The ISI Florence Guide | Listing the Best Picks of the Month to Explore the City at its Best.
DOMENICA AL MUSEO: FREE ENTRANCE TO MUSEUMS
When: Sunday, April 6 – all day
Take advantage of free entrance to a selection of museums:
Galleria degli Uffizi, Galleria dell’Accademia, Museo delle Cappelle Medicee, Palazzo Pitti, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Palazzo Davanzati, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Casa Martelli, Museo di Orsanmichele, Villa Medicea di Castello, Villa il Ventaglio, Villa Corsini, Villa Medicea della Petraia.
FIRENZE FLOWER SHOW
The Firenze Flower Show, a market exhibition of rare and unusual plants, returns for its seventh edition. This spring event will feature top exhibitors from across the country, offering two days of fun and learning for numerous visitors interested in high-quality floriculture and gardening.
When: Saturday & Sunday, April 5 & 6
Where: Giardino Corsini – Via della Scala, 115
Price: tickets starting at €12.00
FIORENZA – ALLA CORTE DEI MEDICI
Ippodromo del Visarno transforms into a lively Renaissance village, immersing spectators in Florence’s golden age. Enjoy cavalry tournaments, historical camps, and elegant dances. Watch thrilling duels, explore soldier life, and taste Renaissance-inspired delicacies. This event offers a unique chance to experience Florence’s past and its influential ruling family.
When: Saturday & Sunday, April 5 & 6
Where: Ippodromo del Visarno – Viale del Visarno, 14
FREE
CREATIVE MANI FACTORY
This independent design market celebrates handmade craftsmanship and limited-edition creations, with a special focus on sustainability. Artisans, designers, and illustrators showcase unique pieces, from jewelry to home decor, blending tradition with contemporary aesthetics. Visitors can explore exhibitions, engage in creative activities, and experience innovation through carefully curated materials and techniques.
When: Saturday & Sunday, April 5 & 6 – 10:00am to 8:00pm
Where: Manifattura Tabacchi – Via delle Cascine, 35
FREE
CIOKOFLO’
CiokoFlò transforms Piazza Santa Croce into a chocolate lover’s dream. This free festival brings top Italian and international chocolatiers to Florence, offering tastings, artistic creations, hands-on workshops, and spectacular chocolate sculptures. A must-visit event to experience the finest artisanal chocolate in one of Italy’s most iconic squares.
When: Thursday, April 10 to Sunday, April 13
Where: Piazza Santa Croce
FREE
BRIGHT FESTIVAL
Bright Festival returns to Italy for its ninth edition with an immersive exhibition featuring top digital artists from around the world. Set in a stunning 19th-century railway station, the event showcases interactive experiences, light installations, and live performances, offering a unique journey through the latest trends in digital art and innovation.
For the program and tickets, visit: https://www.brightfestival.com/2025-program-preview/
When: Friday, April 11 to Sunday, 13 April
Where: Stazione Leopolda – Viale Fratelli Rosselli, 5
Price: tickets starting at €16.00
MOSTRA INTERNAZIONALE DELL’ARTIGIANATO
(International Handicraft Exhibition)
This festival brings together master craftsmen in the Fortezza da Basso, 16th century fort, used today for numerous events and exhibitions. You can walk through the pavillons and explore a global village full of art, crafts, demonstrations, performances, events and workshops. The festival combines tradition and innovation to create extremely valuable handmade products.
When: Friday, April 25 to Thursday, May 1
Where: Fortezza da Basso – Viale Filippo Strozzi, 1
Price: tickets starting at €6.00 – https://mostrartigianato.it/en/
OPENING OF THE IRIS GARDEN
Tucked into the sheltered corner of Piazzale Michelangelo, the Iris Garden boasts more than 10,000 different varieties. The secluded area is a relaxing escape, filled with only distant echoes of Florence. The Italian Iris Society, headquartered in Florence due to the city’s historical attachment to the flower, maintains the flowerbeds and sponsors an annual international iris competition.
When: Friday, April 25 – Tuesday, May 20
Open everyday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Where: Piazzale Michelangelo
FREE
A.C. FIORENTINA – HOME GAMES
Where: Stadio Artemio Franchi, Viale Manfredo Fanti
When:
Sunday, April 13 – 3:00pm (Fiorentina vs Parma)
Thursday, April 17- 6:45pm (Fiorentina vs NK Celje)
Sunday, April 27 – 3:00pm (Fiorentina vs Empoli)
Buy your tickets online at https://www.acffiorentina.com/en/ticketing or at the Fiorentina Store under the train station (show your ISI Florence card for a discount on Fiorentina merch!)
TRACEY EMIN – SEX AND SOLITUDE
This exhibition presents over 60 works, from paintings and drawings to sculptures and neon installations, exploring themes of sex and solitude. Emin’s deeply personal yet universal reflections on the body and desire make this her first major institutional show in Italy.
When: Open everyday, 10:00am – 8:00pm (Thu until 11:00pm)
Where: Palazzo Strozzi – Piazza Strozzi
Price: tickets €16.00 (€13.00 under 30)
THOMAS J PRICE IN FLORENCE
The Thomas J. Price exhibition in Florence features powerful sculptures addressing themes of identity, race, and power. Some of his works are placed in iconic squares, such as Piazza della Signoria, blending classical forms with contemporary perspectives. The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on societal structures and human experience through art.
When: Open Mon to Sun (Closed Thu) 11:00am – 8:00pm
Where: Around Florence & Museo del Novecento – Piazza Santa Maria Novella, 10
Price: tickets starting at €4.50
INSIDE MATISSE
Immerse yourself in the world of Henri Matisse at the Cattedrale dell’Immagine’s new multimedia show. This experience brings you closer to the artist’s life and work.
When: Open Mon to Fri 10:00am – 7:00pm, Sat & Sun 10:00am – 7:30pm
Where: Cattedrale dell’Immagine – Piazza di Santo Stefano
Price: tickets starting at €14.00
EASTER IN ITALY
Easter is widely celebrated in Italy by virtue of being both a religious festivity and a national holiday. Easter Sunday and Monday (in Italian “Pasquetta”, which means “little Easter”) are a time in which religious Italians attend mass and the population in general relaxes and indulges in delicious food. For many, lamb is the go-to choice for Easter lunch, where it is served roasted with potatoes. The “pièce de résistance” of Easter lunch, however, usually comes at the end of the meal, when Italians eat “colomba”, a traditional cake baked in the shape of a dove. Colomba’s dough includes candied orange cubes, raisins and almonds, that decorate the top of the cake together with sugar sprinkles. For young and old there are also Easter eggs. Contrary to the small chocolate eggs found in the U.S., chocolate Easter eggs in Italy are bigger and empty, save for a small box that contains a present. They can be purchased in any supermarket around Easter time and usually come in dark or milk chocolate. In recent years we have seen a rise in more “creative” eggs, made with pistachios or decorated with white chocolate and nuts.
While many simply crack them open, children often get playful, using karate chops or even their heads!
SCOPPIO DEL CARRO – APRIL 20
Scoppio del Carro (“Explosion of the Cart”) is Florence’s most renowned Easter tradition, dating back hundreds of years. Every year on Easter, a colorful cart full of fireworks, known as the Brindellone, is paraded through Florence, pulled by two oxen adorned with flowers, and brought to the front of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Florence Cathedral). At around 11:30am, during Easter mass, a rocket in the shape of a white dove (colombina) flies on a wire from the altar to the cart, where a small fuse attached to it lights up the fireworks, starting the beautiful display of lights. The white dove should then fly back to the altar. It is Florentine superstition that if the dove “comes back”, the following harvest will be plentiful and the city will overall have good luck. Interestingly, on Easter morning in 1966—the year of Florence’s devastating November flood—the dove stopped before reaching the altar. The Scoppio del Carro is a very popular event among Florentines, so make sure to get there early to find a spot with the best view!
APRIL 25 – LIBERATION DAY
Italy celebrates Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione) every year on April 25, a national public holiday commemorating the end of the Fascist regime and Nazi occupation during WWII. It also honors the victory of Italy’s Resistance movement – the partigiani – who fought against these forces. Formed in 1943, the partigiani were a network of anti-Fascist activists from diverse backgrounds across Italy. United in armed resistance, they waged both a war of liberation and a civil war against the Nazi occupation and the Fascist regime. On April 25, 1945, partisans made a nationwide radio broadcast calling for a popular uprising and general strike, which led to the eventual capture and execution of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini three days later.
STIBBERT MUSEUM
The museum contains over 36,000 artifacts, including a vast collection of armour from Eastern and Western civilizations. The villa, which was once Stibbert’s home, has 57 rooms that exhibit all of his collections from around the world. Most of the walls are covered in leather and tapestries and the rooms are filled with artifacts.
Paintings are displayed throughout every room, including still lifes and portraits. There is also valuable furniture, porcelains, Tuscan crucifixes, Etruscan artifacts, and an outfit worn by Napoleon I of France.
Open Mon to Wed 10:00am – 2:00pm;
Fri to Sun 10:00am – 6:00pm
Via Federigo Stibbert, 26
€10.00
TRIESTE
Trieste, an alluring city on Italy’s northeastern coast, boasts a captivating blend of Italian, Slavic, and Austrian influences. Steeped in history, its Old Town showcases a unique mix of Austro-Hungarian and Roman architecture, while Piazza Unità d’Italia, Europe’s largest seaside square, buzzes with life, neoclassical buildings and cozy cafes.
Visitors can explore the James Joyce Museum, paying homage to the renowned author, and enjoy panoramic views from the cliff-perched Miramare Castle overlooking the Adriatic Sea.
MURANO & BURANO
Murano, located in the Venetian Lagoon, is renowned for its centuries-old glassmaking heritage. The island’s glassblowing workshops offer a glimpse into this intricate craft, where skilled artisans transform molten glass into exquisite creations. Murano’s narrow streets are dotted with glass stores displaying a wide array of colorful glassware, from delicate figurines to elaborate chandeliers. Visitors can witness live demonstrations, gaining insight into the meticulous techniques passed down through generations.
Burano, a short boat ride from Murano, is celebrated for its charming, vibrant houses that line the canals. Each building boasts a unique, lively color, creating a picturesque setting against the backdrop of the tranquil waterways. Beyond its colorful facade, Burano is known for its lace-making tradition, showcased in local boutiques. The island’s relaxed atmosphere and small-town charm make it an ideal spot for leisurely strolls along the canals.
CANTUCCINI DI PRATO & VIN SANTO
Cantucci, almond biscuits with origins traced to Prato, near Florence, have a culinary history dating back to the late 18th century. Their rise to fame is credited to baker Antonio Mattei, who introduced them at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1867. Despite their simple recipe of flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and almonds, Cantucci gained popularity due to their distinct elongated shape, spongy texture, and abundant almond filling. The baking process involves shaping the dough into loaves, slicing them, and baking them twice to achieve a crispy texture and prolonged shelf life. Commonly presented as gifts, Cantucci are often accompanied by Vin Santo, a renowned sweet dessert wine from Tuscany. Vin Santo, which translates to “Holy Wine”, is made from grapes dried on straw mats. This process of desiccation allows the sugar in the grape to be more concentrated. The longer the grapes are allowed to dry, the higher the resulting residual sugar levels will be in the wine.
Where to eat it:
Pegna (Via dello Studio, 26r) – Mattei (Via Porta Rossa, 76r) – Eataly (Via Martelli, 22r)
MURANO & BURANO
The history of the peposo is strictly linked to that of the Duomo and its world-famous Cupola. The dish originated in Impruneta, a town just outside of Florence, known for its ceramics. During the construction of the Cupola under architect Filippo Brunelleschi, workers cooked this dish in ceramic pots put near the ovens in which bricks and shingles were prepared and would eat it during work breaks. The least expensive cuts of meat were cooked in wine for a long time to soften the tough meat – a generous dose of black peppercorns was added to cover the fact that oftentimes the meat was not fresh. The name comes from the pepper itself, “pepe” in Italian.
Where to eat it:
Peposo can be found in many traditional restaurants in Florence (trattorias) – we recommend Ristorante La Spada (Via della Spada, 62r).