What To Do in Florence in September
September is one of the best times to visit Florence and Tuscany, with warm days, cool evenings and a calendar full of historic festivals, wine fairs and countryside celebrations.
September is one of the best times to visit Florence and Tuscany, with warm days, cool evenings and a calendar full of historic festivals, wine fairs and countryside celebrations.
As summer gives way to autumn, Florence and Tuscany celebrate with colorful festivals, traditional parades and delicious food and wine fairs. Watch the city glow during the Rificolona lantern procession, see wine-filled carts parade through the streets with the Carro Matto and discover charming medieval celebrations in nearby towns. With so much happening, September is a wonderful time to experience the beauty and traditions of Tuscany.
1 September 2025 (typically the first Sunday)
The charming hilltop town of Pienza, famous for its pecorino cheese, hosts the Festa del Cacio to celebrate its cheese-making heritage. Visitors can enjoy tastings, local crafts and the traditional "Cacio al Fuso" game, where participants roll wheels of cheese toward a wooden spindle. Live music, performances and delicious local flavors make this a fun and authentic Tuscan experience.
7 September 2025
Arezzo's Piazza Grande transforms into a medieval arena for the thrilling Giostra del Saracino. Knights representing the city's districts compete in a traditional joust, cheered on by costumed parades, drummers and flag-throwers. It's an unforgettable day filled with pageantry and local pride - just over an hour's drive from Florence.
8 September 2025
The Rificolona Festival originates from the traditional celebration of the Virgin Mary's birthday, when Tuscan farmers would come in from the fields to worship at Basilica Santissima Annunziata run by the Servite Order. They'd use the opportunity of the pilgrimage to bring their produce to the city to sell. leaving in the predawn darkness with lanterns attached to a stick to light their way. From this has grown the Rificolona Festival, where the Cardinal leads a procession of lantern bearers from Piazza Santa Felicita through the city to Piazza Santissima Annunziata with festivities continue into the evening.
8 September 2025
Just under an hour north of Florence, the medieval town of Scarperia hosts the Palio del Diotto, celebrating the installation of the new mayor with a day of festivities. The incumbent mayor and a parade of costumed reenactors march through the streets in colorful revelry. They're met in the Piazza of Vicari by a procession led by the old mayor, and after taking an oath to the city, the party begins. The four districts compete against each other in games like knife throwing and tug of war, and the evening is full of live music and performances.
Website: https://prolocoscarperia.it/diotto/
11 - 14 September 2025
Wine lovers won't want to miss this celebrated event in the heart of Chianti. The main piazza of Greve in Chianti fills with wine producers offering tastings of their finest Chianti Classico wines. Enjoy delicious food, local specialties and live entertainment in a beautiful countryside setting - an easy day trip from Florence.
Website: https://www.expochianticlassico.com/
12 - 14 September 2025
Held in the stunning Corsini Gardens, this unique fair celebrates fine craftsmanship with live demonstrations, artisan food stalls and beautiful handmade goods. Born in 1995 from a shared vision between Neri Torrigiani and Giorgiana Corsini to promote, nurture and preserve the tradition of quality artisan craftsmanship, this special event brings together 100 new artisan crafters each year. It's the perfect place to discover the creativity and quality that Florence is famous for.
13 September 2025
The beautiful city of Lucca glows with thousands of candles during the Luminara di Santa Croce. This moving religious procession honors the city's treasured wooden crucifix, the Volto Santo. Candlelit streets and music create a magical atmosphere as the city celebrates centuries of tradition.
Late September 2025 (date to be confirmed)
One of Florence's most beloved wine traditions, the Carro Matto is a grand parade featuring a wooden cart stacked with over 2,000 flasks of wine, pulled by oxen through the streets. The parade departs from Palagio di Parte Guelfa and proceeds to Piazza della Signoria, where the wine is blessed and festivities continue with flag-throwing displays, music and celebrations of the Tuscan harvest.
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