La Città dei Lettori

La Città dei Lettori, the book festival of Florence

La Città dei Lettori is one of Tuscany's most beloved literary events, a widespread festival that transforms Villa Bardini, in the heart of Florence, into a crossroads of ideas, words, and encounters every year. Promoted by the Fondazione CR Firenze and curated by the Wimbledon APS Association under the direction of Gabriele Ametrano, the festival brings some of the most authoritative voices from the Italian and international publishing scene to the Tuscan capital, fostering a continuous dialogue between great literature and a passionate public.

Five days at Villa Bardini

The heart of the event is the splendid Villa Bardini, with its monumental garden overlooking the panorama of Florence. Meetings are distributed throughout the most evocative spaces of the estate: the Terrace, the Limonaia, the Greenhouse, the Belvedere, the Lawn, and the Retro Villa. The natural setting of the garden, amidst Baroque staircases and breathtaking views of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio, makes every presentation an experience that combines culture with landscape beauty.

Great guests and the Premio Strega

Each edition of the festival brings together dozens of writers, translators, journalists, and intellectuals. Over the years, La Città dei Lettori has hosted names such as Ian McEwan, Bret Easton Ellis, Roberto Saviano, Bernardine Evaristo, Michela Murgia, Francesco Guccini, Concita De Gregorio, and many others. A now-traditional highlight is the conversation with the five finalists of the Premio Strega, organized in collaboration with the Fondazione Maria e Goffredo Bellonci: the finalists meet the public on the villa's panoramic terrace, often for their first public discussion following the selection.

A festival for everyone

Alongside the main meetings, La Città dei Lettori offers a rich program of side activities: readings, book presentations, sunrise yoga sessions, and guided meditation moments immersed in the greenery of the garden. A dedicated section, La Città dei Giovani Lettori, engages children and teenagers with workshops, animated readings, and meetings with authors and illustrators, bringing new generations closer to the pleasure of reading.

Free culture in the heart of Tuscany

One of the festival's distinctive features is that all events are free, accessible upon mandatory reservation. This choice, supported by the Fondazione CR Firenze, reflects the festival's vocation to make culture a shared asset open to everyone. Since its inception, the event has welcomed tens of thousands of readers and hundreds of authors, establishing itself as one of the main literary festivals in the Municipality of Florence and the entire Tuscany region.