11 Things to Do in Florence in November

Few cities need less introduction to travellers than the capital of the Tuscany region. All the art and other attractions that Florence houses in its streets have made it a must-see for many decades.

Florence not only offers museums, churches, palaces and other historic buildings, but also an intense cultural and leisure life throughout the year. November, despite representing the end of the high season, is no exception, with concerts inside churches, various food festivals and even skating and skiing near the river.

On your trip to Florence I would definitely recommend a tour of the Duomo square to see all it has to offer and also climb up to the dome of the Duomo to see the magnificent views of the city. In the same area, if you travel in November, you will be able to attend a series of concerts in the fantastic setting of the Museo dell' Opera.

The event, called Note al Museo, takes place in the Sala del Paradiso of this building and, for several months, the stage will host performances by internationally renowned musicians in the field of classical music.

This concert season has become an unmissable event for music lovers due to the artistic quality of the participants, as well as the variety of styles. And if you are planning to attend one of these concerts, I recommend that you take the opportunity to see the museum itself. Inside you will find original sketches that were used to build the cathedral, as well as some of the tools.

Practical information

• Address: in the same square as the Duomo
• Opening times: performances usually start at 21:00 at night on weekends. However, it is advisable to check the programme in case of changes.
• Prices: admission is free, but you must book in advance through the Museo dell' Opera's website.

Those of you who have been on a gastronomic tour of Florence may have come across a dish featuring one of the most prestigious ingredients in Florentine cuisine: the white truffle. If you would like to learn more about it, the famous San Miniato Truffle Fair is held in November, a perfect place to learn about this tuber.

San Miniato, a beautiful town located near Pisa (a city you can easily visit with an excursion from Florence), holds this fair every year during the last three weekends of November.

During this event, gastronomes, professionals and amateurs come together in the town to enjoy truffle-based menus. As the organisers themselves point out, the town becomes a veritable "laboratory of taste" in the open air, with many stalls offering this ingredient in its squares. You can try them and take part in activities such as the truffle hunt.

How to get to San Miniato

The best way to get to San Miniato, if you don't have a car, is by train. On the TrenItalia website you can find the timetables connecting Florence and San Miniato.

November, with the number of visitors dropping sharply, can be one of the best times to see the best works in the Uffizi Gallery.

There is no doubt that one of the must-visits when travelling to Florence, no matter the season, is the Uffizi Gallery. With some 1,500 works on display, a good guided tour of the Gallery will allow you to leave with a little more knowledge about the history of classical art.

In any case, it's always a good idea to buy your tickets to the Uffizi Gallery in advance in case you have to wait in line to get in.

Practical information

• Opening hours: open from Tuesday to Sunday and, apart from Mondays, closed on 25 December and 1 January. The gallery opens at 8.15am and closes at 6.50pm. Special opening hours are available on some summer evenings.
• Prices: The price of admission depends on whether you want a guided tour, a tour that includes other places in Florence, or if you just want to go in on your own. In this article about tickets to the Uffizi Gallery you can find all the information.

Whether you are a big sports fan or you just like to enjoy the atmosphere around the event, the Florence Marathon is a spectacle that no one should miss if you are in the city at the end of November.

With small changes, the event can boast one of the most beautiful courses in the world. No matter where they look, participants and fans will be surrounded by art everywhere: the Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio and the Santa Croce? In other words, a route that could be covered by any tourist bus in Florence.

In addition to the marathon itself, with its 42 kilometres, other shorter races are also held on that day, so that those who want to take part but are not sufficiently prepared can choose their own.

Practical information

• How to take part: you have to fill in a registration form on the event's website and pay for your race bib (from €50).
• Drop-off and start: the drop-off area for bags is located in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, while the start line is assigned to participants according to the time they have run according to their registration form.

If you want to take advantage of your visit to buy some original Christmas gifts, a good place to visit is the Fiera delle Lane di San Martino, an open-air craft fair focused on the world of wool.

Alongside the stalls dedicated to wool products, there are others selling various items made by other artisans. If you stroll around the area you can choose from fantastic farmhouse cheeses to ceramic crockery, not forgetting natural soaps, handmade leather shoes and games for the little ones.

If you like fashion, you can also take a day trip to Florence to make a shopping trip to the Barberino outlet from Florence, a shopping centre with more than 100 shops where you can find the best Italian fashion outfits.

Event information

• Location: piazza della Santissima Annunziata
• Dates: usually held in the first week of November.
• Also interesting... If you are travelling with children, workshops are organised.

While you will be able to see many of Florence' s extraordinary churches on your own or by booking a guided tour of the city, there is another way to visit them and enjoy the best classical music concerts.

In November you can attend a large number of musical performances that have several of these churches as unique venues. Some of these concerts are part of the music season in the city.

The main performances take place in the church of Orsanmichele and in Santa Monaca, as well as in Santa Maria Novella. Concert-goers can also choose another great venue, Santo Stefano al Ponte. This 11th century basilica has been converted into an auditorium where you can admire some of the best performances in the city.

Have you ever thought about going up in a hot air balloon? Well, your trip to Florence (the capital of Tuscany) in November could be the perfect setting to finally fulfil that little dream. Autumn is one of the best times to go hot air ballooning in Tuscany, as temperatures are still mild and you don't have to get up as early as in summer.

Also, during this season the views will be breathtaking. Imagine for a moment seeing the autumn landscape of beautiful Tuscany from the heights... Shades of brown, yellow, dark green and the charming Tuscan houses will be the scenery you will contemplate from above. Sounds good, doesn't it?

You will reach more than 600 metres above sea level, closing your experience as it is always done: with a glass of champagne to celebrate the flight.

After strolling for hours through the beautiful streets of Florence, you may start to feel cold or, more uncomfortably, caught in the rain. Luckily for you, the city is full of fantastic cafés where you can warm up with a good coffee or hot chocolate.

As in the rest of the country, Florentines are proud of their coffee culture. If you're going to join them, remember that Italians only order it with milk in the morning, while in the afternoon they prefer their coffee black and short.

If you prefer another type of drink, Florence's coffee shops are famous for the great hot chocolate they serve to their customers. In November, there may be nothing better to warm you up.

Some of Florence's historic coffee shops

• Caffè Rivoire: It was none other than the personal chocolate maker of the royal house of Savoy who opened it in 1872. Since then, it has become a popular place for Florentines to order a hot chocolate in a cup to avoid the cold outside. It is located in Piazza della Signoria.
• Café Piansa: in Viale Europa you will find a place famous for its great coffee, which is saying a lot by Florentine standards. Besides, the interior design is really fantastic and, on top of that, the prices are not too high.
• Caffè Gilli: if you want to enter this historic coffee shop located in Piazza Repubblica you have to be aware that its almost 3 centuries of history and its Belle Epoque decoration are going to be noticed (and a lot) in the prices. However, it is worth indulging yourself and spending some time in its lounge.
• L'Opera Caffè: located next to Santa Maria dei Fiore, L'Opera Caffè is perfect for a hot chocolate in a truly magical part of the city.

Visitors to Florence mainly come to see the city' s best museums and art on every corner, but how about combining it with winter activities such as ice skating? In November and until February, this is possible if you go to the Firenze Winter Park.

Next to the river, in the gardens of the Tuscany Hall, an indoor structure opens every year for a few months where you can enjoy winter sports, food and, of course, guaranteed fun.

In this winter park you will find two different slopes: a large one and a smaller one for beginners and children. If you want to learn to ski, this complex offers classes, as well as skating training courses and ice shows.

Practical information

• Address: Lungarno Aldo Moro, 3
• Opening times: although it is always advisable to confirm, it normally opens in mid-November. From Monday to Thursday the facility is used for games such as Icestock, always with prior reservation. On Fridays, the slopes are open from 15:00 to 1:00, while on Saturdays and Sundays it opens at 10:30 and closes around 00:30.
• Prices: The price for access to the inside depends on the activities. Skate rental costs around €2, to which must be added the entrance fee, between €6 and €8 depending on the day.

It could be said that this activity is perfect if you are travelling with children to Florence, but in reality there are more than a few adults who will also enjoy it.

For a couple of days, the city hosts the Brick Festival, dedicated entirely to Lego, which takes place in the Tuscany Hall.

There you will find everything from Lego exhibitions to play areas with more than 150 kilos of Lego bricks, as well as talks in which fans share their secrets on this subject and show their best works. There are also exhibitions where you can learn about the history of the Lego brand, as well as stalls where you can buy old Lego sets, books and clothing.

The month of November features two important film events in Florence: the Festival dei Popoli, focusing on international documentaries, and Lo Schermo dell'Arte, focusing on art.

In total there are two weeks of screenings during which you can always find something you're passionate about. In the case of the Festival dei Popoli, there is no fixed venue, as screenings are held in different parts of the city. It also has a section dedicated to young people.

In the case of Lo Schermo dell'Arte, the documentaries are shown at the Cinema La Compagnia and at the fantastic Palazzo Medici Riccardi. At the same time, as part of the festival, there is an exhibition on contemporary art at the Palazzo Strozzi.

Autumn is making its presence felt in Florence during this month, with temperatures averaging 15°C for the highs and 6°C for the lows.

Despite this, temperatures are easily bearable if you wear some winter clothing and check the weather forecast to be prepared. The main problem may be rainfall, as this is the wettest month of the year.

Although temperatures are starting to get colder, there are several reasons why travelling to Florence at this time of year can be a great idea:

• Off peak season: from the end of October onwards, the city receives far fewer tourists than in the spring and summer months. This is reflected in the comfort with which you can stroll through the streets and visit the main monuments.
• Less time wasted in queues: related to the above, the time lost in high season queuing to get into museums can be spent in November on other visits.
• Youwill interact more with Florentines: the smaller number of tourists, who sometimes take up all the seats in restaurants and bars, allows Florentines to regain their city's prominence. This is your chance to meet them and learn about their way of life.
• Cultural activities: Florence offers during this month a wide variety of cultural, sporting and leisure activities that will make your trip much more complete.