Florence in September: A Guide to Unmissable Events and Activities

September is one of the best times of year to visit cities and enjoy all kinds of experiences.

The Tuscan capital is a must-see destination: the mild climate that occurs as summer and autumn transition, making it easy to explore every corner of the cradle of the Renaissance.

In this guide, we’ll discover what to do in Florence in September.

We’ll offer you numerous ideas for a relaxing and informative holiday.

Major events and concerts in Florence in September

Here are the most important events in Florence in September:

Festa della Rificolona: On the evening of September 7th, one of the most beloved festivals among Florentines takes place. The Festa della Rificolona is held in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. The large fair includes food stands and performances by street artists and musicians. Citizens reach the square in a procession, starting from the Lungarno, carrying paper lanterns.
In the evening, the Rificolona is blessed, and the most beautiful lantern is awarded.
The day before, a boat parade is organized on the Arno.
Gelato Festival: Without a fixed date, this is the major event dedicated to gelato, held around mid-September in Piazzale Michelangelo. The best gelato makers from every region of Italy and European countries participate. You can taste the gelato as you wander among the various stands and vote for the first prize.
International Antiques Biennial: Held every two years toward the end of September at Palazzo Corsini, it features numerous galleries, private collectors, and works from museums around the world. It also features collateral events, musical performances, gala dinners, and art-themed conferences.

Florence hosts a wide range of major concerts in September:

Fortissimo Festival: One of the most popular events dedicated to classical music. It usually begins in the middle of the month. Over the course of several days, young musicians perform violin, piano, quartet, and other forms. The concerts are held at the Auditorium of the Fondazione CR Firenze.
Florence Jazz Festival: One of the most important jazz festivals in Italy. It usually takes place during the second week of September. Up to 35 events are held on 10 different stages, including those near Palazzo Pitti and Piazzale Michelangelo.
Decibel Open Air: An event dedicated to electronic music is held around September 10th each year. Over time, it has grown in importance, attracting thousands of young people from all over Europe. Concerts are held at the Visarno Arena and are accompanied by a large dance party.

Tuscan Festivals and Traditions in September

Florence and its surrounding areas host numerous Tuscan festivals throughout the month of September.

Here are the most important:

Wild Boar and Tortello Festival in Ronta: At the Borgo San Lorenzo sports field, a festival dedicated to the flavors of Mugello is held, featuring potato tortelli, peposo, and many other specialties;
Truffle Festival: In Fiesole, a prized food featured in many regional dishes is celebrated;
Fiattola and Fried Tripe Festival: In Scarperia and San Piero, we can enjoy ficattola (a type of fried focaccia) and tripe created following a traditional local recipe;
Tortello and Schiacciata Festival: In Vaglia, schiacciata and Mugello-style tortelli are the protagonists at the Parco Mediceo in Pratolino;
Mixed Fried Food Festival: In Capraia e Limite, a festival dedicated entirely to fried foods is organized;
Tortello, Sausage, and Bardiccio Cheese Festival: Pelago hosts a celebration of some of the local specialties;
Sliced Meat, Sheep, and Pizza Festival: Campi Bisenzio hosts a festival honoring some of the most famous specialties of Campigian cuisine, with the main focus being sheep;
Tortello, Polenta, and Chestnut Festival: Borgo San Lorenzo’s festival highlights dishes such as polenta, chestnuts, tortelli mugellani, and grilled meat.

Guided tours and temporary exhibitions in September

September in Tuscany is also an opportunity to discover lesser-known corners, taking advantage of the first cool autumn temperatures:

Heritage Walks: These free tours allow you to discover the lesser-known areas of the historic center, its views, and its architecture.
They are designed by the Florence World Heritage and UNESCO Relations Office of the Municipality of Florence, together with the MUS.E Foundation. Four itineraries are available:
- New Traces of Ancient Relationships: in the northern part of the city, near Porta San Gallo;
- Rethinking the Margin: in the southern area, along the Oltrarno walls;
- Towards San Miniato: near San Miniato al Monte;
- Spell of Fire: in the city center, with an experience dedicated to the reconstruction project after the Second World War.

Art lovers can visit one of the many temporary exhibitions in Florence this September:

“Modernity Can Build Otherwise. Gae Aulenti and Tuscany”: from September 18, 2025, to November 18, 2025, at Palazzo Medici Riccardi;
“Slavko Kopac. The Hidden Treasure. Informal Art, Surrealism, Art Brut”: from September 13, to November 13, 2025, at the Academy of Drawing Arts;
“Lorenzo Bonechi. The City of Women”: from July 4, to October 29, 2025, at the Museo Novecento;
“Haley Mellin. We Are Nature”: from June 24, to October 29, 2025, at the Museo Novecento;
“One Hundred Years of the History of Science in Florence”: from June 20, to October 19, 2025, at the Museo Galileo;
“Marion Baruch. One Step Forward, Many Steps Back”: from March 15 to October 8, 2025, at the Museo Novecento;
“Supernovecento”: from March 8 to November 30, 2025, at various locations throughout the city;
“MP5. The Third Dimension”: from June 22 to December 31, 2025, at the Museo Novecento.

Day Trips to Hills and Villages

September is the perfect time to discover the natural, scenic, and artistic beauties of the small towns just outside the city:

San Gimignano: 54 km away, a characteristic medieval village with the Duomo, the Chapel of Santa Fina, Piazza del Duomo, Civic Museums, Piazza della Cisterna, the Torture Museum, the Church of Sant’Agostino, the Rocca di Montestaffoli, and the Casa-Torre Campetelli;
Certaldo: 54 km from Florence. Here we visit Giovanni Boccaccio’s house, the frescoed Palazzo Pretorio, the Church of Saints Jacopo and Filippo, and the Museum of Sacred Art.
Barberino Tavarnelle: 30 km from Florence. We admire the fortified walls, the Palazzo Pretorio, the parish church of San Bartolomeo, the church of Santa Lucia al Borghetto, the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, and the Romanesque parish church of San Pietro in Bossolo.
Lake Bilancino: 41 km away, near Barberino del Mugello, we find the most important body of water in the Mugello region. A perfect location for strolling along the park’s trails, cycling along the bike paths, or diving into the cool, crystal-clear waters.
Forest of Vallombrosa: 43 km from Florence, we enter the Biogenetic Nature Reserve, where we can admire the two tallest trees in Italy (the tallest, the Douglas fir, measures 62.45 meters). The forest covers an area of 1,279 hectares, is between 450 and 1,450 meters above sea level, and boasts species such as beech, Corsican pine, silver fir, and Douglas fir. It is also home to one of Europe’s most important experimental arboretums.

September is an important month for agriculture in general and for grapes and vines in particular.

The grape harvest and Florence define a pairing that takes shape through numerous food tours and an event with an ancient flavor.

This is the “Carro Matto,” an event created to celebrate the arrival of the first wine of the season.

During the day, a cart pulled by two white oxen, loaded with over 2,000 jugs of wine, crosses the city and reaches Piazza della Signoria, departing from Piazza del Duomo from Chianti Rufina.

Furthermore, in Tuscany and the surrounding areas of Florence, it is possible to actively participate in the grape harvest through grape picking and other activities.

Numerous events are organized in Bolgheri, Gaiole, Greve, Radda, Panzano, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Val di Cornia, Lunigiana, Val d’Orcia, Carmignano.