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
Sunday, February 1 | all day
On the first Sunday of each month, a selection of state museums and gardens can be accessed free of charge during each institution’s regular opening hours. A reservation may still be required, so it’s best to plan ahead. Here are some of the most popular locations (you can find the complete list online by Googling ‘domenica al museo’):
• Galleria degli Uffizi
• Galleria dell’Accademia
• Museo delle Cappelle Medicee
• Musei di Palazzo Pitti
• Museo Archeologico Nazionale
• Giardino di Boboli
FREE
CIOKO FLÒ – CHOCOLATE FLORENCE EXPERIENCE 2026
March 12 – 15 | 10am – 8pm
Piazza Santa Croce
2nd edition of a festival dedicated to artisanal chocolate, created to highlight the work and creativity of Italian and international master chocolatiers and pastry chefs. The event also features tasting workshops, demonstrations, and the “Chocolate Factory”, designed to explore artisanal techniques in depth and actively engage the public.
FREE ADMISSION
RARE MARKET
March 14 – 15 | 11am – 8pm
Ippodromo del Visarno
A market celebrating the charm of rare and handmade creations that brings together vinyl records, designer jewelry, vintage bags, and contemporary pieces.
MORE INFO ON THE EVENT PAGE
ONLY USATO MARKET (Home & Clothing)
Saturday, March 15 | 11am – 7pm
La Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, Via Pisana, 77
Only Usato brings together the best of second-hand and vintage fashion and trinkets in a lively, creative atmosphere. Visitors can browse unique clothing and accessories, enjoy a DJ set throughout the day, and relax with food and drinks, celebrating sustainable style and urban culture.
FREE ENTRY (MORE INFO ON THE EVENT PAGE)
FLORENCE KOREA FILM FEST
March 19 – 28 | various times
Cinema La Compagnia (Via Camillo Cavour, 50/R)
The 24th edition of FKFF celebrates the richness of contemporary Korean cinema with premieres, retrospectives, and special guests from the industry and a rich journey through Korea’s dynamic and innovative film culture.
MORE INFO ON THE EVENT PAGE
DANTEDì!
Wednesday, March 25
Every year on March 25, the city dedicates a day to the “Supreme Poet”, Dante Alighieri. Based on Bloomsday in Dublin (which celebrates James Joyce’s Ulysses), you can find cultural initiatives throughout the city, with people reading passages from the Divine Comedy aloud. Walk around the city following important locations from Dante’s life, such as Museo Casa di Dante, or hop on a train and head to Ravenna! There, you can visit Dante’s resting place as well as amazing Byzantine mosaics.
Museo Casa di Dante, Via Santa Margherita 1
(opened Tue-Fri from 10am to 5pm and Sat-Sun from to 6pm)
FLORENTINE NEW YEAR
Wednesday, March 25
Palagio di Parte Guelfa
The festivity revives an ancient tradition dating back to the Renaissance, when Florence marked the Christian feast of Annunciation as the start of the year. The city comes alive with historical costumes, flag-throwers and drums in a parade that will move from Palagio di Parte Guelfa to the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata.
FREE
FIRENZE FLOWER SHOW
Sat-Sun, March 28 & 29 | 9am – 8pm
Giardino Corsini (Via della Scala, 115)
The Firenze Flower Show returns with a new edition showcasing rare and unusual plants with top national growers. Alongside the market, visitors can enjoy free gardening workshops, floral art demonstrations and activities celebrating nature and creativity.
TICKETS: STARTING AT €12 (MORE INFO ON THE EVENT PAGE)
IL GUSTO TOSCANO
Sat, March 28 | 11am – 9pm
Sun, March 29 | 11am – 8pm
Il Conventino, Via Giano della Bella, 20
The 8th edition of Gusto Toscano returns for a weekend of fine wine, tastings, and artisanal Tuscan delights at Officina Creativa Lab (Conventino fuori le Mura). Over 30 producers, winemakers, distillers, and food artisans will showcase high-quality local products. Visitors can enjoy guided tastings, masterclasses, and talks celebrating Tuscany’s culinary heritage.
MORE INFO ON THE EVENT PAGE
ROTHKO IN FLORENCE
daily | 10am – 8pm
Thursdays | 10am – 11pm
Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza degli Strozzi
From 14 March to 23 August 2026, Palazzo Strozzi presents an unmissable exhibition dedicated to the great master of American art, Mark Rothko, through an extraordinary selection of works, including large paintings never before exhibited in Italy.
TICKETS: starting at €13
OCEANI: DAVID DOUBILET
Tue-Sun | 10pm – 7:30pm
Villa Bardini (Costa San Giorgio, 2)
Villa Bardini hosts Oceani, a stunning photography exhibition by National Geographic’s David Doubilet. The show features breathtaking underwater images that reveal both the beauty and fragility of marine life around the world.
TICKETS: starting at €10
FRIDA KAHLO – EMOTION EXHIBITION
Mon-Fri | 10am – 7pm
Sat-Sun | 10am – 7:30pm
Cattedrale dell’Immagine (Piazza di San Stefano)
This immersive experience delves into the universe of the iconic Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, moving through her art, her life, and her ideas. The exhibition lasts 35 minutes, where Frida’s works and the colors of Latin America bring the walls of the historic Church of Santo Stefano al Ponte to life. The journey is further enriched by the Mirror Room, a dreamlike VR experience, and the Crypt, where visitors are be able to deepen their knowledge of the iconic artist.
TICKETS: starting at €11
HALF MARATHON and 10K
Sat & Sun, March 28 & 29 | see times on website
Piazza Santa Croce / Lungarno della Zecca
The city turns into an exciting race through streets and historical monuments. Open to both professionals and amateurs. Registrations for the half-marathon are already closed; however, it’s still possible to register for the 10k race.
For registration requirements and fees see: www.halfmarathonfirenze.it/en
A.C. FIORENTINA HOME GAMES
Stadio Artemio Franchi (Viale Manfredo Fanti)
Sunday, March 8 | time TBC
Fiorentina vs Parma
Sunday, March 22 | time TBC
Fiorentina vs Inter
TICKETS: You can buy your tickets online on the Fiorentina website or at the Fiorentina Store under the S.M.N. train station (show your ISI Florence card for a discount on Fiorentina merch!)
MILANO CORTINA PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES
March 6 – 15
Milan (live) / sports bars in Florence
To see the games live in Milan, keep an eye on the official website as tickets for various games are released periodically: www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026.
THE BIG EVENT
Wednesday, March 25 | 2:30pm – 5pm
Join us in giving back to Firenze! We want to show our appreciation for the beautiful city of Florence by taking part in the BIG EVENT, an American university sponsored clean-up day! Let’s return the kindness that Firenze gives to us!
If you have any questions, reach out to Serena Giorgi: [email protected]
CORTONA
Popularized by the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”, Cortona is a charming small town near Arezzo. Cortona is rich with history: its roots are Etruscan, but the town has held importance during Roman times, throughout the Middle Ages, and today is a popular spot to enjoy the Tuscan countryside.
Getting there:
There are frequent regional trains from Florence SMN station to Camucia-Cortona, which is 2 miles from the center of Cortona. To get to the town, there are frequent buses from the train station.
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, LA SPECOLA
Tue-Sun | 9am – 5pm
La Specola, Via Romana 17
The Museum of Natural History, best known as La Specola, is an eclectic natural history museum located next to the Pitti Palace in Florence. The museum has deep historical ties, with parts of its collection tracing back to the Medici family. It is particularly known for its collection of 18th-century wax anatomical models. Founded in 1771 by Grand Duke Peter Leopold, La Specola is the oldest scientific museum in Europe. It was established to publicly display the Medici family’s extensive collection of natural curiosities, including fossils, animals, minerals, and exotic plants. The museum spans 34 rooms and features not only zoological specimens (such as a taxidermied hippo that was once a 17th-century Medici pet living in the Boboli Gardens) but also an exceptional collection of anatomical wax models. This art form, developed in Florence in the 17th century, was used for teaching medicine. The collection is renowned worldwide for its extraordinary accuracy and realism, with details meticulously copied from human cadavers. The museum also houses historical medical and scientific instruments.
TICKETS: starting at €10