Welcome to Florence Inferno, your one-stop-shop for details on events happening in Florence, and the place to find an events guide with information on music, art, cinema, markets, and many other exciting things going on in the city. In this post, we provide you with information on events occurring throughout May 2016.
You won’t want to miss the Fiorita Commemoration at Piazza della Signoria on Monday, May 23, a floral homage to Savonarola, the Domenican friar who preached during the Renaissance and commanded the Florentine Republic from 1494 to 1498. He was hanged and burned at the stake in 1498 on the charge of being a heretic. This authentic tradition takes place at the circular plaque embedded in the stones of Piazza Signoria, where this historic event took place. For this occasion, Florentines leave flowers for Savonarola, just as was done after his death.
We also make a special mention of the Deejay Ten – Run like a deejay event organized by the company Radio Deejay. It involves running 5 or 10 km through the streets of Florence together with thousands of passionate people coming from all over Italy and around the world!
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Sunday, May 1, 2016
Today is Labor Day, an annual Italian holiday that celebrates the achievements of workers. All over Italy there will be concerts, parades, processions, and country festivals. However, the most important museums will remain open.
Last day to visit Artisan Fair: Mostra Internazionale dell’Artigianato (International Art and Handicraft Trade Fair) at Fortezza da Basso from Saturday, April 23, to Sunday, May 1, 2016. This is a place where you can discover the ways of tradition and handicraft, or be amazed by recent innovation while enjoying a non-stop program of events and shows. During this fair, there is so much to see (and eat), and it feels like you are visiting the world one stand at a time. It includes Tuscan handicraft museums, garden art, and so much more! Hours of operation: 10 a.m. until 10.30 p.m.
Info:+3905549721
Monday, May 2, 2016
The Florence Photography Adventure Tour organized by Florence Inferno and Termetour. Discover Florence with your camera and with a professional photography teacher and an excellent Florentine guide at your side. Photography workshop & tour: 1-hour class + lunch break + 4-hour photography tour. The tour runs every day. Starting at 12 p.m. Tour price: € 139 per person.
Info and booking: http://www.florenceinferno.com/photography-workshop/
La Specola Zoological Museum. Regarded by some as the oldest scientific museum in Europe. Hours of operation: Every day from 9.30 a.m. until 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Ticket price: € 6.
Info: Via Romana, 17
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Made Sculpture out of Wood and colored it at Uffizi Gallery. For the first time ever, this exhibit sets out to showcase the history of wooden, colored sculpture through a core of 50 works, from 15th-century Florence. Until August 2, 2016.
Info: Uffizi Gallery
Rich aperitifs, drinks, and live music at Rex Café. An original pub with decò vintage-kitsch furniture, Rex Café is a reference point for Florentine nightlife. Starting at 7 p.m.
Info: Via Fiesolana 25r; www.facebook.com/rex.firenze
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Modern and Contemporary Art. Anthology 2016 at Tornabuoni Arte Contemporary Art. On display will be works from Pablo Picasso, Giorgio de Chirico, Tamara de Lempicka, Alberto Burri, Lucio Fontana, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Emilio Isgrò, and Sol Lewitt. Free admission. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3.30 p.m – 7.30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Until November 26, 2016.
Info: Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 3 and Via Maggio 58r
Thrusday, May 5, 2016
Last day to visit Mariani chez Capucci at Villa Bardini. Umberto Mariani, the renown artist from Milan, is compared to one of the most prestigious names of international Haute Couture, Roberto Capucci. Starting at 5 p.m. Until May 5, 2016. Hours of operation: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. (final admission is at 6 p.m. Closed on Monday). Ticket price: € 8.
Info: Costa San Giorgio 2
Ad Usum Fratris – Miniatures in the Laurentian Manuscripts from the Convent of Santa Croce at Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. This rich selection of manuscripts transferred in 1766 from the Convent of Santa Croce to the Laurentian Library consists of biblical texts, scriptures, and lives of saints. Closed on Sunday. Ticket price: € 3.
Info: Piazza San Lorenzo, 9
Friday, May 6, 2016
Uffizi & Accademia Tour in One Day organized by Florence Inferno and Termetour. Set in the afternoon to avoid the crowds, it is a fascinating walking tour of the two most famous museums in Florence: the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery. An experienced guide fluent in the English language will ensure that you experience the best that each gallery has to offer by providing an historical and artistic path among each of its astonishing masterpieces. Starting at 2 p.m. Tour price: € 75 per person.
Info and booking: http://www.florenceinferno.com/uffizi-and-accademia-tour/
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Last day to visit Enrico Benetta exhibition at Tornabuoni Arte. This is the first of a series of events dedicated to three different personalities from the current artistic community. Includes recent works by the Italian contemporary artist Enrico Benetta. Hours of operation: Tuesday to Friday, 10.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Until May 7, 2016.
Info: +39055289297; contemporary@tornabuoniarte.it
Sunday, May 8, 2016
In Italy Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Expect to see plenty of flower stands around the piazzas in town selling all sorts of floral arrangements, especially azaleas, which are very popular flowers to give to mom on this holiday in Italy.
Notte Blu (Blue Night) at Le Murate complex. This annual festival marks the “birth of Europe” on May 9, 1950. More than 50 events will take place, including theatrical performances, interactive workshops, film screenings, live cooking shows, photography exhibitions, concerts, and more. As the cultural center of Florence, Le Murate is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods of the town, in the old Florentine prison. Until May 9.
Info: www.edfirenze.eu
Monday, May 9, 2016
Iris Garden, eastern side of Piazzale Michelangelo. Iris Garden is open for just a few weeks of the year, namely April 25 until May 20, and features thousands of varieties of Irises, over 1500 to be specific, including 15 on the verge of extinction. Guided visits are available in English. Hours of operation: 10 a.m. until 12.30 a.m.; 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Free admission.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Film screening at Odeon Cinema. Where to Invade Next (USA, 120’). Directed by Michael Moore, with Michael Moore. To learn what the U.S. can learn from other nations, Michael Moore playfully “invades” them to see what they have to offer. Starting at 4 p.m and 6 p.m. Original version with Italian subtitles. Ticket price: € 8.
Info: +39055214068
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Glances on the 1900s: Sketches by Italian Artists between the Two Wars at the Cabinet of Drawings and Prints in Uffizi Gallery. Showcases 37 works ranging between sketches and prints, the majority of which have never been exposed in public and date from the first three decades of the 20th century.
Info: Uffizi Gallery
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Crafts and Palaces at Giardino Corsini, an event that promotes arts and crafts the quality of which is Made in Italy. From Thursday, May 12, to Sunday, May 15, spend four days with handcraft artists and craftsmen at work. Hours of operation: 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Ticket price: € 8
Info: +390552654589
Opera of Florence at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya: Ludwig van Beethoven, 35 sonatas in 8 concerts on original instruments. First Italian performance of the whole cycle thanks to the support of Fondazione Carlo Marchi and Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. Starting at 8 p.m. Ticket price: € 15.
Info: Viale Fratelli Rosselli, 7
Friday, May 13, 2016
Archaeology Museum. Contains one of the most important collections of Etruscan art in Italy, as well as Medici and Lorraine grand ducal collections of precious stones, gems, cameos, and jewelry. Hours of operation: Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.; closed on Mondays. Ticket price: € 4.
Info: Piazza SS. Annunziata 9/b
Lunch at San Lorenzo’s Central Market. Restored after being closed for many years, the market offers typical Tuscan cuisine; a real theater of taste based on interior design and food culture. Hours of operation: Market: 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.; First floor: food and beverages, 10 a.m until 12 p.m.
Info: Piazza San Lorenzo
Saturday, May 14, 2016
From Kandinsky to Pollock. The Art of the Guggenheim Collections at Palazzo Strozzi. Over one hundred masterpieces of European and American art from the 1920s to the 1960s; European masters of modern art the likes of Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Man Ray, and Pablo Picasso; European masters of so-called “Unformed Art”, such as Alberto Burri, Emilio Vedova, Jean Dubuffet, Lucio Fontana; and some of the most important personalities on the American art scene, namely Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, and Cy Twombly. Until July 24, 2016.
Info: Palazzo Strozzi
Film screening at Odeon Cinema. Captain American: Civil War (USA, 146’). Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo, with Chris Evans, Rober Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson. Political interference in the Avengers’ activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man. Starting at 4 p.m, 6.45 p.m., and 9.30 p.m. Original version with Italian subtitles. Ticket price: € 8.
Info: +39055214068
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Deejay Ten – Run like a deejay, an individual, non-competitive road race on foot for men and women. Starting at 9:30 a.m from Piazza della Signoria, this celebration is now in its sixth edition in the company of Radio Deejay. One can participate in two races: the 10 km and 5 km. Ticket price: € 18/15.
Info: www.deejayten.it
Monday, May 16, 2016
Last day to visit Rigour and Grace: The Society of San Benedetto Bianco in 17th-century Florence in the Palatine Chapel at Palazzo Strozzi. The exhibition explores restored Benedictine artwork on Christ’s Passion. The works hail almost entirely from the estate of the Society of San Benedetto Bianco, a religious group founded at the Camaldolese monastery of San Salvatore, which moved to Florence in 1383. Until May 16, 2016. Hours of operation: 8.15 a.m. until 6.30 p.m. Closed on the first and last Monday of the month. Ticket price: € 10.
Info: Palatine Chapel, Palazzo Pitti
Opera of Florence at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Symphony in G and Ave Verum Corpus by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by Orchestra and Choir of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and directed by Valdimir Jurowski. Starting at 6 p.m. Ticket price: € 100/80/60/35/20/10.
Info: Piazzale Vittorio Gui, 1
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Museo del Novecento at Ex Leopoldine. The museum hosts the works of the greatest artists of the twentieth century, namely, De Chirico, Sironi, Carrà, Morandi, Martini, Sassu, Guttridge, Barni, Rinaldi, Nannucci, Salvadori, Loffredo, Berti, Farulli Magnelli, and De Pisis.Ticket price: € 0/10.
Info: Piazza Santa Maria Novella 10; +390552768224
Aperitifs at Caffè Letterario – Le Murate. As the cultural center of Florence, Caffè Letterario is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods of the town, the old Florentine prison, and offers an interesting program of events and meetings. From 6.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m.
Info: Piazza delle Murate
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
The Florence Inferno Tour organized by Florence Inferno and Termetour. A full-day walking tour of Florence inspired by Dan Brown’s latest novel Inferno. Enter some of the most amazing, mysterious, and famous places in Florence. The tour starts at 9.15 a.m. Tour price: € 75 per person.
Info and booking: http://www.florenceinferno.com/guided-tour/
Film screening at Odeon Cinema. Money Monster (USA, 115’). By Jodie Foster, with George Clooney, Julia Roberts. Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an explosive situation. Starting at 4.30 p.m and 6.45 p.m. Original version with Italian subtitles. Ticket price: € 8.
Info: +39055214068
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Santa Maria Novella Station: 80 Years. New permanent photography exhibition at Santa Maria Novella train station. The exhibit was curated by the Fondazione Giovanni Michelucci, named after the station’s head architect. The 100 images on display trace the construction phases in detail, shedding light on how the plans for the station evolved. Until March 31, 2017
Friday, May 20, 2016
Opera of Florence at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Sonata n.14 by Ludwig van Beethoven performed by Orchestra and Choir of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Jin Ju. Starting at 8 p.m. Ticket price: € 15.
Info: Viale Fratelli Rosselli, 7
Aperitif at Zoe. Famous for its light lunch and aperitif, Zoe is an historic Florentine cocktail bar, art gallery, and café, and is a true Italian hangout.
Info: Via dei Renai 13r
Saturday, May 21, 2016
New Opera del Duomo Museum. A magnificent museum comprising the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry of San Giovanni, the Crypt of Santa Reparata, and the Opera Museum. Here you will find some of the most important works in Florence, such as Michelangelo’s Pietà.
Info: Via della Canonica, 1
Film screening at Odeon Cinema. X-Man: Apocalypse (USA’). By Bryan Singer, with Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Oscar Isaac. With the emergence of the world’s first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his plan to cause human extinction. Starting at 4 p.m, 6.45 p.m., and 9.30 p.m. Original version with Italian subtitles. Ticket price: € 8.
Info: +39055214068
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Opera of Florence at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Conductor: Marco Angius. Program: Rotativa symphonic movement for piano and orchestra, World premiere, Concertino for piano and orchestra, Urban Gardens for piano and orchestra, Rossiniana, suite for orchestra. Starting at 8 p.m. Ticket price: € 50/40/30/20/15.
Info: Viale Fratelli Rosselli, 7
Monday, May 23, 2016
Fiorita Commemoration at Piazza della Signoria – Flower Homage to Savonarola, on Friday, May 23. This authentic tradition takes place at the circular plaque embedded in the stones of Piazza Signoria, where this historic event took place. Starting at 10:30 a.m.
Info: Piazza della Signoria
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Galileo and the Measure of Time at Galileo Museum. Over a 1,000 scientific instruments will be on dispay in the restored halls of Museo Galileo, home to the priceless scientific collections of the Medici and the House of Lorraine, and the only surviving instruments of Galileo.
Info: Piazza dei Giudici, 1
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Sunset Trip from Florence to Fiesole in the Tuscan Hills organised by Florence Inferno and ADAGIO con Termetour. A sunset trip from Florence to Fiesole, a small village situated in the hills of Tuscany. It is from this settlement that the City of Florence seems to have originated. Enjoy scenic routes, see breathtaking panoramas, visit Fiesole’s Abbey and Roman Amphitheatre, and taste delicious local wine and food. The tour runs every day. Starting at 4:30 p.m. Tour price: € 45 per person.
Info and booking: http://www.florenceinferno.com/day-trip-to-fiesole/
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Massacre of via dei Georgofili. May 26 is the anniversary of the terrorist bomb attack that occurred near the Uffizi Gallery.
The museum and the City of Florence remember the victims by keeping the gallery open from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Info: Via dei Georgofili
Friday, May 27, 2016
Marino Marini Museum. The Marino Marini Museum is one of the few places in town dedicated to twentieth-century art. It houses a permanent exhibition of contemporary art by Marino Marini. The works on display belong to the original nucleus and are made up of works donated to Florence by the artist. Until April 23, 2016. Top Hundred, exhibition by Maurizio Nannucci, a Florentine contemporary artist. Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Sundays. Ticket price: € 6
Info: www.museomarinomarini.it
Rich evening aperitifs at Volume – Sant’Ambrogio. A mix of museum, library, bar, café, and music venue, Volume is an interesting mélange of Italian hipsters, laid-back locals, and artsy expats. Starting at 7 p.m.
Info: Piazza Santo Spirito; +390552381460
Saturday, May 28, 2016
The Children’s Museum at Palazzo Vecchio, a must for kids in Florence! The project aims to offer an educational and cultural experience for children so that they may learn about everyday family life through fashion from the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries in Florence. Every day of the week from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 a.m.
Info: Palazzo Vecchio
Sunday, May 29, 2016
[Outside Florence] The Violated Canvas at Lucca Center of Contemporary Art in Lucca. The artwork of Fontana, Castellani, Bonalumi, Burri, Scheggi, Simeti, and Amadio. Artists “violated” the canvas to bring us something unexpected and revolutionary, pushing our concepts of space in art to include three-dimensional expressions on the canvas.
Info: Via della Fratta, 36
Relaxing break or lunch at Amblé. In this bistrot/caffè bar designed as a living room, as evidensed by the furniture, chairs, tables, sofas, and porcelain cups, you can eat and shop at the same time. It is famous for its sandwiches made with natural ingredients. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Info: Piazzetta dei Del Bene, 7/a; +39 055 268528
Monday, May 30, 2016
Spiritual Guards by Jan Fabre in Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and Forte Belvedere. The show will feature bronze sculptures, wax works, Fabre’s signature beetle shell compositions, and films of his theatrical performances, all dating from 1978 to 2016. A series of Fabre’s sculptures and a large world map created with beetle shells is on display in Palazzo Vecchio, complementing Ignazio Danti’s famous globe located in the Hall of Maps.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
[Outside Florence] Robert Capa at Galleria di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in San Gimignano. The exhibition presents a selection of images of war taken by the father of photojournalism. Hours of operation: every day from 10 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. Until July 10, 2016.
Info: Via Folgore da San Gimignano, 11; San Gimignano
Film screening at Odeon Cinema. Julieta (Spain 96’). By Pedro Almodovar, with Emma Suarez, Adriana Ugarte. Julieta’s life in 2015 finds her on the verge of madness. 30 years earlier, we see a more prosperous time in her life. Starting at 4.45 p.m, 6.30 p.m., and 9 p.m. Original version with Italian subtitles. Ticket price: € 8.
Info: +39055214068
Picture by Florence Inferno
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