Hi all,
My mom, sister, and I will be visiting Florence in early November, and I know from past experiences that things close on Sunday. We have lots of plans the day before and after, but I'm looking for any recommendations for things we can do, see, or places (especially markets!) we can go to on Sunday.
Thanks!
Apryl
Even if you're not religious, a church service in a cathedral can be beautiful, enjoying the art and the music. In addition, many cathedral may offer organ concerts after the services.
Have a great trip!
Hi Apryl,
If you're interested in museums, they're more likely to be closed on Monday in Florence. On my Sunday I'm going to the Boboli Gardens and the Pitti Palace. Sorry I can't help you with markets.
Mercato Centrale is open every day from 9 am onwards. https://www.mercatocentrale.com/florence/info/
Many museums will be open Sundays.
Yes, the Accademia (the David) is open Sundays but closed Mondays, for example.
But beware of the first Sunday in November in Florence (when we too will be there) --- as Rick puts it: "For most of the year, on the first Sunday of the month it's free to enter state museums, including the Uffizi Gallery, Accademia, Pitti Palace and gardens, and Bargello. Free days are actually bad news — they attract even more crowds, especially at the Uffizi and Accademia, and it's not possible to reserve an admission time on free days. Make a point to avoid these days."
Also, Friday November 1st is a national public holiday in Italy.
The Shops Hall on the ground floor of the Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo in Florence actually is open Mon-Fri until 3pm and on Saturday until 5pm, and closed on Sundays.
What is open every day until Midnight is the upper floor where the restaurants are. So on Sunday you can go to eat there, but the shops below will be closed.
November 1, is “All Saints’ Day” a national holiday and even more things will be closed that day. What will certainly be open are cemeteries, as it is tradition for Italians to visit their departed relatives on that day. If you are interested in seeing one, I recommend the Monumental Cemetery of the Porte Sante, adjacent to the basilica of San Miniato al Monte, on the hill behind Piazzale Michelangelo. It would be a perfect opportunity to visit the cemetery along with what I consider the most beautiful (and most ancient) church in Florence.
If you're looking for inexpensive leather goods, we liked Mercato Porcellino, which is open on Sundays. I'd also recommend seeing if there's a cooking class that interests you that day. We went to Pasta Class Florence and had a wonderful, hands-on experience that we still talk about today.
Enjoy your trip!
PQ