We will be in Florence for this holiday, which is also the first Sunday of the month. Normally, the Uffizi Gallery is free to the public on the first Sunday....but will it be open at all on this holiday? Is this a holiday where we might see some special events happening, or is it just a bank holiday where everything closes for the day? I'm hoping we don't have a wasted day in Florence...unfortunately it's our only full day there.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15183 posts
The Uffizi Gallery is closed every May 1.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23273 posts
The other issue is that free days are never good days to visit. The locals love a bargain as well as any tourist. If you think the normal tourist traffic is bad, throw a free on top and it becomes nearly impossible.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
We will be there, too. Wonder if the laundromats will be open ... might as well get something useful done. Lots of walking around, I guess.
Posted by
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
We were there last May 1st, which was a Friday. We visited the Boboli Gardens (but the Pitti Palace itself was closed.) We were surprised by a May Day parade on our way back, and visited the Medici Palace, with manageable sized gardens and galleries.
What was particularly fun, was the night before they hold the "White Nights." There are bands and musicians in the streets all over the city. Your hotel should have information, or you can google it before you go, or just wander out in the streets when it gets dark, and you will hear music all over.
Your hotel should be able to help further with what is open on the 1st.
Posted by
OP
Williamsport, PA, USA
16 posts
I've heard about the Notte Bianca (White Night) but their website still only has the information from 2015 on there. It sounds like that should be a great time! And nice to know that the Boboli Gardens will be open as that was on our list of things to do. I'm sure we can just walk and take it all in even if a lot of museums and shops are closed. I just hope the restaurants are still open!
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1530 posts
The White Night is organized (well, sort of) by the Florence municipal administration. In my humble experience (including setting up a couple of events for them), the administration begins thinking to it around the end of February, so still no news at this time. Usually it is done on April 30th as May 1st is always a festive day.
Posted by
OP
Williamsport, PA, USA
16 posts
lachera - is this the best website to keep an eye on for information: http://www.nottebiancafirenze.it/ ?