The history and the artistic and cultural wonders of Florence leave everyone breathless at any time of the year, but during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays the city lights up with a magical and special light.
Whether you live in Florence or you are planning a trip in the town to enjoy a few days off, the Tuscan capital offers many beauties to explore.
Not only the Uffizi Gallery or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, but also many small gems, hidden places and little known, but always capable of arousing wonder.
And with the lights and the festive air, Florence that greets the new year becomes an unmissable show, beautiful to admire from every point of the city.
If you are planning your New Year’s Eve in Florence, here are ten ideas on how to spend the day.
10 things to do and see on New Year’s Eve in Florence
Walk through the illuminated streets of Florence
During the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Florence is filled with beautiful lights of different shapes and colors. A great opportunity to admire them walking through the most beautiful streets of the city!
Enjoy a route to discover all the illuminated corners of Florence: this year 60 kilometers of the city have been decorated with beautiful lights.
Walk through Piazza Libertà, Viale Matteotti, Viale Gramsci, Piazza Giorgini, Via dei Novoli, Via Carlo del Prete and many other streets, and enjoy the magic of the illuminated city.
F-Light
From December 8, 2021 to January 9, 2022 you can admire the beauty of the play of light of F-Light, the Florence Light Festival.
This is a festival that decorates with wonderful light shows some of the most beloved points of the city: Ponte Vecchio, Galilei Museum, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, and many others.
This year’s edition is entitled “Reflections. Where we are, where we will go”: a deep and beautiful theme, interpreted in different ways by the various luminous works scattered throughout the city.
Ferris wheel at Fortezza da Basso
In the Christmas Village of Fortezza da Basso you will have the opportunity to admire Florence as you have never seen it before. Here, in fact, a Ferris wheel 55 meters high awaits you.
It was opened this year for the first time and has been nicknamed “Florence Eye”.
With a ride on the Ferris wheel, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Florence, perhaps at sunset, when the soft light of the sun setting over the city makes the atmosphere even more special.
Count the bees in Piazza della Santissima Annunziata
Looking for luck in the new year? Then you absolutely must discover this Florentine superstition.
In Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, on the equestrian monument to Ferdinand I, there are carved bees that would represent the power of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who belonged to the house of Medici.
It seems that it is impossible to count all the bees. Legend has it that whoever succeeds in doing so can attract good luck.
Do you feel like trying?
Make a wish at Fontana del Porcellino
But if you want to attract good luck, Florence offers you another superstition to rely on: that of the Porcellino Fountain.
This peculiar monument is located in the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo. This statue is linked to a famous popular superstition: inserting a coin in the mouth of the piglet, if it, slipping, passes the grid at the foot of the statue, who put the coin would be rewarded with good luck.
According to another belief, instead, it would be enough to rub the nose of the pig and make a wish in order to get some good luck.
Tuscan wine tasting
You are in Tuscany and there is a festive atmosphere! Two great reasons to treat yourself to a fantastic tasting of the region’s best wines.
At Le Volpi e L’Uva, in Piazza dei Rossi, you can enjoy lots of carefully selected local wines, and maybe even discover your new favorite wine. It’s a great way to kick off the festivities on the last day of the year.
Orti del Parnaso
One of the most peculiar and out of the ordinary spots in Florence are the Orti del Parnaso, in the highest part of the Garden of Horticulture.
Here you can find a real dragon! But don’t worry, it is simply a colorful statue depicting Pitone, a mythological creature that according to myth was defeated by Apollo on Mount Parnassus.
If you want to visit the Horticulture Garden, take the opportunity to say hello to the dragon and maybe take some nice pictures with it.
Markets in San Donato
Although Christmas is over, some markets in Florence continue until the first days of the new year, such as the markets in San Donato.
Until January 9 you can take a tour among the 45 houses in Christmas style set up for the occasion. Here you can buy many handicrafts and original gift ideas, as well as taste some local specialties.
Fotoautomatica
A special festive moment should be remembered with a beautiful photo!
And while you’re enjoying the last moments of 2021, why not take a step back in time to the 60s? You can do that in Florence with Fotoautomatica‘s photo booths.
Set out in search of these old-fashioned photo booths, where you can take special vintage black and white photos with whomever you want.
Toast on the Ponte Vecchio
And after midnight, if you want to toast the New Year with your friends, why not make a toast on the most iconic and beloved spot in Florence?
From Ponte Vecchio you can admire all the beauty of the city and its lights, maybe uncorking a sparkling wine to celebrate the New Year with a bit of liveliness.
Why choose ORA on New Year’s Eve
A beautiful location, a menu studied in detail and a tasty cuisine that respects the planet and people: these are the ingredients that distinguish ORA.
We are located in the center of Florence, but far from the chaos of the city, so you can enjoy your special celebration in peace.
In our location, the solemn beauty of the city blends with our colorful and modern design, in a union that creates a decidedly special atmosphere in which to spend an unforgettable New Year’s Eve.
The key ingredient in our cuisine is passion and attention to every single detail. And for New Year’s Eve we have created a special menu, designed to let you discover all the taste of our vegetarian and organic cuisine, dish after dish.
From the entrée to the dessert, we are ready to surprise you with many special proposals, and for each course we have also thought about the perfect combination with our wines.
All the wines on our menu are natural and organic, or from biodynamic agriculture, so you can enjoy the best even in the glass.
Our recommended dishes
Entrée
As a first taste of the evening, we propose some grana cheese flakes (also available in a vegan grana version), to accompany some hot schiacciatine (flat bread).
As a pairing in the glass, we thought of a glass of Prosecco bio DOCG Riva Moretta – Perlage, a sparkling and vegan prosecco that will start the dancing of the evening.
Appetizers
To whet your appetite, we start the dinner with a fantastic gastronomic stuffed panettone, accompanied by an aspic of vegetables.
Panettone reinterpreted as an appetizer? Why not? At ORA we like innovation in the kitchen.
The glass we chose for the appetizers is a 2016 Amor Divino organic Trebbiano from Il Casale winery: an elegant white wine with sweet fruit notes on the palate.
First courses
Let’s get into the heart of the feast with our first courses.
Our first proposal is a chestnut soup, accompanied by crispy croutons. Its flavor is soft and delicate, but unmistakable: the flavors of winter can surprise and warm even in December.
Then we propose gnocchi alla romana: soft dough inside and golden and crispy outside, garnished with mushrooms to add an extra touch of flavor.
Are you curious to know which wine we paired these dishes with?
We chose a glass of Sangiovese Bio Amor Divino 2016, also from Il Casale winery. An intense red from biodynamic agriculture, perfect to enhance the flavor of our first courses.
Second courses
For second course we have a combination of dishes that will make you fall in love.
Let’s start with the salad of artichokes, grana cheese and pistachios: not the usual salad, but a mix of unique and beloved flavors.
And then… Filet of lentils with Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes with herbs. A tasty dish and at the same time healthy and balanced, perfect for those who want to experiment without sacrificing taste.
And in the glass? Chianti Classico Lamole Bio 2018 I Fabbri: a very fragrant wine, symbol of the Tuscan tradition and with an intense and unmistakable aroma.
Desserts
It’s time for dessert! Let’s end the year on a special note of sweetness.
We propose a chocolate cupcake with a soft heart of warm cream. Cream and chocolate combine their classic flavors to create a dessert worthy of the celebration.
If you want to end the year in a more traditional spirit, you can also choose a slice of stuffed panettone, perfect to pair with our Moscato Bio from Cantina Pizzolato. The sweetness of this sparkling wine is perfect to accompany the moment of dessert.
And at the stroke of midnight, greet the new year with us, with a nice toast! In your glass you will find the Pizzolato Extradry Sparkling Wine: a sparkling guarantee to start the year 2022 in the best way.
Cheers!
Where to find us in Florence
What are you waiting for? Book now a place for a special New Year’s Eve in Florence!
ORA is in Via San Zanobi 126R, 50129, at the corner of Via delle Ruote.
And if you want to visit us, ORA welcomes you from Tuesday to Saturday, from 12pm to 11pm. Throughout December we will be open on Sundays for lunch.
We are waiting for you to welcome the new year together!
