There’s a Florence that needs no introduction—one of art-filled piazzas and timeless beauty. And then there’s the Florence that, in just seven days, transforms itself into the beating heart of Italian mixology, where the bar takes center stage and a growing community of bartenders elevates the craft to new heights. This is the city of Florence Cocktail Week 2025 by Paola Mencarelli, which unfolded from April 7 to 13, with 60 venues involved, over 100 events, and a clear message: good, mindful drinking should be within everyone’s reach.
Florence Cocktail Week 2025 Redefines the Bar Experience
Sixty Florentine bars, spanning cocktail lounges and hotel bars, alongside 35 regional pop-up bars, painted a vivid picture of what took place during Florence Cocktail Week. This year, each participating venue proudly showcased the year of its first appearance at the event—a way to chart the festival’s journey, which has since expanded with Tuscany Cocktail Week, Venice Cocktail Week, Amalfi Cocktail Week, and Cortina Cocktail Weekend.
Among the key innovations was the launch of the Barkeeper FCW format, featuring dedicated times to meet the resident bartenders behind each counter. Not just passing faces, but those who live and breathe their bars daily. A bold statement celebrating local talents and honoring the value of continuity.
Drink Well, But also Better
One of this year’s major themes was wellness, with every bar presenting two signature cocktails, one of which was wellness-focused—either low-alcohol or alcohol-free. Each creation proudly displayed its ABV, underlining that pleasure can be communicated with clarity and awareness. A choice that looks ahead, embracing a new, evolving audience.
Events also shifted in this direction: from yoga sessions to brunches, kombucha-based cocktails to tapas pairings. Dining with the Spirits returned too, inspiring pizza, pastry, and gelato collaborations that wove spirits into the dishes themselves, with bespoke menus and dynamic partnerships between chefs and bartenders.
From Florence Cocktail Week to the Dolomites (and Back)
And what about the future? Paola Mencarelli’s FCW25 won’t stop in Florence. It will kick off the Italian Cocktail Weeks calendar in Corvara in Val Badia, where the very first ICW Reunion will take place in the Dolomites from June 10 to 12, hosted by Hotel La Perla. After that, Venice will once again take the spotlight from October 22 to 26.
Meanwhile, May brings a playful twist: the Negroni’s Cup is already on the agenda—a spirited five-a-side soccer tournament for bartenders, with a third half fueled, of course, by Negronis.
A Community That Sets the Standard
These grand projects position Florence as a model. For its vibrant participation, its meticulous organization, and its vision of the bar as a creative hub. With 67 Italian and 36 international guests, 194 official events, 35 pop-up bars, and dozens of cross-category formats, the numbers speak volumes. They tell the story of how mixology has become something truly serious.
Images courtesy of Florence Cocktail Week, credits Michele Tamasco
