The Florence Christmas market takes over Piazza Santa Croce every year, with wooden huts lined up in front of the basilica’s white marble front. It’s a German-style Weihnachtsmarkt, so you’ll find Glühwein and bratwurst next to Tuscan panforte. Below are the expected 2026 dates, opening hours, the smaller markets around town and tips for getting there with or without bags.
Florence Christmas Market 2026: key facts
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | Expected mid-November to around 20 December 2026 (2025 edition: 15 November to 21 December) |
| Hours | 2025: daily 10:00–23:00 |
| Location | Piazza Santa Croce, Florence |
| Entry | Free |
| Walk from the Duomo | About 10 minutes |
The organizers usually confirm dates in the autumn. For the city’s full events calendar, check Feel Florence, the official tourism site.
The Florence Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce
The market is known locally as the Weihnachtsmarkt, a nod to the German markets it copies. The stalls are wooden cottages set around the square, with the Basilica of Santa Croce as the backdrop. Expect Christmas decorations, wooden toys, ceramics, nativity figures and plenty of food stands.
It gets busy on weekend evenings, especially around 8 December, the Immaculate Conception holiday. If you prefer a calmer visit, go on a weekday morning when the stalls have just opened.
Other Christmas markets in Florence
Santa Croce is the main event, but a few smaller markets are worth knowing about. These are the 2025 editions. Most return each year around the same dates, so treat them as a guide for 2026.
- ChristmARS in Piazza Santa Maria Novella: 18 decorated wooden houses, open from 19 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, 10:00–20:00. Handy if you arrive after Santa Croce closes.
- La Fierucola di Natale: a farmers’ and crafts market that moves around the city. In 2025 it was in Piazza SS. Annunziata on 7 and 8 December, Piazza del Carmine on 14 December and Piazza Ognissanti on 21 December.
- Creative Factory: a design and handmade market. In 2025 it ran at Manifattura Tabacchi from 6 to 8 December and in Piazza dei Ciompi from 12 to 14 December.
- San Donato shopping center in Novoli: more than 40 wooden huts, open from 15 November 2025 to 6 January 2026.
Food and drink to try
The menu is half German, half Tuscan. On the German side there’s Glühwein, bratwurst, pretzels and strudel. On the Italian side, look for panforte, a dense spiced cake from Siena, and torrone, the nougat sold in slabs. Roasted chestnuts are everywhere in December, and a paper cone of them is the easiest snack to carry while you browse.
For a proper meal, walk a few minutes to the Sant’Ambrogio market area, where small trattorias serve Florentine classics like ribollita, a thick bread and vegetable soup that suits a cold evening.
How to get to the Florence Christmas market
Florence’s center is compact and mostly pedestrian, so walking is the best option. From Santa Maria Novella station, Piazza Santa Croce is about 25 minutes on foot, passing the Duomo on the way. From the Duomo it’s around 10 minutes, and from Ponte Vecchio a little less.
If you arrive by car, leave it outside the limited traffic zone (ZTL). Driving into the center without a permit gets you a fine.
Luggage storage near the Florence Christmas market
The crowds around the stalls and the narrow pavements make a suitcase a real nuisance, especially on weekend evenings. If you’re between check-out and a train, leave your bags with Radical Storage first. Local shops and hotels across the center look after bags, including spots near Santa Maria Novella station and close to Santa Croce. You can see storage near Piazza Santa Croce and book in a couple of minutes.
Bags are protected up to €10,000 each, cancellation is free and travelers rate the service 4.8/5. There are 16.5K+ locations in 2.3K+ cities, so the same app works for the rest of your trip.
Florence Christmas market FAQ
The 2026 dates haven’t been announced yet. The market in Piazza Santa Croce usually opens in mid-November and closes just before Christmas. In 2025 it ran from 15 November to 21 December.
In 2025 the stalls opened every day from 10:00 to 23:00. Check the 2026 hours when the market opens.
Yes, entry is free. You only pay for food, drinks and anything you buy.
The Santa Croce market closes before Christmas, but ChristmARS in Piazza Santa Maria Novella stayed open until 6 January in 2025.
Piazza Santa Croce is about a 25-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station.
Radical Storage has storage points near Santa Maria Novella station and around the historic center, including near Santa Croce. Book online and your bags are protected up to €10,000 each.