Although in 2019 autumn looks less juicy than in other years when it comes to public holidays or long weekends, it is always a good time to visit Florence. Low season, relatively few tourists (by Florence standards) and good temperatures come together to give us a pleasant trip to Florence. And, to make the most of your holiday days, in this post we are going to discover what to do in Florence in autumn.
In the post When to go to Florence? Best periods we picked autumn as one of the best periods to visit the capital of Tuscany and its surroundings. Obviously, since it is autumn we have to bear in mind that it may rain and that the days are getting shorter, so there are fewer hours of daylight to make the most of. I especially recommend travelling in October, since after the clocks change (the last weekend of October) it gets dark very early and the afternoons fly by (it is already night at 5 pm!).
Whether the weather is good or bad, and whether we have more or fewer hours of daylight, there is always plenty to do in Florence and the surrounding area during autumn. There are temporary exhibitions, food festivals with typical seasonal products and a few festivals. So that you do not miss anything, we are going to dedicate this post to discovering what to do in Florence in autumn 2019. And afterwards we will dedicate a post to describing what to do in Tuscany in autumn, so that you do not miss anything important.
In Florence, autumn 2019 comes loaded with exhibitions, some related to the Leonardo da Vinci Year, and others independent, organised in the city's main museums. During the autumn months a few markets are also held in the city centre. Let us describe the most interesting things to do in Florence this autumn 2019!
What to do in Florence in autumn: museum exhibitions
A quick note for you: all of Italy's state museums (including Florence) are free on the first Sunday of every month! A good chance to see (for free) part of Florence's extraordinary artistic heritage. The only problem is that on the first Sunday of the month booking entry does not work, so long queues often form at some museums.
Let us now look at the most interesting temporary exhibitions in museums in the centre of Florence (some of them state-run) during the autumn months, mainly in October.
“Leonardo's Botany”: until 15 December at the Santa Maria Novella museum.
As part of the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this autumn you can visit a temporary exhibition in the museum of the Church of Santa Maria Novella.
“Leonardo's Botany” offers an analysis of Leonardo's writings on the plant world, highlighting the connection between man, art and nature. Throughout the exhibition you can see real plants and original documents by the Renaissance genius. Entry costs 10€ and includes the visit to the whole museum, the exhibition and the Church of Santa Maria Novella.
“Tony Gragg”: until 27 October in the Boboli Gardens.
In the post Parks and gardens of Florence we already described the fantastic Giardino di Boboli, that is, the gardens of the Palazzo Pitti. Going into these gardens is always a good idea, as they are one of the most important examples of Italian gardens. The visit also lets us take a breather from so many monuments!
In autumn, the gardens show off all the colours of the season, from brown to red and yellow, and they are a sight worth seeing right in the historic centre of Florence. Entry to the Boboli Gardens costs 10€ and, until 27 October, you can admire, tucked into its nooks and crannies, the famous giant steel sculptures by the artist Tony Gragg.
“Natalia Goncharova”: until 12 January 2020 at the Palazzo Strozzi.
The wonderful Palazzo Strozzi puts on top-quality temporary exhibitions throughout the year. This autumn it will devote its rooms to getting to know the extraordinary figure of Natalia Goncharova a little better.
The Natalia Goncharova exhibition will let you get to know a significant part of the artist's work. The tour sets up a contrast between Natalia Goncharova's works and the works of great artists who influenced her art, such as Gauguin, Picasso or Matisse. Entry costs 13€. Keep an eye out, because especially at weekends there is usually quite a queue.
“All the Colours of Jewish Italy”: until 27 October at the Uffizi Museum.
This temporary exhibition, included in general admission to the Uffizi Museum (The best museums in Florence), can be seen until 27 October. It is a reconstruction of the history of the Jews in Italy through fabrics and clothing. You can admire more than 140 pieces!
“All the Colours of Jewish Italy” is an interesting exhibition, as it lets us get to know a piece of history from a different perspective. We have already said that you can see this exhibition with general admission to the museum, but I advise you to go in and see it only if you have time left over after visiting the permanent collection. The Uffizi Museum holds so many artistic gems that it is not worth skipping any of them in order to see this temporary exhibition.
“In collezione: un percorso d’arte dal XIII al XX secolo”: 19/20 October; 16/17 November; 14/15 December, at the CR Firenze Foundation.
The “CR Firenze Foundation” houses a collection of important Italian artists, such as Giotto, Lippi, Vasari or Conti. This collection opens to the public only one weekend a month during 2019 (this autumn on the dates given in the title), and can be visited for free with a booking.
The CR foundation is at via Maurizio Bufalini 6. Bookings can be made through the website, by phone (055 5384001) or by email: [email protected]. You can also book in advance the free guided tour, which takes place at the following times: 11.00, 12.00, 15.30 and 16.30.
“Da Modigliani a Schiele, da De Chirico a Licini”: until 17 October at the Museo Novecento.
The Museo Novecento in Florence, very close to the Church of Santa Maria Novella, is dedicated to Italian art of the 20th and 21st centuries. As well as temporary exhibitions, it has an important permanent collection. Until 17 October you can visit a temporary exhibition with 42 works by 20th-century artists, both Italian and international, all coming from the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome.
Also until 17 October, at the Museo del Novecento you will find 3 more temporary exhibitions: “Room: Sandra Vasquez de la Horra. Aguas Profundas”, “Solo: Gino Severini” and “The Wall: Sustainable Thinking Evolution”. Entry costs 9,50€ and includes the whole museum.
What to do in Florence in autumn: markets
Autumn plant and flower show: 5-6 October in the Orticultura Garden.
In the fantastic glass greenhouse of the Orticultura Garden in Florence (via Vittorio Emanuele II, 4) you can admire, on the weekend of 5-6 October, the exhibition of autumn plants.
This place puts on several plant exhibitions during the year, and the occasion is really worth it because the shows are always interesting and also let you discover this curious corner of Florence. Entry to the garden on the days when events are held is free, and it is very close to the Santa Maria Novella Station area.
International Ceramics Festival: 6-7 October on via dei Servi.
The street “via dei Servi”, which runs from the dome of the Duomo to the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, turns into a ceramics market over the weekend of 6-7 October. Along the street you can visit 15 stalls of ceramics masters from all over Europe. A chance to browse one of the main streets in the centre of Florence.
Antiques Market: third weekend of each month at the Fortezza da Basso.
On the third weekend of October, November and December there will be held, within the walls of the Fortezza da Basso, the Florence antiques market, that is, a kind of flea market. A chance to see rare things and curiosities among genuine Florentines looking for unique pieces.
I hope this mini guide to events is useful to help you make the most of your time in Florence. In any case, at the Tourist Information Offices you can usually find promotional leaflets for all the activities to do in Florence.
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