October is one of the best months to be in Florence. The summer crowds thin out, the light softens over the Arno, and the city fills its calendar with major exhibitions, film festivals and, just outside town, the first chestnut and new-oil festivals of the season.
The big date this month is October 21, when the Museo degli Innocenti opens its exhibition on Artemisia Gentileschi’s Florentine years. Here are the best events and things to do in Florence in October, from museum shows to Sunday food festivals in the hills.
October 2026 in Florence at a glance
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| All month | Broken. The Power of the Fragment | Palazzo Strozzi |
| All month | Autunno Fiorentino | Neighborhoods outside the center |
| Sundays: Oct 4, 11, 18, 25 | Chestnut festivals | Marradi and Palazzuolo sul Senio |
| Weekends until Nov 1 | Il Regno delle Zucche | Villa Montalvo, Campi Bisenzio |
| Oct 6 to 11 | Middle East Now film festival | Cinema La Compagnia |
| Oct 8 to 11 | Boccaccesca food festival | Certaldo |
| Oct 9 to 11 | Firenze Books | Visarno, Cascine park |
| Until Oct 11 | Fabbrica Europa | Various venues |
| Until Oct 16 | Belvedere Firenze | Forte Belvedere |
| Oct 14 to 18 | FanHua Chinese Film Festival | Cinema La Compagnia |
| Oct 18 | Fierucolina d’Autunno | Piazza Santo Spirito |
| Oct 21 | Artemisia Gentileschi exhibition opens | Museo degli Innocenti |
| Oct 23 to 31 | Romanzo Criminale opera premiere | Teatro del Maggio |
| Oct 27 | Hans Zimmer by Ensemble Symphony Orchestra | Teatro Verdi |
| Oct 28 to Nov 1 | France Odeon French film festival | Cinema La Compagnia |
Exhibitions in Florence in October
For the full list of shows currently open, see our guide to exhibitions in Florence.
Artemisia Gentileschi in Florence, Museo degli Innocenti
October 21, 2026 to April 4, 2027
Florence is where Artemisia Gentileschi made her name: she worked for the Medici, moved in Galileo’s circle and became the first woman admitted to the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno. This exhibition focuses on those formative years and on how she built her independence and reputation in the city. Two paintings by Caravaggio are on show alongside her work, and the ticket (€17.50 full price) also covers the museum’s permanent collection.
Broken. The Power of the Fragment, Palazzo Strozzi
Until January 24, 2027
Palazzo Strozzi’s autumn show looks at the fragment in the history of sculpture, from damaged antiquities to Michelangelo, Rodin, Louise Bourgeois and Danh Vo. Organized with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, it brings together more than 80 works, with a new installation by Mark Manders in the Renaissance courtyard. Read our full guide to Broken at Palazzo Strozzi.
Beyond the Renaissance. Between Dürer and Parmigianino, Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Until January 5, 2027
Albrecht Dürer and Parmigianino anchor this exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the Medici family palace where Lorenzo the Magnificent grew up. A good pairing with the Strozzi show, a five-minute walk away.
Belvedere Firenze and Marino Marini. No Heroes, Forte Belvedere
Until October 16, 2026
The last two weeks of the Belvedere Firenze season at Forte Belvedere, with the Marino Marini exhibition, talks, live music and one of the best views over Florence. Go at sunset.
Film festivals
October is festival season at Cinema La Compagnia, Florence’s main venue for international cinema. Most films are screened in the original language with Italian subtitles, and some with English subtitles: check each screening before booking.
- Middle East Now, October 6 to 11. The 17th edition of the festival of cinema and contemporary culture from North Africa and the Middle East, at La Compagnia and Cinema Astra, with films, guests and special projects.
- FanHua Chinese Film Festival, October 14 to 18. A selection of contemporary Chinese cinema at La Compagnia.
- France Odeon, October 28 to November 1. The French film festival returns to La Compagnia with feature films, many of them Italian premieres.
Music, opera and concerts
Romanzo Criminale, world premiere at the Teatro del Maggio
October 23 to 31
The most talked-about cultural event of the month. Giancarlo De Cataldo’s novel about Rome’s Magliana gang becomes an opera, with music composed and conducted by Oscar winner Nicola Piovani, a libretto by De Cataldo himself and staging by Massimo Popolizio. Tickets range from €15 to €130: book your seats.
Fabbrica Europa, until October 11
The last days of Florence’s festival of contemporary performance, music and dance. On October 9, Lebanese oud master Rabih Abou-Khalil plays the Teatro Puccini, blending jazz and Arabic traditional music (tickets €16.50).
Autunno Fiorentino, all month
From October 1 to November 30, the city’s autumn program brings more than 220 concerts, shows, circus and dance events to the neighborhoods outside the historic center. A good way to see a less touristy side of Florence, and many events are free.
Other concerts this month:
- Ligabue, October 6, Nelson Mandela Forum. Tickets
- Anastacia, October 9, Teatro Verdi
- Brunori Sas, October 18, Teatro Verdi. Tickets
- Hans Zimmer by Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, October 27, Teatro Verdi: 50 musicians perform the film scores of Gladiator, Inception and Interstellar composer Hans Zimmer. Tickets
Fairs, markets and family events
- Firenze Books, October 9 to 11. The book festival curated by Florence’s independent bookshops returns to the Visarno Ippodromo at the Cascine park.
- Fiera di Scandicci, until October 11. Just outside the city, the large annual fair has more than 300 exhibitors, from home design to food stalls and evening events.
- Fierucolina d’Autunno, October 18. The autumn edition of the farmers’ and artisans’ market in Piazza Santo Spirito: stalls run by small farmers and traditional artisans. One of the nicest Sunday mornings you can spend in the Oltrarno.
- Leggere per non dimenticare, from October 7. The long-running series of talks with authors and thinkers returns to the Biblioteca delle Oblate, usually at 5:30 pm. In Italian, free entry while seats last.
- Il Regno delle Zucche, Campi Bisenzio, weekends until November 1. The park of Villa Montalvo, just outside Florence, becomes an autumn village with pumpkin sculptures, installations, workshops and entertainment for children, plus a street food area. The easiest Halloween outing for families staying in Florence.
Autumn food festivals near Florence
October is chestnut month in the hills around Florence. These are the sagre worth a day out, most of them on Sundays.
- Sagra delle Castagne, Marradi, October 4, 11, 18 and 25. In the mountains of the Alto Mugello, Marradi fills its old town with stalls selling the local Marron Buono in every form: chestnut tortelli, castagnaccio, sweets and roasted bruciate, plus craft stalls and street music. Marradi is on the Faentina railway line from Florence.
- Sagra del Marrone, Palazzuolo sul Senio, October 4, 11, 18 and 25. Another Mugello chestnut festival on the same Sundays, with a food stand, local products and traditional desserts. Easy to combine with Marradi.
- Boccaccesca, Certaldo, October 8 to 11. A food and wine festival celebrating Tuscan produce, spread between the lower town and the medieval hilltop village of Certaldo Alto, birthplace of Boccaccio.
- Sagra della Ficattola, San Vincenzo a Torri, October 18. About 20 km from Florence, a festival dedicated to ficattola, the Tuscan fried bread dough, eaten with cured meats and cheese or sweet with Nutella.
More things to do in Florence in October
October weather is usually mild, but rainy days are more frequent in the second half of the month. A few experiences worth booking this month, indoors and out:
- Florence food tour. Autumn is the season of porcini, truffles, chestnuts and new olive oil, and a guided food tour is the quickest way to taste them all.
- Pizza and gelato class. A hands-on class that works well for families and on rainy afternoons.
- Tuscany by Vespa tour. October is harvest season in Chianti, and this small-group tour from Florence takes you along quiet country roads to Greve in Chianti and a local winery, with a cellar visit, wine and olive oil tasting and a Tuscan meal. A regular driver’s license is enough, or you can ride as a passenger.
Browse all Florence tours and experiences on the Romeing Shop.
Florence in October: FAQ
Is October a good time to visit Florence?
Yes. The heat and the biggest summer crowds are gone, museums are easier to book, and the city’s cultural season is in full swing, with new exhibitions, film festivals and food festivals in the surrounding hills.
What is the weather like in Florence in October?
Days are usually mild and pleasant for walking, while evenings get cooler. Rain becomes more frequent in the second half of the month, so pack a light jacket and an umbrella.
What can I do for free in Florence in October?
Many Autunno Fiorentino events in the city’s neighborhoods are free, and so are the talks of Leggere per non dimenticare at the Biblioteca delle Oblate. On Sunday, November 1, the first Sunday of the month, state museums such as the Uffizi and the Accademia are free. For more ideas, see our guide to free things to do in Florence.
What to do in Florence on a rainy day in October?
Book an exhibition, such as Broken at Palazzo Strozzi or Artemisia Gentileschi at the Museo degli Innocenti, catch a film at one of the festivals at Cinema La Compagnia, or join a cooking class.
