A Florence Ferragosto 2019

Florence Ferragosto
A work by Fra Angelico in the San Marco Museum

The Ferragosto summer holiday, which is in honor of the Assumption of Mary on August 15, is the official break between Easter and Christmas in Italy; as Italians across the country head to the beach, it will be challenging to find open shops and restaurants. Unless, of course, you’re looking in downtown Florence.

A Florence Ferragosto offers free admission to the San Marco museum (piazza San Marco 3), where guests can admire the beautiful early Renaissance frescoes by Beato Angelico (1395 – 1455). The museum’s holiday hours are from 8:15 am to 4:50 pm. The Bardini Garden is also accessible at no charge between 8:15 am and 7 pm.

Museums which can be visited by paying the the regular entrance fee during Florence Ferragosto include the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David, accessible between 8:15 am and 10 pm (the ticket office closes at 9:30 pm).  Additionally, the Uffizi (8:15 – 6: 50 pm), the Pitti Palace museums (8:15 am – 6:50 pm) and the Boboli Gardens (8:15 am – 7:30 pm) will be open on Ferragosto along with the Bargello National Sculpture Museum and the Palazzo Davanzati Museum of the Renaissance Home (both from 8:15 am to 1:50 pm).

Several city-run museums will be open as well, including Palazzo Vecchio (9 am – 11 pm) and its tower known as Arnolfo’s tower (9 am – 9 pm); Santa Maria Novella (12 noon – 6:30 pm); the Novecento Museum of 20th Century Art (11 am – 8 pm); and Forte Belvedere (11 am – 8 pm).

Other select events — some of them for free — will be occurring around the city, so be sure to keep your eyes open! (rosanna cirigliano)