Florence Travel Alerts for November and December 2026: Strikes, Marathon, Christmas Market and Museum Changes

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Santa Croce basilica seen from the edge of the piazza in Florence

Here is my running list of the dates and changes that can make or break a Florence trip over the next two months. I check these against official sources, and I will keep adding as new notices come out.

Friday 30 October: national general strike

Unions have called a nationwide general strike for the whole day, so expect disruption to trains, flights, local transport and museums. The Uffizi Galleries say the Uffizi will open only from 13.30 to 18.30 on the day, while the Boboli Gardens stay open all day, with last entry one hour before closing. If you have a morning Uffizi slot that day, try to move it. Source: Uffizi Galleries.

Sunday 1 November: free state museums

The first Sunday of the month is free at Italy's state museums, which in Florence includes the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti and the Accademia. Free also means queues, so go at opening or choose a smaller museum. Source: Firenze Weekend.

Last Friday evenings in the Vasari Corridor

The seasonal Friday evening openings of the Vasari Corridor, the raised Medici passage over Ponte Vecchio, end on 20 November. Book through the Uffizi events page.

Duomo tickets: buy official

On 14 October the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore announced an agreement with GetYourGuide so that only operators it accredits can sell Duomo experiences there. Offers promising skip the line entry, which the cathedral's rules do not allow, are being removed, and more than ten unauthorized listings have already been switched off. My advice: buy on the official Duomo site or through a clearly listed partner. Source: ANSA.

Piazza del Duomo in Florence on a June afternoon

14 November to 20 December: Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce

The traditional Christmas market, running for more than twenty years, returns with over fifty wooden chalets of crafts, decorations and food from across Europe. It is open Monday to Thursday 10.00 to 22.00 and Friday to Sunday 10.00 to 23.00, with free entry and Santa's house every weekend. Source: Firenze Today. My guide to a magical Christmas in Florence has more holiday ideas.

Sunday 29 November: Firenze Marathon

The 42nd Firenze Marathon starts and finishes at Piazza del Duomo, and the route crosses the whole center, including Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce and Piazza della Signoria. Expect road closures and slow taxis that morning. Source: Firenze Marathon.

Tram works east of the center

Work on the new tram line to Bagno a Ripoli continues around Piazza Beccaria and Viale Europa, with night closures on Viale Europa until 30 October. Allow extra time for taxis heading east. Source: Firenze Post.

New flights to Florence

Volotea now flies direct from Florence to Seville, Oviedo, San Sebastian, Berlin, Valencia and Strasbourg. Seville, Valencia and Berlin pause from early November, return for the Christmas holidays and restart from late March. Source: La Nazione.

Planning where to base yourself for these dates? Browse my Florence hotels guide, organized by neighborhood.