text Martina Olivieri
What to do in autumn in Florence
Tips, exhibitions, restaurants and everything you mustn't miss this fascinating season
If you're wondering what to do in Florence in autumn, you've come to the right place. During this season, the city lights up with warm colours and romantic atmospheres, with shades of green, yellow and orange transforming streets, parks and hills into a living painting. October and November are the perfect months to experience Florence in an authentic way: art exhibitions, great theatre shows, food and wine events and tastings in Tuscan wineries.
Food & Wine: the flavours of autumn between Florence and Tuscany
Autumn is the season of harvest and intense aromas. It is the time for wine, new oil, chestnuts, mushrooms and truffles, the absolute stars of Tuscan cuisine. Many restaurants in the city offer dishes based on fresh porcini mushrooms: to be enjoyed in carpaccio, risotto or with homemade pasta. A classic not to be missed for those who love seasonal cuisine.
Carpaccio ai porciniIf you are looking for an experience outside the city, the wineries of Tuscany open their doors with tours, picnics among the vineyards and lunches immersed in the autumn landscape. From Val d'Orcia to Chianti Classico, each area offers unique itineraries for those who want to discover the magic of the grape harvest up close and taste fine wines accompanied by local products.
La vendemmia in ToscanaArt: Must-See Exhibitions in Florence
Fall also brings two major contemporary art events to Florence. At Palazzo Strozzi, through January 24, 2027, Broken. The Power of the Fragment explores the significance of the fragment in art history—from antiquity to the present—through more than 90 works by artists such as Rodin, Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, and Francesco Vezzoli. At the Museo Novecento, meanwhile, Victor Man presents, through March 7, 2027, approximately 25 paintings dedicated to themes such as motherhood, portraiture, still life, and the female figure.
Broken. La forza del frammentoTheater: The New Season at the Pergola
The spotlight is shining once again on Florence’s stages. The Teatro della Pergola kicks off the Teatro della Toscana season with a lineup that blends classic and contemporary playwrights, big names in Italian theater, and works of profound poetic impact.The new 2026/2027 season of the Teatro della Pergola, titled In Alt(r)o Mare and directed by Stefano Massini, brings a rich and international lineup to Florence. Highlights include the English-language performance Desert Films starring James Franco (October 6–7), Il berretto a sonagli by Pirandello, starring Silvio Orlando (November 3–8), and Oscar by Linda Dalisi, starring Sonia Bergamasco (November 10–15). November also brings Lo Zar, a monologue by and starring Stefano Massini dedicated to the political and personal journey of Vladimir Putin (November 24–December 6), while in December, Le ultime luneby Furio Bordon explores the themes of old age and family ties (December 8–13).
Desert FilmsOpera: The New Season of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
The opera season of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has also resumed with a program full of new productions. On October 23, Romanzo criminale makes its debut—a new commission by the Teatro del Maggio and Musica per Roma based on Giancarlo De Cataldo’s bestseller, with music by Nicola Piovani, who also conducts, a libretto by De Cataldo, and direction by Massimo Popolizio. Starting November 15, it will be time for Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, a new production by the Maggio with James Conlon conducting and Alex Ollé directing. The year will close with Jacques Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, running from December 20 to January 2, 2027, with additional performances between December and the start of the new year.
