the ancient journey of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.

The Magi advance through the crowd carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh, leading a long parade of reenactors from all over Italy. More than five hundred participants, each dressed in meticulously recreated historical garments, turn the streets of Florence into a moving tableau where past and present brush against each other at every step.

In Piazza del Duomo, a living Nativity scene comes to life with the Holy Family, the manger, and the animals completing the picture. It’s a simple moment, yet capable of creating an intimate and powerful atmosphere, especially when the procession pauses in front of the cathedral.

Adding rhythm to the celebration are the drummers and flag-throwers of the Uffizi. Their vibrant performances and choreographed flag displays mark the procession’s final stretch. Their passage through Piazza della Signoria and the surrounding streets closes the event with an energy that has belonged to Florentine tradition for centuries.

Where: The parade starts at Palazzo Pitti, then continues across Ponte Vecchio to Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo
When: January 6, from 2:15 PM

The Museo degli Innocenti presents a major exhibition dedicated to Toulouse-Lautrec, transforming its rooms into a direct passage to the Paris of the Belle Époque. It’s a journey through the world of cabarets and theatres that the artist portrayed with a unique, ironic, and deeply human gaze.

On display are some of his most iconic works from the prestigious Wolfgang Krohn Collection in Hamburg. The color lithographs, such as the celebrated Jane Avril from 1893, reveal Lautrec’s unmistakable graphic power, while his famous posters, from Troupe de Mademoiselle Églantine (1896) to Aristide Bruant in His Cabaret (1893), bring back the vibrant energy of Parisian nightlife, captured with essential lines and exceptional narrative clarity.

The exhibition also includes drawings, promotional graphics, and illustrations for magazines such as La Revue blanche (1895), along with several works loaned by the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi. These pieces testify to his rare ability to capture gestures, expressions, and fleeting moments of daily life with extraordinary sensitivity.

Completing the exhibition are works by other artists of the Belle Époque and the Art Nouveau movement. Their presence broadens the context and enriches the experience, allowing visitors to explore an era that forever transformed the way we look at art and urban culture.

Where: Museo degli Innocenti, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata
When: Daily from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM

At Palazzo Strozzi, an extraordinary and unrepeatable exhibition celebrates Beato Angelico, one of the greatest masters of the fifteenth century and a central figure in the history of Italian art.

The exhibition retraces the artist’s entire creative journey, highlighting his connections with some of the most influential figures of his time. Alongside his works, visitors encounter dialogues with painters such as Lorenzo Monaco, Masaccio, and Filippo Lippi, as well as shared inspirations with sculptors like Ghiberti, Michelozzo, and Luca della Robbia. It is a narrative that reveals how the friar painter moved with confidence between tradition and innovation, leaving a decisive mark on the emerging Renaissance style.

His panels, celebrated for their pure light, precise perspective, and harmonious balance between figures and space, reflect a unique ability to transform the sacred into a visual experience.

Where: Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza degli Strozzi
When: Until Sunday, January 25, 2026

Florence glows with magic during Florence Lights Up, the light festival that envelops the city throughout the holiday season and accompanies locals and visitors until January 7. Winter evenings take on a different rhythm, filled with colors sliding across façades and reflections that turn squares and monuments into open-air stage sets.

Among the most spectacular locations is Ponte Vecchio, which becomes a true luminous canvas. Thanks to video mapping, its arches come alive with images, light displays, and visual narratives that transform the familiar into something entirely new, offering unexpected perspectives on one of Tuscany’s most beloved landmarks.

Where: Historic center
When: Until January 7, 2026

Each year, Florence commemorates the miraculous blossoming of a dead elm tree, said to have occurred in 429 as the remains of Saint Zanobi were carried through the city, an episode Florence has preserved for centuries as a symbol of rebirth and protection.

Piazza San Giovanni becomes the heart of the celebration, animated by reenactors in historical costumes and the vibrant presence of the Uffizi Flag-throwers. City authorities and participants lay floral wreaths at the Column of San Zenobius, just outside the Baptistery, transforming that precise spot into a place of living memory.

Around them, choirs and small processions create an intimate and evocative atmosphere. It is an event that blends devotion and beauty, bringing back to Florence an ancient spirit that still resonates deeply and captivates all who choose to take part.

Where: Piazza San Giovanni
When: January 26, 2026

Birraio dell’Anno returns to Florence, the Fermento Birra festival that for seventeen years has celebrated the best Italian craft beer producers. It’s a highly anticipated event, created for those who want to explore a beer scene now recognized well beyond national borders.

The selection of breweries is the result of votes from one hundred expert judges and the fifty top brewers from the previous edition, ensuring an exceptional range of high-level craft creations. Tastings become a guided journey, narrated directly by the brewers themselves, who introduce visitors to styles, aromas, and stories from behind the scenes of their craft.

The popular Beer Pass is confirmed again this year, allowing unlimited tastings during scheduled sessions, with limited entry to preserve a focused and intimate atmosphere. Completing the experience are street-food stands offering regional specialties, perfect for pairing with the beers on tap.

It’s an event that brings together enthusiasts and professionals in a warm, welcoming setting, offering the opportunity to discover Italy’s finest craft beer productions and enjoy a sensorial experience in direct contact with the people shaping the industry.

Where: Teatro Cartiere Carrara, Via Fabrizio De André, Lungarno Aldo Moro
When: January 17–18, 2026

At the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Pas de deux for toes and fingers brings together two extraordinary talents: Svetlana Zakharova and Vadim Repin. The renowned étoile and the celebrated violinist meet on stage in a rare artistic dialogue where dance and music seem to echo one another with equal intensity.

Repin will not only perform on the violin but also conduct the orchestra, weaving a soundscape that supports and elevates Zakharova’s every movement. The result is a perfect balance of grace, technique, and expressive power, capable of turning the performance into an immersive, emotional experience.

Joining them on stage are other international dancers, including Artemy Belyakov, Mikhail Lobukhin, and Igor Tsvirko, whose solos and duets will enrich the evening with dynamic and memorable moments.

Where: Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Piazza Vittorio Gui
When: January 20–21, 2026