Are you wondering what to wear in Florence in Winter? In this guide we will tell you EXACTLY what to pack for Florence in Winter no matter if you are visiting Florence in December, January or February. This includes guidance on how to dress for the weather as well as Florence special events in Winter.
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Weather in Florence in Winter
Winter in Florence is classified as December, January and February. And as you would expect from any European country in Winter, Florence can get quite cold in Winter. But how cold is it?
How cold is Florence in Winter?
Winter in Florence and Tuscany as a whole is categorised as December, January and February. The average temperatures in Florence in Winter tend to range from a high of 53°F/12 °C to a low of 37 °F/3 °C).
So while these temperatures are cool, they are not freezing. However it is still worth packing lots of light layers for Firenze and Tuscany in Winter as it is chilly when the sun goes down. Though you probably will not be needing thermals anywhere in Tuscany in Winter.
Note: if your visit covers two months be sure to check out our other seasonal Tuscan packing list guides:
Is it rainy in Florence in Winter?
The good news about traveling to Florence in December, January or even February is that it isn’t as rainy as it is in November which is one of the rainiest months in the city.
On average you can expect to get around 5-8 days of rainfall per month in Florence during each of the winter months, compared to 11 in November. However it is still worth traveling with a compact travel umbrella and a pair of waterproof shoes.
Note: if you are traveling to other cities or regions of Italy during your Fall vacation be sure to check out our other monthly guides:
- What to wear in Italy in December
- What to wear in Italy in January
- What to wear in Italy in February
- What to wear in Rome in December
- What to wear in Rome in January
- What to wear in Rome in February
- What to wear to Milan in Winter
- What to wear to Venice In Winter
- What to wear in Naples
- What to wear to the Amalfi Coast
- What to wear in Puglia
- What to wear in Cinque Terre
- What to wear in Lake Como
- What to wear in Lake Garda
- What to wear in Positano
- What to wear to Sardinia
- What to wear to Sicily
Does it Snow in Florence in Winter
Due to the mild winters it gets, Florence rarely ever sees snowfall. Snow in Florence is a very rare occurrence and even on the rare times it does fall, it is only every a sprinkling or mixed with rain meaning it never settles.
Therefore you shouldn’t worry about packing for snow on your Florence Winter Packing List.
And if your visit heads into Spring, be sure to check out our guide on what to wear in Florence in March too!
How do local people dress in Florence in Winter?
If you want to be more in keeping with the locals you will need to know how the locals Tuscans and Florentines dress.
Locals have firmly transitioned into their Winter capsule wardrobe which means lots of light layers and coats as well as beautiful winter accessories will be see on the streets of Florence.
It is also worth noting that no matter what month you visit Florence that the locals are a fashionable bunch, especially when dressing for the office or going out for dinner.
Smart casual tends to be the most commonly seen attire in Florence restaurants but for more information on what to wear to dinner in Italy check out this post.
Dress Codes in Florence
The main dress code considerations Florence in any month are how to dress for churches and restaurants. And we will look at each of these below in more depth:
Restaurant Dress Code
Not many restaurants in Florence have strict or enforced dress codes. However you will find that locals do tend to dress in a smart casual fashion for dinner.
This means smart trousers and blouses with a cardigan or sweater or a dress and tights for ladies. While mean this tends to be smarter trousers or chinos usually though not always paired with a shirt.
Church Dress Code
All Italian churches have dress codes including the Florence Duomo which are strictly enforced.
Given the Florence Winter temperatures it is unlikely that you will be wearing strappy tops and short skirts. But be sure to have at least one modest outfit that covers shoulders and knees to meet i Italian church dress codes.
For a full duomo outfit guide check out this post.
What to wear in Florence in Winter
So now you know what to expect from the weather, what should you wear in Florence in Winter?
But before we get onto the specifics of what to wear in Florence in Winter for women and men, we wanted to reiterate that we think it is a great idea to pack a capsule wardrobe.
It means you are less likely to lose your luggage when traveling and prevents you from overpacking. For help in packing a capsule wardrobe check out these posts:
Note: if you want to know what to wear to the airplane and airport in Winter check out this post.
What to wear in Florence in Winter for women
So what does a Florence Winter Packing List look like for women? In our opinion you should have the below on your list
Coat / Jacket
A coat is an essential for any Florence Winter packing list. A puffer type coat is a great shout for Florence in Winter or even a parka as this can cope with all types of Tuscan weather.
Though as Florence isn’t as cold as some other regions, you could also go with a smarter wool coat for Tuscany generally.
Click here to shop winter coats
Woolen Hat or Beanie, scarves and gloves
To finish off your Winter travel outfit for Florence we recommend packing a matching / complementary scarf and gloves set that match your winter coat to finish off the look.
I would recommend taking with you a matching scarf and gloves set that match your winter coat to finish off the look. But be sure to get gloves that are touch screen compatible so as you are likely to be taking lots of photographs.
Click here to shop winter accessories for Florence.
Trousers
Jeans are perfect for sightseeing during the day in Florence for museums, restaurants, the Duomo and even for vineyards just outside of the city.
I would recommend picking smarter jeans such as black jeans or dark blue jeans that are more fitted or skinny jeans to be more in keeping with local style.
For some reason people seem to think that jeans are not on the what not to wear in Italy list. However this is definitely not the case in Winter.
On top of jeans we recommend also packing some smarter trousers. We love a black pant for anywhere in Italy (we love the Athleta Brooklyn ankle pant for travel) or a thick wool pant or even some cords.
Winter Dress
Short skirts and dresses are on my what not to wear in Florence list because they are not appropriate in churches and not really in keeping with the local style.
However I love a Winter dress for going out for dinner in Florence. Due to the temperatures I recommend sticking to sweater dresses / jumper dresses paired with thick tights.
Click here to shop dresses for Milan
Jumpers
Jumpers are the main staple of Italian wardrobe in Winter for both day and night wear.
Something plainer is more suitable in the day but you can do something sparkly or glittery for a jumper at night.
I personally never travel in Winter without a merino wool sweater. Merino wool is one of my favorite fabrics to include in a Winter capsule wardrobe. That is because it provides extra warmth as they are an insulating fabric but is also compact unlike a thick knit. Therefore it is easy to pack and doesn’t take up a lot of space in your case.
And if you are looking for what to wear in December specifically you may want to add a festive jumper, or at least a jumper with a bit of sparkle for a more festive feel.
Cardigan
A smart cardigan is a great top layer for dining in Italy. I usually pair a smart cardigan with a t shirt or blouse in Winter.
Hoodie
Hoodies are a great addition to the packing list for sightseeing during the day, though I would avoid wearing them at night in Florence or the wider Tuscany area.
Blouses
Loose blouses are perfect for Florence in Winter as they work brilliantly for smarter dinners and for churches. I tend to select either long sleeve or 3/4 quarter length sleeves for Winter and will often pair them with a cardigan or sweater.
T Shirts
I would personally pack more long sleeve than short sleeve t shirts for Florence in Winter.
Pashmina
A pashmina should be on any Italy packing list no matter the month you are visiting.
Pashminas can act as a scarf or extra layer on cooler nights and can help make your outfit more modest for visits to churches in Italy such as the Duomo in Florence.
PJs or Nightie
I recommend a heavier weight pair.
Sunglasses
The sun is bright even in Winter so you definitely need sunglasses. Shop Sunglasses for Italy here.
Underwear and Socks
Goes without saying. I like to pack merino wool socks for Winter travel. They are thinner than hiking socks but are insulating so are good for cold weather.
What to Wear in Florence in Winter Packing List for Men
Alongside our regular men’s travel essentials we recommend adding the following items to your men’s packing list for Tuscany in Winter:
For this reason we recommend packing the below for one week in Florence:
- Trousers – We recommend packing a smarter pair of trousers like chinos or dockers for evenings but as the temperatures have cooled jeans are also appropriate. We recommend picking jeans that are smarter and darker in color to be more in keeping with local style. Wool and cords are also great pick for Winter.
- Long Sleeve T Shirts – a staple for any Florence packing list. Again we recommend wearing plain colors in more muted tones to be more in keeping with local Italian style.
- Shirts – long sleeves are better for Winter. We recommend more tailored so they are easier to layer.
- Layers – For Winter you will want lots of light layers such as sweaters or cardigans with you as the weather starts to cool.
- Coat
- Sunglasses
- Sneakers
- Smarter Pair of Shoes for dinner
- Pjs
- Underwear
Best Shoes for Florence in Winter
Ankle Boots
For Winter in Florence, I think the best shoe has to be an ankle boot. They can cope with changeable weather and can cope with a variety of terrains if you pick a pair with a good sole and thick or no heel.
Click here to shop ankle boots.
Sneakers
Sneakers are always a comfortable walking shoe so are great for coping with cobbled stone streets and uneven walkways. They are also great for tourist the great museums in Florence such as the Uffizi Gallery where you can see the bucket list sight- Michaelangelo’s David.
My favorite brand of sneakers for walking are Hoka and AllBirds, however you also can’t go wrong with a plain white sneaker as they go with everything. One of my favorite pairs of white sneakers is the Adidas Cloud Foam shoes.
What to Pack for Florence in Winter (Non Clothing)
So now you know the clothes and outfits for Florence in Winter, what should you pack for Florence in October that isn’t clothes?
Whenever we travel to Florence we will normally also have the following with us:
- Backpack – for storing items on your day trips.
- Crossbody Bag – anti theft type if you are planning to visit cities and tourist attractions which tend to attract pickpockets.
- Compact Travel umbrella.
- Reusable Water Bottle – This will save you money and is better for the environment so be sure to pack one with you.
- Camera
- Charging Equipment
- Power pack / Battery Pack
- Travel Adapaters for electronics – Italy uses standard European outputs and plugs.
- Toiletries – you can find our essential list of toiletries for travel here.
- Medication
- Travel First Aid Kit
- Blister plasters
Florence Winter Packing List Checklist
So just to recap here is our complete list of what to add to your Florence Winter Packing List
- Waterproof and Wind resistant Coat or jacket
- Scarf, Gloves, Hat and ear muffs
- T shirts
- Thicker weight trousers such as jeans, woolen trousers or corduroy trousers.
- Merino Wool Thermal socks
- Layers such as sweaters, fleeces, jumpers and hoodies
- Dresses / Skirts
- Warm Nightwear
- Ankle Boots
- Sneakers
- Wellies (optional)
- Medication and Documentation
- Back Pack
- Travel Adaptor
- Toiletries
- Camera
- Battery Pack
- Sunglasses
- Travel first aid kit including blister plasters
- Lip Balm
FAQs about our Florence Winter Packing list
Do you need a coat in Winter in Florence?
Yes a jacket or thick coat is absolutely an essential for Winter in Florence.
Can you wear jeans in Florence in Winter?
As the weather has cooled, jeans have become the perfect trouser for Florence for Winter. I tend to stick with darker colored jeans that are more tailored or skinny fit as these are more in keeping with local fashion styles.
Have you been to Florence in Winter? What did you wear? We would love to hear in the comments.