The major Christmas event celebrating ceramics in the historic center of Montelupo Fiorentino
Cèramica is the signature event celebrating the artisanal heritage of Montelupo Fiorentino, a town in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, which has been Italy's capital of majolica and artistic ceramics for centuries. Every year during the Christmas season, the event brings the historic center to life over three weekends, turning squares, streets, studios, and kilns into a vast, immersive trail dedicated to the art of earth and fire.
Cèramica is rooted in the very identity of Montelupo: a village where ceramics are not just a historical memory, but a vibrant, living industry. Dozens of workshops and companies still operate in the area today, and the festival highlights this dialogue between tradition and innovation. Alongside tributes to local masters, significant space is dedicated to contemporary research, new trends, and international artistic exchange.
At the heart of the event is the ceramics market, which brings together ceramicists, artists, companies, and artisans from all over Italy to the squares of Montelupo. The wooden stalls and gazebos set up in the historic center offer visitors the chance to purchase original works and designer objects directly from the makers, all within a Christmas atmosphere enhanced by illuminations inspired by traditional Montelupo decorative motifs.
One of the most anticipated highlights is the OPEN STUDIO International Prize, an award dedicated to contemporary ceramics that attracts artists from various countries to Montelupo. The prize promotes research and dialogue among international authors and, in recent years, has been supported by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze.
During Cèramica, the public can visit art exhibitions, participate in creative workshops designed for children and families, watch live crafting demonstrations, and join guided tours of the Ceramics Museum, artists' studios, and the area's historic kilns. Christmas decorations—ranging from festive lights and architectural projections to trees made entirely of ceramics—complete the experience, making Montelupo one of the most enchanting destinations for a Tuscan Christmas.
Visiting Cèramica means discovering a town in the province of Florence deeply connected to its artisanal identity, located just a few kilometers from the Tuscan capital and easily accessible. Moving from one square to another, visitors journey through centuries of Italian ceramic history in an experience that blends culture, artisanal shopping, and the magic of the holidays.
The 2026 edition of Cèramica in Montelupo Fiorentino is scheduled for three weekends in December: December 5-8 (including the long Immaculate Conception bridge), December 12-13, and December 19-20, 2026. Compared to previous years, the format has been revised to focus activities between Saturday and Sunday.
The guiding theme of this edition is the 20th century and its protagonists, chosen as a key to narrate a century marked by profound artistic and productive transformations in the world of ceramics. The ceramics market returns, open to artists, companies, and artisans from across Italy, alongside the OPEN STUDIO International Prize, supported by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. The detailed program, including exhibitions, workshops, and activities, will be published by the organizers in the months leading up to the event.
Program currently being defined. The ceramics market featuring artists and artisans from across Italy and the Open Studio International Prize are confirmed. The theme for the 2026 edition is the 20th century and its protagonists. The detailed program will be announced by the organizers in the months leading up to the event.
Montelupo Fiorentino is located in the province of Florence, in the Arno Valley. By train, the Montelupo-Capraia station is on the Florence-Pisa-Livorno line, just a few minutes' walk from the historic center. By car, it can be reached via the SGC FI-PI-LI highway (Montelupo Fiorentino exit).
The event takes place during the Christmas season, spread over three weekends in December in the town's historic center.
Activities throughout the historic center and the market are generally free to access; for exhibitions, workshops, and guided tours, it is advisable to check details and schedules on official channels. Information is available at the Montelupo Ceramics Museum, Piazza Vittorio Veneto 10/11, tel. +39 0571 917650.
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Centro storico di Montelupo Fiorentino
Centro storico, 50056 Montelupo Fiorentino