The holiday season has started and in Tuscany you can already find a lot of Christmas events and celebrations. The Tuscan cities shine under the decorative Christmas lightings and ornaments stained in the streets and in shops.
If you’d like to live Christmas atmosphere in Tuscany, don’t miss the traditional markets where you can buy nice gifts and decorations, or the beautiful Nativity Scenes mostly set in the Churches in the region.
Look at the best Christmas events you can participate in during the next weeks:
Florence
Every year in the weeks leading up to Christmas in Florence takes place the German Christmas market. From November 28th to December 16th in the majestic Piazza Santa Croce you will find stands of handicrafts and gift items from various countries of Europe and food stands with Christmas sweets, sausages and other specialties.
You can also see a lot of Christmas Cribs. Every Church in Florence has his own, more or less.
One of the most beautiful last year was the Nativity in Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, which presented terracotta statues made in Impruneta, a city in the surrounded of Florence, famous for its terracotta items. The crèche should be inaugurated on December 8th.
The Church of Santa Margherita and Santa Maria dei Ricci in Via del Corso, in the Florence’s historical center, presents another very nice crib.
Mugello
All the weekends in December the main villages of the Mugello will set up their traditional Christmas markets.
These are the dates:
Palazzuolo sul Senio – 2nd,8th,9th and 16th of December
Marradi – 2nd, 9th and 16th of December
Barberino di Mugello -December 2nd,9th,16th,23rd and 30th
Dicomano – 9th and 23rd of December.
In Palazzuolo sul Senio from December 4th to January 6th will also take place the event “1000 Cribs in Palazzuolo”, with many Nativity Scenes set up in the most characteristic corners of the city.
Siena and Chianti
Starting from December 8th until January 6th, 2013 you can shop at the Christmas market set up in Piazza Matteotti, Viale XXV Aprile and Piazza Gramsci, from 8am to 8pm. Here you’ll find typical Christamas cakes, jewelery, books and gift ideas.
In Piazza del Campo in Siena on this December 15th and 16th there will be a medieval market with over 160 stalls. It is not a Christmas event, but it’s part of the celebrations for the holiday season.
The Chianti are will be the setting of many Christmas markets. In Greve in Chianti on December 8th and 16th, in Barberino Val d’Elsa on 8th, 9th and 23rd, in Mercatale on 15th and 16th of December
A lively Nativity Scene with over 250 participants will be set in the historical center of Casole d’Elsa on 26th, 29th and 30th of December and on Sunday, January 6th 2013. Entry costs € 5.
Arezzo and Casentino
Handmade creations, gift ideas and Christmas decorations will be on sale in the Christmas market in the center of Arezzo, located between Piazza San Jacopo e Piazza Risorgimento.
In Casentino area: Christmas markets will held in Piazza delle Repubblica in Londa, on December 15th in the tiny center of Consuma (in Pelago municipality) on the weekend of 8th and 9th December.
In San Giovanni Valdarno the appointment is with a permanent exhibition of Nativity “Christmas World” at the Basilica of SS.ma Maria delle Grazie (official website www.natalenelmondo.it).
Pisa and province
Also Pisa is getting ready for one of the best moments of the year by offering citizens and visitors the magic atmosphere of Christmas.
The historic city center from Saturday, November 24th to December 24th will host the stalls of more than 55 exhibitors that will animate Corso Italia, Logge di Banchi e Via di Banchi.
In the Parish Church San Giovanni Battista di Cigoli in San Miniato (Pisa) from December 7th to January 3rd you can see the “Christmas Crib of Cigoli”, one of the greatest artistic nativity scenes of Tuscany.
Lucca and Garfagnana
It will take place in the historic center of Lucca, in Piazza Cittadella and Via di Poggio, a medieval Christmas market. Every day from December 6th to 9th of December from 10am to 7pm.
If you’re travelling around the Garfagnana area, visit the churches of Castiglione di Garfagnana, Chiozza and Cerageto from 8th December to 15th of January and see thei typical Nativity Scenes.
In the village of Gallicano on December 7th is instead planning an evocative torchlight procession.
About Cristina Romeo
Born in Florence at the end of the fabulous '70s, Cristina has always lived in the famous "cradle of the Renaissance". She's in love with her homeland, but also enjoys traveling and discovering new places. Cristina is mum to a lovely little girl, to whom she hopes to pass on all the passion and love of our precious, wonderful Tuscany.
