The ISI Florence Guide | Listing the Best Picks of the Month to Explore the City at its Best.
RITORNI. Da Modigliani a Morandi
Where: Museo del Novecento, Piazza Santa Maria Novella
When: Mon to Sun (Closed Thu), 11:00am – 8:00pm
For the first time ever, this exhibition will feature Modigliani’s only self portrait. Moreover, the exhibition will feature 15 artworks from some of the greatest early 20th century Italian painters.
Price: Tickets starting at € 4,50
L’INCANTO DI ORFEO – ORPHEUS’ ENCHANTMENT
Where: Palazzo Medici Riccardi – Via Cavour, 3
When: Mon to Sun (Closed Wed) 9:00am – 7:00pm
This exhibition will showcase approximately sixty works of art devoted to one of the most meaningful and immortal figures of Greek mythology, running the gamut from paintings to sculptures, drawings, manuscripts, installations, and films from classical antiquity to the present day.
Price: Tickets € 15,00 (€ 10,00 under 25)
WOMEN OF THE SKY
Where: Biblioteca Nazionale – Piazza dei Cavalleggeri
When: Open Mon to Fri 10:00am – 5:00pm,
Sat 10:00am – 1:00pm
The National Central Library of Florence is currently hosting “Donne del Cielo: da muse a scienziate” (Women of the Sky: From Muses to Scientists). This tour delves into the stories of women who have shaped our understanding of astronomy, from their historical role as inspiring figures to their modern contributions as scientists.
FREE
DOMENICA AL MUSEO: FREE ENTRANCE TO MUSEUMS
When: Sunday, April 7 – 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.
INDIPENDENZA ANTIQUARIA
Where: Piazza Indipendenza
When: Saturday & Sunday, April 20 & 21 – 9:00am-7:00pm
Monthly flea market near the city center where you can find vintage furniture, books, paintings, fine china and all sorts of interesting objects!
Free
STARRY NIGHT CONCERT TRIBUTE TO PINK FLOYD
The Starry Night concerts go beyond the traditional concert format: as the spectators enjoy the music, they are slowly enveloped in the starry skies projected in high resolution on all the surfaces of the Romanic church. The result is a breathtaking and utterly unique event.
Where: Cattedrale dell’Immagine – Piazza Santo Stefano
When: Wednesday, April 10
Price: Tickets starting at € 25,00
STREEAT – FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
This three day festival promises delicious food and an overall amazing atmosphere with trucks coming from all over Italy to share their delicious dishes. Try arrosticini, Chianina burgers or delicious Sicilian cannolis and take a ride on the Florence Eye, our 180-feet tall ferris wheel!
When: From Friday, April 12 to Sunday, April 14
Where: Florence Eye – Piazza Vittorio Veneto / Cascine Park
Free
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 6 & 7
Where: Giardino Corsini – Via della Scala, 115
Price: Tickets starting at € 10,00
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: Thursday, April 25 to Wednesday, May 1
Where: Fortezza da Basso – Viale Filippo Strozzi, 1
Price: Tickets starting at € 6,00
Website: 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: Thursday, April 25 – Monday, May 20 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Where: Piazzale Michelangelo
Free
A.C. FIORENTINA – HOME GAMES
Where: Stadio Artemio Franchi, Viale Manfredo Fanti
When:
Wednesday, April 3 – 9:00pm (Fiorentina vs Atalanta)
Sunday, April 15 – 6:30pm (Fiorentina vs Genoa)
Thursday, April 18 – 6:45pm (Fiorentina vs Viktoria Plzeň)
Price: Varies
Website: https://www.bigliettifiorentina.com/en/
APRIL 25 – LIBERATION DAY
Italy celebrates Liberation Day, known in Italian as Festa della Liberazione, with a national public holiday each year on April 25. The occasion is held in commemoration of the end of the Fascist regime and of the Nazi occupation during WWII, as well as the victory of Italy’s Resistance movement of partisans who opposed the regime. Formed in 1943, the partigiani comprised a network of anti-Fascist activists, from diverse backgrounds across Italy. Together they united in armed resistance against the Nazi occupation and the Fascist regime, making their struggle both a war of liberation and a civil war. April 25 marks the day in 1945 when partisans made a nationwide radio broadcast calling for a popular uprising and general strike against the Nazi occupation and Fascist regime. This announcement – made by partisan and future president of Italy Sandro Pertini – resulted in the capture and death of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini, who was shot three days later.
STIBBERT MUSEUM
Open Mon to Wed 10:00am – 2:00pm;
Fri to Sun 10:00am – 6:00pm
Via Federigo Stibbert, 26
Euros 10,00
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.
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).
PEPOSO
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).