Autumn Festivals in and around Florence (September & October 2025)

Autumn in Florence and its surrounding towns is a season of celebration. As summer gives way to fall, the region comes alive with colorful festivals, historic parades, and delicious food fairs. In September and October 2025, you can witness everything from religious lantern processions to wine harvest feasts in the Tuscan countryside. Locals and visitors alike join in these time-honored events to taste seasonal delicacies, honor patron saints, and relive medieval traditions. It’s a perfect time for students and culture enthusiasts to immerse themselves in Tuscan heritage and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

Religious Festivals and Lantern Processions

Autumn in Florence offers unique religious celebrations that light up the city and beyond:

• Festa della Rificolona (Florence, September 7, 2025): This beloved Festival of Lanterns honors the Nativity of the Virgin Mary with a glowing evening parade. Traditionally, farmers from the countryside came into Florence before dawn on September 7 carrying lanterns on sticks to guide their way. Today, Florentine children and families stroll through the city after 8:00 p.m. with colorful paper lanterns, following a procession led by the Cardinal from Piazza Santa Felicità to the Basilica of Santissima Annunziata. The journey ends with a blessing, music, and a lively fair in the square, although mischievous kids might try to topple each other’s lanterns with little spitballs – a playful local tradition!
• Luminara di Santa Croce (Lucca, September 13, 2025): On this night, the walled city of Lucca (about 1.5 hours from Florence) glows with thousands of candles. The Luminara is a moving candlelit procession honoring the Volto Santo (Holy Face), a revered wooden crucifix in Lucca’s cathedral. Pilgrims and town residents carry lights through the medieval streets, which are illuminated entirely by flickering candles in windows and on buildings. Sacred music accompanies the parade, creating a magical atmosphere that feels like a step back in time. It’s a beautiful example of Tuscan devotion and one of the most evocative religious processions of the year.
• Feast of Santa Reparata (Florence, October 8, 2025): Florence also celebrates one of its patron saints, Santa Reparata, each October. Around midday, a parade of musicians and flag-bearers in Renaissance costume departs from the Palagio di Parte Guelfa and winds through the historic center. The procession ends at the Duomo, where a Mass is held in the underground crypt dedicated to Santa Reparata. After the service, the Piazza del Duomo fills with festivities – medieval-clad performers, music, and locals in celebrationi. This tradition commemorates the early Christian saint who, according to legend, helped protect Florence, and it brings color and pageantry to the city streets every year.

Wine Harvest Festivals in the Countryside

Early autumn is wine harvest time in Tuscany, and towns around Florence host festivals to celebrate the vendemmia (grape harvest) and new wine:

• Expo Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti, September 11–14, 2025): In the heart of the Chianti region, the town of Greve invites wine lovers for four days of tastings and fun. The main piazza, Piazza Matteotti, fills with 64 Chianti wineries offering samples of their best Chianti Classico wines. You can purchase a souvenir tasting glass and stroll among the stands, savoring different vintages paired with local foods. There are also guided tastings, live music, and cultural events throughout the weekend. It’s an easy day trip from Florence (Greve is about an hour by bus) and a great way to enjoy authentic Tuscan wine in its home territory.
• Festa dell’Uva (Grape Festival) – 99th Edition (Impruneta, September 28, 2025): Just south of Florence, the town of Impruneta turns the grape harvest into a spectacular folkloric parade of floats. This festival dates back to 1928 and takes place every year on the first Sunday of autumn in Impruneta’s Piazza Buondelmonti. Four local neighborhoods design elaborate allegorical floats covered in grapes, competing to win the year’s trophy. The floats often have moving parts or transformations, reflecting both creativity and local pride in winemaking. Expect marching bands, costumed performers, and plenty of wine flowing. The 99th edition in 2025 is set for Sunday, September 28d, promising an unforgettable display of community spirit and harvest bounty. (Grandstand seating can be reserved, but you can also watch for free from the crowd.)
• Bacco Artigiano & Carro Matto (Rufina & Florence, late September 2025): In eastern Tuscany, the town of Rufina celebrates its wine heritage with the Bacco Artigiano festival, culminating in Florence with the arrival of the Carro Matto (“Mad Cart”) on Saturday, September 27, 2025. The Carro Matto is a traditional wooden cart stacked with over 2,000 wine flasks arranged in a pyramidal heap and pulled by a pair of enormous white oxen. Surrounded by drummers, flag-throwers, and participants in medieval costume, the cart trundles from Rufina into central Florence as it did in centuries past. The parade enters Piazza della Signoria in Florence, where the new wine is formally blessed by clergy amidst much fanfare. Flag wavers (the Bandierai degli Uffizi) put on a lively show with swirling banners, and the crowd cheers the symbolic first wine of the season. This historic pageant reenacts a tradition from the Florentine Republic era, when the first cart of Chianti wine each autumn was welcomed and offered to city leaders. It’s a wonderful blend of harvest celebration and medieval pageantry – and yes, a chance to taste some excellent Chianti Rufina wine too!

Local Food Sagre and Harvest Fairs

Autumn’s abundance is on display in the food festivals (sagre) and fairs around Florence, where you can taste seasonal products and enjoy village life:

• Marradi Chestnut Festival (Marradi, Sundays in October 2025): Tucked in the Apennine hills north of Florence, the small town of Marradi is famous for its sweet chestnuts (marroni) and celebrates them every fall with one of Tuscany’s most beloved food festivals. Every Sunday in October, Marradi’s medieval streets fill with stands selling roasted chestnuts (bruciate), rich chestnut cakes and pies, creamy chestnut pasta (tortelli di marroni), and even marrons glacés candied in sugar. The entire historic center becomes a bustling open-air market of autumn flavors, accompanied by folk music and street performers. For a truly charming experience, visitors can even arrive on a special steam train that runs through the fall foliage from Florence to Marradi. It’s a delicious way to enjoy Tuscany’s harvest of chestnuts and local traditions.
• Boccaccesca Food and Wine Festival (Certaldo, October 9–12, 2025): In the medieval hilltown of Certaldo – birthplace of author Giovanni Boccaccio – foodies can indulge in the Boccaccesca festival, an annual celebration of Tuscan cuisine and artisanal products. For three days the cobbled streets of Certaldo Alto overflow with food stalls, local wine tastings, and cooking demonstrations by top chefs. Established in 1999, Boccaccesca focuses on Slow Food and regional specialties (the famous Certaldo onion gets its due!). You can sample cheeses, salumi, truffles, olive oil, desserts, and more, all while live music and the aroma of traditional recipes fill the air. The 2025 edition is scheduled for October 9–12 in Certaldo’s historic center. Entrance is free, so visitors can wander and graze to their heart’s content. Don’t forget to raise a glass of Chianti to toast Boccaccio in his hometown!
• Fiera di San Luca (Impruneta, October 12–20, 2025): Another historic autumn event in Impruneta is the Fair of Saint Luke, one of Europe’s oldest continually-held fairs. Dating back to the Middle Ages when it was a grand livestock market, today’s San Luca Fair has evolved into a lively rural festival that still retains its agricultural heart. Over the course of a week in mid-October, the fairgrounds in Impruneta come alive with farm animal exhibitions, farm equipment displays, and horse shows, alongside modern attractions like carnival rides and games for children. Dozens of vendors set up stalls selling local products, crafts, and plenty of food – from porchetta sandwiches to sweet treats. It’s a fun opportunity to experience a traditional country fair atmosphere. You can mingle with local families, see prized Chianina cattle up close, and perhaps catch a historic cattle auction reenactment or a blessing of the animals, echoing the fair’s origins. Impruneta’s Fiera di San Luca (running October 12–20, 2025) offers a unique day out just a short trip from Florence, blending Tuscan country heritage with festive entertainment.

Historical Reenactments and Folklore Events

For those fascinated by history and local lore, Tuscany’s autumn calendar features thrilling medieval-inspired competitions and civic celebrations:

• Giostra del Saracino (Arezzo, September 7, 2025): Just an hour’s ride from Florence, the city of Arezzo stages its Saracen Joust on the first Sunday of September. In the magnificent setting of Piazza Grande, armored knights on horseback representing Arezzo’s four historic neighborhoods charge at a wooden target (the “Saracen”) in a test of skill and daring. The whole city turns out in medieval costume: trumpeters, drummers, and flag-throwers parade through the streets before the joust. Spectators fill the grandstands cheering for their quarter’s knight. It’s a day of intense local pride and pageantry, with ceremonies that date back to the 13th century. If you’re in Tuscany in early September, witnessing the Giostra is an unforgettable way to experience a real-life medieval tournament up close.
• Palio del Diotto (Scarperia, September 8, 2025): In the Mugello region just north of Florence lies Scarperia, a small medieval town that comes alive every year on “Diotto” (the Day of Eight). This festival celebrates the town’s founding (and the installation of a new Vicario, or governor) with an afternoon of Renaissance games and contests. Scarperia’s current mayor leads a procession in historical dress through the streets, meeting the costumed procession of the “old” governor in the main piazza. After a ceremonious oath-taking, the fun begins: the town’s four neighborhoods compete in age-old games like knife throwing, tug-of-war, barrel racing, and sack races. As night falls, music and dancing take over, and fireworks often conclude the festivities. The Palio del Diotto is a charming slice of local folklore – less famous than big city palios, but wonderfully authentic and community-driven. It offers a glimpse into the traditions of a Tuscan “New Year” celebration dating to Scarperia’s medieval era, all just 30 km from Florence.

Cultural Exhibitions and Art Events

Autumn in Florence isn’t only about folk festivals – it’s also a season of cultural happenings and artistic inspiration:

• Florence Biennale – 15th Edition (Fortezza da Basso, October 18–26, 2025): Art enthusiasts will not want to miss the 2025 Florence Biennale, a prestigious international exhibition of contemporary art and design. For nine days, the historic Fortezza da Basso fortress-turned-exhibition center will showcase cutting-edge works by hundreds of artists from around the world. Visitors can wander through halls of paintings, sculptures, installations, photography and fashion pieces, experiencing the latest trends in global art. The Biennale’s theme changes with each edition, ensuring a fresh dialogue – the 15th edition promises thought-provoking works across multiple disciplines, and opportunities to meet the creators in person. With workshops, talks, and a marketplace where you can even purchase artworks directly from emerging artists, the atmosphere is both educational and exciting for culture lovers. The Florence Biennale underscores the city’s role as a crossroads of art, past and present.
• Other Autumn Art & Culture Highlights: October also brings the International Ceramics Fair to Piazza Santissima Annunziata (October 5–6, 2025), where over 70 master potters display handmade ceramics and offer workshops. In mid-September, the Artigianato e Palazzo craft fair in the Corsini Gardens features live demonstrations by artisans making traditional Florentine goods. Film buffs can look forward to the Festival dei Popoli documentary film festival in November, but even in October there are often screenings as part of Florence’s “50 Days of International Cinema” series. From art exhibitions to artisan markets, the city’s cultural calendar ensures that your autumn evenings can be filled with gallery visits, film nights, or craft shopping in addition to village feasts and parades.

References

• Visit Florence – September Events in Tuscany
• The Florentine – Festa della Rificolona
• Lucca Tourism – Luminara di Santa Croce
• Expo Chianti Classico – Greve in Chianti
• Festa dell’Uva Impruneta
• Carro Matto – Florence Tourism
• Marradi Chestnut Festival
• Boccaccesca – Certaldo Food Festival
• Fiera di San Luca – Comune di Impruneta
• Giostra del Saracino – Arezzo
• Palio del Diotto – Scarperia
• Florence Biennale 2025