When to visit Florence: weather, October–November and events

Florence weather in October and Florence in November appeal to anyone who wants to avoid July’s 32 °C and the August crowds. The figures below are NOAA 1991–2020 climate averages for the Florence airport station, as published on Wikipedia: October is mild but already rainy, November the wettest month. We add the fixed events, the tourist tax, and what changes for museums and queues.

Florence weather in October: climate table (NOAA 1991–2020)

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 data, via Wikipedia (Florence climate table).

Florence in October: highs of 21–22 °C, jumper weather in the evening, about 9 wet days. Perfect for walking from the Duomo to the Oltrarno without wilting, and sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo is still pleasant. Florence in November: highs drop to 15–16 °C and rain peaks (115 mm), so put museums and cafés first and pack a proper waterproof. December–February: damp cold rather than alpine, with January highs around 11 °C.

Museums through the seasons: fixed prices, variable slots

The Uffizi no longer has a winter low-season price: €25 all year at the desk, €29 in advance, and €16/€20 for entry from 16:00. The Accademia costs €20 all year (+€4 booking). So visiting Florence in October does not make the official ticket cheaper; what you save on is queues and hotels.

What really changes:

• April–October and long weekends: Uffizi and Dome slots sell out weeks ahead.
• First Sunday of the month: state museums are free — long queues, no priority entry at the Uffizi.
• Monday: the Uffizi and Accademia are closed — worth knowing for a short weekend.
• Summer: long opening hours but 32 °C; the Arnolfo Tower may close during heat or rain alerts.

To plan your days, see things to do.

Recurring events (fixed dates or calendar rules)

The Notte Bianca has no fixed annual date, so it is not listed here.

Tourist tax

Rates per person per night, set by the City of Florence:

A maximum of 7 consecutive nights is taxed. Exemptions include children up to their 12th birthday, University of Florence students and other categories (patients, people with severe disabilities and more) listed on the city’s website. The tax is the same in October and November as in August: it does not change with the season. A rental at €6 per person for seven nights means €42 each in tax alone, on top of the room rate.

Month by month at a glance

• March–May: blossom and the Maggio Musicale; Easter (which moves each year) is peak time. May reaches 24 °C.
• June: 29 °C, Calcio Storico, San Giovanni, June Pitti Uomo.
• July–August: 32 °C, almost no rain, maximum crowds.
• September: 27 °C, a gentler summer.
• October: 21.5 °C, rain increasing — for many the best balance of weather and crowds.
• November: a museum month; an umbrella is essential.
• December–February: January Pitti Uomo fills hotels mid-month; otherwise calmer.

What to pack (October–November)

October: layers, a light waterproof and shoes you have already broken in — wet paving stones near Ponte Vecchio are slippery. November: a mid-weight jumper, a proper packable rain jacket and a compact umbrella, plus shoes that can handle 15,000 steps inside museums. In both months, luggage storage is handy if you arrive by train with a bulky coat.

If you fly into Florence, tram T2 into the centre costs €2.00; the Pisa and Bologna alternatives are covered in trains.

Crowds vs weather: how to decide

Choosing October for the weather means accepting around 9 potentially wet days in exchange for far more bearable queues than in June. If your priority is the hotel budget, November often wins, as long as you fill your days with the Uffizi, the Accademia (Tuesday–Sunday), Palazzo Vecchio and exhibitions — not Boboli in a downpour.

Summer only makes sense if you already have early-morning slots and cope well with heat. Spring is lovely but expensive around Easter (Scoppio del Carro).

A sample October week

Monday: the Duomo (the Dome if you have a slot), the Oltrarno, San Miniato; the Uffizi and Accademia are closed. Tuesday: the Accademia in the morning, then the Bargello. Wednesday: the Uffizi (at 9:00, or the cheaper 16:00 slot). Thursday: Palazzo Vecchio in the morning (it closes at 14:00). Friday: Pitti and Boboli if it is dry, otherwise the Museo Galileo or Palazzo Strozzi. Saturday: Piazzale Michelangelo and perhaps the hop-on hop-off bus to Fiesole. Sunday: free state museums if it is the first Sunday of the month (expect queues); otherwise rest, or a return trip to Pisa (€9.80).

In November the same outline works, but swap Boboli for a second indoor museum and keep a spare day for downpours. Still book the Uffizi and the Dome in advance: rain does not free up sold-out slots.

Hotels, Pitti Uomo and big events

In mid-January and mid-June, Pitti Uomo fills 4-star hotels and central apartments: if you are not attending the fair, shift your arrival by three days or stay outside the centre on the T1 or T2 tram line and accept a 20–25 minute ride.

At Easter, for the Scoppio del Carro, rooms around the Duomo climb in price weeks ahead; be in the square by 10:30 on Sunday morning, and do not try to drive through (limited-traffic zone and crowds). During the Calcio Storico (final on 24 June), Piazza Santa Croce becomes a stadium — if you dislike crowds, visit the basilica on another day.

Daylight and photos

In late December the sun rises around 07:46 and sets around 16:40; in late June, around 05:33 and 21:01 (US Naval Observatory data for Florence). In October there is still time for sunset at the Piazzale after a 16:00 Uffizi visit; in November it gets dark early, so go to the viewpoint in the early afternoon and save the evening for late-opening museums or dinner. The Arnolfo Tower at dusk is lovely but closes in rain, so it is no bad-weather plan B.

Transport and the ZTL through the year

The daytime limited-traffic zone is the same all year; the summer night ZTL (Thursday–Saturday 23:00–3:00) runs from the first Thursday of April to the first Sunday of October. So in early October you may still meet it; after that first Sunday the night restrictions end. If you rent an apartment inside the ZTL, have your host register your number plate: cameras issue fines all year on weekdays.

City buses and trams now cost €2.00 per ticket. In November you will probably use them more between rain and museums, so the €18.20 ten-ride carnet can pay off. In winter the hop-on hop-off Line B runs less often, so check the day’s timetable before buying it for Fiesole.

In short: Florence weather in October and November

October in Florence means highs of about 21.5 °C and 105 mm of rain; November drops to 15.6 °C with 115 mm. Add the Scoppio del Carro at Easter, the Calcio Storico in June, the Maggio Musicale, Pitti Uomo and the city tourist tax. Once you know the weather, the museum prices and the Monday closures, pick your month — then book your slots. For planning questions, write to travel@alltours.florence.it. We are an independent guide: if you book through our Tiqets or GetYourGuide links we may earn a commission; the price you pay does not change.