December 19, 2024

What to do on New Year's Eve in Florence

Our guide to all events to celebrate the start of the New Year

Among the dinners, restaurants and events in the squares, the Florentine offer to welcome the New Year is once again very rich. Here are our tips on what to do on the evening of 31 December 2024.

If you want to spend New Year's Eve in good taste and elegance, here are the menus of the most beautiful restaurants in the city where you can experience a truly magical New Year's Eve night.

If, on the other hand, dinners are not for you, but you prefer to wait for the New Year outdoors, there is no shortage of events and concerts in the city's main squares.

In Piazza della Signoria, the heart of the city, the New Year's Eve sponsored by the City of Florence and curated by Fondazione MUS.E, features Mr. Rain, the BowLands, Giovanni Caccamo and Deborah Iurato among notes, lights and magic, accompanied by young talents and emerging artists. New this year is a space dedicated to the little ones, at 5:15 pm. Lorenzo Baglioni, magician Mattia Boschi and ventriloquist Nicola Pesaresi bring joy and entertainment with a mix of comedy and magic. The event is hosted by host Benedetta Rossi. From 6:45 to 9 p.m., the facade of Palazzo Vecchio is transformed thanks to the spectacular video mapping created for the occasion by Stefano Fomasi. At 9 p.m. it is the turn of the artists of the Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Next, at 10:30 p.m., Deborah Iurato, famous for participating in and winning the talent show Amici, Syria, former winner of Sanremo Giovani, and Giovanni Caccamo, winner of the Nuove Proposte in 2015 at the Ariston, perform, enchanting the audience with his elegant style and engaging melodies. At 11:30 p.m., space is given to Mr. Rain, one of the most beloved rappers and songwriters on the Italian scene. After the midnight toast, the festivities continue with the energy of BowLand, the Iranian-born Florentine trio known for their sophisticated sound.

In St. John's Square, the Musart Association presents the event Gospel Choirs, featuring two exceptional groups: The Pilgrims, representatives of contemporary Tuscan gospel, and Lara Johnson & the Black Voices, an ensemble of 6 singers accompanied by a band (keyboards, bass and drums). The event runs approximately from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., offering an evening of engaging and international music.

In Piazza SS. Annunziata, the Quelli del '29 association presents Jazz in Luce, an immersive event that combines the music of jazz virtuoso Nino Buonocore and his quartet with the international talent of saxophonist Max Ionata. The performance will be enhanced by spectacular plays of light, in harmony with the music, to enhance the historic architecture of the square and create a unique atmosphere. Appointment from 10:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

In Oltrarno itinerant Music Pool association presents Happy New Year on the Road, with two marching bands following two distinct musical itineraries designed to spread music and merriment in two symbolic areas of Florence. The Magicaboola Brass Band, with their funky sound, enliven the streets of Santa Maria Novella, including Via Palazzuolo and Via Maso Finiguerra, while the Zastava Orkestar, with Balkan and Gypsy sounds, bring the party to the Oltrarno, with a stop in Piazza del Carmine for the midnight countdown. The event runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. In Piazza Santa Croce, the Florentine Chamber Orchestra Association presents New Year's Eve 2025: Music, Dance and Traditions Under the Stars of Florence, a unique event that combines music and dance for an engaging and interactive evening. The National Symphony Orchestra RadioTV Moldova and the Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina perform a wide repertoire of music ranging from symphonic music to pop rock. Appointment from 10:45 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Apart from the events in the squares, there are also shows at the theatre. If you want to end 2024 in style, there is plenty of choice, from the show Due Maledetti Amici by Rocco Papaleo and Giovanni Veronesi, staged at the Teatro Puccini, to Magnifica Presenza, a show by Ferzan Ozpetek at the Teatro della Pergola. But it does not end here, at the Teatro Verdi you can wait for 2025 with the show La strana coppia, a comedy by Neil Simon staged by Gianluca Guidi and Giampiero Ingrassia, while at the Teatro di Fiesole Alessandro Ricci brings his show Gli incompiuti. Here are all the other shows not to be missed in Florence during the festive season.