Cioko Flò 2026 Florence

Cioko Flò (Chocolate Florence Experience) 2026

Cioko Flò (Chocolate Florence Experience) returns to Florence in 2026 from Thursday, March 12 to Sunday, March 15, 2026, transforming Piazza Santa Croce into a four-day artisan chocolate festival with free admission and daily opening hours of 10:00–20:00. If you love food-focused travel, this is one of the sweetest reasons to visit Florence before peak spring crowds, when the city still feels intimate and the air is just cool enough to make chocolate tasting feel like a perfect idea.

Cioko Flò 2026 Florence: confirmed dates, hours, and location

The official Cioko Flò website confirms the 2026 edition as “12-15 Marzo 2026” and highlights that the festival will fill Piazza Santa Croce and surrounding areas with chocolate experiences. FeelFlorence, the City of Florence’s official tourism and events platform, confirms the event takes place in Piazza Santa Croce and lists each day with hours 10:00–20:00 from 12/03/2026 to 15/03/2026.

FeelFlorence also confirms pricing as free admission, which makes Cioko Flò especially appealing for families and travelers building a Florence itinerary on a budget. Because it’s a central square event, you can easily visit for an hour, then return later in the day, treating it like a delicious “pop in and out” festival rather than something that takes your entire day.

What Cioko Flò is and why it feels so Florentine

Cioko Flò is a festival dedicated to artisan chocolate, bringing together chocolatiers from Italy and abroad to showcase traditional creations and modern flavors. The official site describes a wide range of treats, from classic chocolates and cremini to truffles, macarons, brittle, dragées, chocolate liqueurs, and more, with attention to evolving tastes.

Florence is a city where craftsmanship matters, whether it’s leatherwork, goldsmithing, or cuisine. A chocolate festival in Piazza Santa Croce fits that spirit perfectly: you’re not just eating sweets, you’re experiencing a craft tradition in one of the most iconic public spaces in the historic center.

What to expect at the Chocolate Festival: tastings, buying, and discovery

FeelFlorence explains that during the four days, the square becomes an experiential space where visitors can discover, taste, and purchase high-quality products through a large exhibition area with specialized stands. It also confirms you’ll find chocolate in multiple forms, from bars and pralines to creative original creations.

The official Cioko Flò site reinforces the “market-meets-festival” feel, highlighting that artisan chocolatiers will delight visitors with a broad range of specialties that span tradition and innovation. For travelers, the best part is that you can try small tastes, compare styles between producers, and bring home edible souvenirs that travel well and feel more personal than typical tourist gifts.

A simple tasting strategy that works

Because entry is free, you can pace yourself. A smart approach:

• Start with a few small samples and note the producers you love.
• Buy your “take-home” items after you’ve walked the full square once.
• Save richer items for later in the day when you’ve had a proper coffee or snack.

Piazza Santa Croce: the setting that makes it unforgettable

FeelFlorence confirms the festival’s location as Piazza Santa Croce, one of Florence’s most photogenic squares. This matters because the experience is not only about taste, it’s also about atmosphere: chocolate stalls framed by Renaissance architecture, with the Basilica of Santa Croce nearby anchoring the scene.

A practical tip for visitors is to visit twice. Go once earlier in the day for calmer browsing, then return in the late afternoon for a second tasting round and a warmer “evening in the piazza” vibe before the 20:00 closing time.

Travel tips for Cioko Flò 2026 visitors

Cioko Flò runs March 12–15, which can be a sweet spot for travel: mild weather, more availability than late April, and a city center that’s lively without feeling at maximum capacity. Since the festival is in a central piazza, you can keep your day walkable and build a classic Florence route around it.

A traveler-friendly plan:

• Morning: museums or a neighborhood walk.
• Midday: Cioko Flò tasting and browsing.
• Afternoon: cross the Arno to Oltrarno or climb to a viewpoint.
• Evening: return for a final pass through the stalls before 20:00.

If you’re traveling with kids, the free entry is a big advantage. Keep wipes handy, bring water, and plan a “one treat now, one treat later” rule so the day stays fun.

Pricing and what to budget

FeelFlorence confirms free admission, meaning there’s no entry ticket to budget for. Your costs depend entirely on what you buy at the stands, which makes the festival flexible: you can spend lightly with a small tasting purchase, or build a full chocolate haul to take home.

For travelers flying, consider choosing sturdier items like bars, boxed chocolates, and sealed products for easy packing. If you buy delicate pastries, enjoy them on the spot and treat the piazza as your “dessert table.”

Verified Information at a glance

• Event name: Cioko Flò – Chocolate Florence Experience 2026
• Event category: Chocolate festival, markets and fairs
• Confirmed city: Florence (Firenze), Italy
• Confirmed location: Piazza Santa Croce
• Confirmed dates: March 12–15, 2026
• Confirmed daily hours: 10:00–20:00 (each day listed)
• Confirmed entry price: Free admission
• Verified festival format: Exhibition-style stands where visitors can discover, taste, and purchase artisan chocolate products
• Verified product focus: Artisan chocolatiers from Italy and abroad; specialties spanning tradition and innovation

If you want Florence in 2026 to taste like pure comfort and craftsmanship, plan a mid-March visit, wander into Piazza Santa Croce between March 12 and 15, and let Cioko Flò guide you through four days of chocolate discovery in one of the most beautiful squares in Italy.