By Maria Victoria Rodriguez. Cover by Isabella Oliveira Medrado.
As Florence moves into summer, the city’s music scene shifts outdoors. From a riverside stage on the Arno to an urban jungle in the south of the city, these are four spots where the right music, good food and even better company make staying in Florence the whole summer feel like the right call.
Molo Firenze: The Arno at Golden Hour and Why It’s a Summer Institution
Molo Firenze has been animating summer evenings on Lungarno Colombo for years -and for good reason. There’s something about its informal open-air setup right on the river that makes it feel like the most natural place to end up on a warm evening. Live music and DJ sets run almost every night from mid-May through September, with a crowd that’s young, creative and never in a rush to leave.
Best for: showing up with no plans and staying until it’s late.
Flò Botanical Terrace: Florence’s Most Iconic View Gets a New Life
Flò has always had the best view in Florence, and this summer it comes with a completely new identity. The historic terrace at Piazzale Michelangelo has been transformed into a Botanical Terrace: floral installations, suspended elements and a lighting system that creates a second sunset long after the real one is over. The evening moves from aperitivo at 19:00 through dinner and into clubbing, with a music programme that shifts from afro-house to international hits as the night gets later.
Best for: when you want the full Florence experience: sunset aperitivo with a view, botanical aesthetics, the music and a night that earns its ending.
Limonaia di Villa Strozzi: Not Your Average Garden Party
Hidden within the grounds of Villa Strozzi in Via Pisana 77, the Limonaia is the kind of place that feels like a local secret even when it’s full. Its summer programme is genuinely eclectic: jazz, electronic music, world music, cabaret, street food festivals and themed club nights, all in a garden setting that’s relaxed enough to make you forget you’re in the middle of the city. Part of the Estate Fiorentina programme, it draws students, locals and anyone curious enough to look beyond the obvious.
Best for: an eclectic mix of live music, culture and open-air atmosphere and the nights when you want to be surprised by what’s on.
Fuoribordo: 5,000 Square Metres of Urban Jungle Along the Arno
Tucked along the Arno in the south of the city, Fuoribordo doesn’t look like anywhere else in Florence. Five thousand square metres of teak lounges, exotic plants, nautical ropes and low lighting create something between a garden, a club and a fever dream, open every evening from 19:00 until 2:00, from May through September. The music leans electronic, with DJ sets, themed parties and more exclusive evenings rotating through the calendar. Five food corners and the Ekò Ritual Bar make sure nobody leaves hungry or sober.
Best for: the kind of night that starts as aperitivo and ends somewhere you didn’t expect.
