Florence at Easter: What to Do
Easter in Florence is one of the most distinctive times of year to visit. The city has a specific Easter tradition, the Scoppio del Carro, that has been performed for almost a thousand years and is unlike anything you will see elsewhere.
Easter also falls in spring, which means the weather is typically mild (10-20 degrees), the museums are less crowded than in high summer, and Florence has a festive atmosphere without the full tourist intensity of July and August.
The practical challenge is that Easter is a popular time to visit Florence. Hotels and restaurants book up weeks in advance. If you are planning an Easter visit, organise accommodation early.
Easter in Florence: what happens
Florence treats Easter as a significant cultural and religious event as well as a public holiday. The city runs church ceremonies, civic events, and the Scoppio del Carro over the long weekend from Good Friday (Venerdi Santo) through Easter Monday (Pasquetta).
Good Friday brings solemn processions in the evening. The Pietà procession (usually departing from Santa Croce around 21:00) is the most significant, with costumed participants carrying a medieval wooden sculpture through the streets by torchlight.
Easter Sunday morning is dominated by the Scoppio del Carro. Easter Monday (Pasquetta) is treated as a second holiday in Italy, when many people leave the city for a day in the countryside.
The period from Good Friday through Easter Monday sees the city full. The Uffizi and Accademia are at near-peak capacity. All museum tickets should be booked several weeks ahead.
The Scoppio del Carro: how to watch it
The Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) takes place on Easter Sunday morning in Piazza del Duomo. It begins around 10:00 and the explosion itself happens during the Gloria of the Easter Mass, approximately at 11:00.
The ritual involves a decorated Renaissance cart (the Brindellone) loaded with fireworks, positioned in front of the Duomo. A mechanical dove (colombina) is launched along a wire from the high altar of the cathedral and ignites the fireworks on the cart. If the fireworks ignite fully and successfully, it is taken as an omen of a good harvest year.
To watch it, you need to be in Piazza del Duomo before 9:00. By 10:00 the square is packed. The best positions are on the east side of the square, facing the cathedral facade, close to the bell tower.
Entry to Piazza del Duomo is free and open. There is no ticket required for the Scoppio del Carro itself. The space is managed by municipal police and becomes very crowded. Keep your belongings secure and do not bring large bags.
The fireworks last approximately 2-3 minutes. The full event, from the arrival of the oxen-drawn cart through the streets to the conclusion of the mass, takes several hours. Most visitors watch the fireworks and then leave.
Processions and religious events
Good Friday evening procession (Venerdi Santo): Departs from the Basilica di Santa Croce and moves through the streets of the historic centre. The procession is free to watch from the street. The route varies slightly by year but typically covers the major streets between Santa Croce and the Duomo. It starts around 21:00 and lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
Stations of the Cross at San Miniato al Monte: On Good Friday evening, the church of San Miniato al Monte holds an outdoor Via Crucis ceremony on the hillside below the church. The combination of torchlight, the stone steps, and the view down to the city creates a powerful atmosphere. Free to attend, no booking required.
Easter Sunday mass at the Duomo: The main Easter mass at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore begins at 10:30. Entry is free but requires appropriate dress. The Scoppio del Carro is directly linked to this mass.
Easter Monday concerts: Some churches run Easter Monday concerts of sacred music. The programme varies by year; check the Comune di Firenze events calendar.
What to visit during the Easter weekend
The main museums are open on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday with their standard hours. Book well in advance.
The Uffizi (open 8:15-18:30, last entry 17:30) and Accademia (open 8:15-18:50) are both operating at near-peak capacity over Easter. Same-day entry without a booking is very unlikely. Book 2-3 weeks ahead.
The Bargello (Via del Proconsolo 4, open Tuesday-Sunday 8:15-13:50, entry 10 euros) is a good Easter option because it is significantly less crowded than the major galleries while still containing extraordinary work.
The Cappella Brancacci (Piazza del Carmine 14, open 10:00-17:00, entry 10 euros) in the Oltrarno is worth visiting over Easter. It contains Masaccio’s fresco cycle, which was one of the first uses of linear perspective in painting and was studied by Michelangelo himself. Booking is recommended but the crowds here are smaller than at the Uffizi.
Santa Croce (Piazza Santa Croce 16, open 9:30-17:30, entry 8 euros) holds special Easter liturgies and is the departure point for the Good Friday procession. The tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli are here.
Restaurants and Easter menus
Florentine restaurants typically run fixed Easter menus on Easter Sunday and sometimes on Easter Monday. These are set menus with multiple courses and wine. Prices range from 35 to 80 euros per person depending on the restaurant.
Booking 2-3 weeks ahead is essential for Easter Sunday dinner. Many popular restaurants are fully booked for Easter several weeks before the holiday.
For Easter Monday (Pasquetta), many Florentines leave the city for picnics or meals in the countryside. Some city restaurants close. Others remain open but may run modified menus.
If you are eating out on Easter Monday, book ahead and confirm the day before. The situation varies significantly by restaurant.
Where to stay
Easter weekend accommodation in Florence books up quickly, particularly for Good Friday and Saturday nights when the Scoppio del Carro draws significant visitor numbers. The Key is at Via Cittadella 22, a 5-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station and about 12 minutes on foot from Piazza del Duomo for the Easter Sunday ceremony.
