Notte Bianca is back! The annual April 30 event sees shops, museums, restaurants, bars and more extending their opening times well into the wee hours. Thousands are expected to flood the streets for the all-night celebration, since the next morning, most of the city hits the ‘snooze’ button for Labor Day. We’ve rounded up a few White Night highlights for 2015, conveniently timetabled for early birds and night owls.
Aperitivo timeSip white cocktails at JT Caffè (piazza Pitti 32-33/r) during their special Aperitivo Bianco, which will take place from 5–10pm. Is.a DJ will spin soul and funk tunes throughout the event. Nearby, beginning at 7pm, piazza del Carmine will be particularly busy with Black Brazil, organized by La Citè. Enjoy dance, music and more from the land of samba. Planning to stick on the San Lorenzo side of the river? Head to Été Bistrò (via Faenza 55r) for a circus-themed aperitivo at 7.30pm.
Dinner hours and dopocenaWeirded out by the White Russians being served around town? If ales are more up your alley, head to the Mercato Centrale to sample craft beers beginning at 9pm. The first floor will be open one hour longer than usual (until 1am). Pass through piazza del Duomo between 8.40pm and 1am to catch a free concert put on by the Misericordia Firenze. Head outside the historic center to piazza delle Cure, where a street art and music festival organized by ControRadio will be going on between 9pm and 2.30am. For good-time gospel music, stop by the Bardini Museum (via dei Renai 37) before 11.30pm to catch performances from the Florence Gospel Choir School. Check out the newly reopened Caffè Notte (via delle Caldaie 18), which will be hosting an 11pm Killabros TV broadcast.
Never have time to make it to museums and monuments during the workday? Plenty of Florence’s most iconic spaces will be open until midnight: the Santa Maria Novella Museum (offering free entry), the Medici Chapels Museum, the Bargello, the cenacolo at Ognissanti, the Bardini Museum, the Basilica of San Lorenzo and more.
Palazzo Strozzi’s Power and Pathos exhibition and Sculptures also Die at the CCC Strozzina will both be open until midnight (with final entry at 11pm), and the Gucci Museum will offer reduced ticket prices between 8pm and midnight. Visit the newly restored pulpit at the Basilica of San Lorenzo with a 1 euro donation.
Late night
Until 2am, jam out to music from Pierre Bastien and Gea Brown in Palazzo Strozzi’s courtyard. Nearby, visit Marino Marini Museum (open until 7am) and the Museo Novecento (open until 6am) until the sun comes up.
Pop down to piazza della Signoria to check out everything happening inside Palazzo Vecchio. With a reservation, you can visit the archaeological excavations until 4.45am! Call 055/2768224 or 055/2768558. The museum will be open until 6am, so make your post-party breakfast plans accordingly.
