A Guide to Ferragosto in Florence 2025
Whether you’re in Florence or elsewhere in Tuscany during this year’s Ferragosto holiday, there’s plenty to do to on August 15th for a respite from the summer heat. Rest, unwind and celebrate in style – this guide lists some of our favourite things to do on Ferragosto.
Take note, though, this summer holiday is the official break between Easter and Christmas, and it can be difficult to find shops or restaurants open to the public. It’s a legal holiday – public transport runs on a reduced schedule, offices, banks, and many shops and restaurants are closed.
The day, however, offers the opportunity to cool off in one of Florence’s public pools.
EVENTS & FESTIVITIES
If you’re in Florence, make sure to head to San Salvi on the 15th by 9:30 pm for an unmissable concert. Riccardo Tesi, a true influence in European ‘world music’ will be joined on stage by guitarist and vocalist Vieri Sturlini, percussionist Francesco Savoretti, and the mesmerising Giua – the singer-songwriter of a generation. Entry costs €15 and it is recommended that you book in advance via WhatsApp, 335 6270739. Location: San Salvi Area – Show Courtyard, Via di San Salvi, 12 – PAD 16 – Florence
Or if you’re planning on travelling deeper into the glorious Tuscan hills, you might want to head to the Sports Field at Galleno for its magnificent annual Steak Festival. The region is known for its succulent steak, so you won’t want to miss this! The festival runs every night from August 2 onwards, culminating on the 15th (Ferragosto!). The restaurant opens at 7:30 pm, be sure to reserve your table in advance at +39 320 9719333.
There is also a steak festival at Giardini del Parterre, Cortona, the town where the book and movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” takes place. It begins on the 10th of August and culminates on the 15th, from 6 – 11 pm. Steak costs €35, and is big enough for two people, cost also includes beans or tomatoes, 1 litre of water, and bread. The cost for children is €15, this includes a hamburger, French fries, and a soft drink.
For something truly spectacular on the evening of the 15th, head to Lake Bilancino, which will be lit up by a glittering kaleidoscope of colour as fireworks take to the skies. The fireworks show itself is expected to begin at 10:30pm, but throughout the day you can enjoy music, aperitifs, and traditional foods around the lake.
WHAT’S OPEN
Many small businesses close around Ferragosto, so stock up on essentials and be sure to check the opening times for supermarkets, restaurants, etc. Likewise, transport timetables will differ, so plan ahead.
As for museums, the Medici Chapels will run on an extended timetable, open from 8:15am until 10:50 pm, tickets cost €9. Here visitors will find the sculptures created by Michelangelo for the sarcophagi of the Medici dukes Lorenzo and Giuliano.
The Accademia is open at its regular hours (8:15 am– 6:50 pm) at €16 per ticket. Discover the iconic David, Michelangelo’s masterpiece, or Lippi’s evocative Descent from the Cross.
The Uffizi, home of Botticelli’s mesmerising Birth of Venus, is open from 8:15 am – 6:30 pm, tickets are €25.
Pitti Palace, once the ultimate symbol of opulence showcasing the Medici’s power over Tuscany, is open from 8:15 am – 6.30 pm, tickets are €16. The palace overlooks Boboli Gardens, which itself is open from 8:15am – 7:10pm, and entrance to the gardens costs €10.
The beautiful Orsanmichele is open (8.30 am – 6.30 pm), entrance costs €8. Previously, the Orsanmichele was the site of a monastery with a vegetable garden (orto). Nowadays, visitors to the church are impressed by Orcagna’s Gothic tabernacle, coated in spectacular jewels. Across the street and up the stairs is Orsanmichele’s museum, which hosts an array of original medieval and Renaissance statues.
Even the San Niccolò Tower is open to the public until August 31. Visitors can climb to the top and see a unique panoramic view of the city, from 5 – 8 pm. The Tower is the tallest of the Florentine historic towers, and in 2024 it was completely restored.
FERRAGOSTO’s BACKGROUND
Derived from the Latin ‘Feriae Augusti,’ meaning ‘August rest’, or in alternate translations ‘the festival of Emperor Augustus’, the tradition begins in 18 BC.
Emperor Augustus recognised that workers (primarily those of the agricultural sector, after the arduous summer harvest) deserved a well-earned rest. On this rest day, August 1 people would gather in towns and cities to watch horse races. Not so lucky for the horses, other beasts of burden such as oxen, donkeys and mules were given ‘days off’. They were decorated with pretty flowers and garlands during their period of rest.
It was not until the 7th century that the date of Ferragosto was changed from the 1st to the 15th of August, when the Catholic Church essentially ‘took control’ of the traditional holiday and merged it with the Assumption of Mary. For those who believe, this is a religious celebration of the day Mary, mother of Christ, was received into heaven.
During Mussolini’s fascist regime, ‘holiday trains’ with extremely low-cost tickets were introduced to incentivise working class families to use this period to visit cultural cities such as Florence, Rome, Milan and Venice, or to visit the seaside for a few days.
Despite August 15 holding strong as the official date of Ferragosto, nowadays the term is sometimes used in reference to a period within August when locals close businesses and head to the seaside or the mountains to cool down from the ferocious heat and spend some time unwinding with loved ones. (Molly Jayne Evans)
