Florence Cocktail Week returns to Florence from April 7 to 13, 2025, to promote the culture of mindful and responsible drinking and to showcase quality mixology from all over Tuscany in the best Cocktail Bars and Hotel Bars in Florence.
The 2025 edition of the seven-day festival, organized and directed by Paola Mencarelli, aims to spotlight Tuscan signature mixology. Significant emphasis will be placed on Florence’s resident bartenders with the introduction of the “Barkeeper FCW” initiative, as well as on the Cocktail Bars of Tuscany Cocktail Week, which will bring their own Pop-Up Bars to Florence. Additionally, contemporary mixology trends will be highlighted through the Wellness Signature Cocktail FCW25, a low-ABV or alcohol-free drink included in the same cocktail list as the FCW25 participating venues.
“Nearly nine years after the first Florence Cocktail Week (April 11–17, 2016) and seven editions (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), I was convinced that the city of Florence had reached such a level in the national and international mixology scene that it no longer needed an event to keep the spotlight on it,” says Paola Mencarelli. “Then, some of Florence’s most renowned cocktail bars, along with prominent figures in the local mixology scene, convinced me otherwise, and I couldn’t resist. After all, if Italian Cocktail Weeks—with Florence Cocktail Week, Tuscany Cocktail Week, Venice Cocktail Week, Cortina Cocktail Weekend, and Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week—has become a brand, it’s thanks to Florence itself, the city where it all began, to the support of key institutions like the Four Seasons Hotel, which was the first to believe in the event, and to the enthusiasm of all the bartenders who have participated over the years.”
Florence Cocktail Week will explore the city of Florence through an itinerary of participating venues, showcasing cocktails specially created for the event. A bespoke experience, sharing key elements with the other ICW by Paola Mencarelli, the 2025 edition will focus on the unique characteristics of the local community and the talent of bartenders from Florence and across Tuscany.
SEVEN DAYS OF EVENTS AND AN EXCLUSIVE DRINK LIST
Florence Cocktail Week will develop over seven days packed with content for enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and industry professionals. Dedicated Cocktail Lists, Masterclasses, Brunches, Aperitifs, Tuscany Cocktail Week Pop-Up Bars, and Guest Shifts featuring Local, National, and International Guests are just some of the highlights. Additionally, there will be cultural initiatives, recreational activities, and experiences aimed at newcomers, designed to introduce a wider audience to mindful and high-quality mixology.
The eighth edition has many news, where elements from past editions have been reimagined to create a project that is connected to its predecessors yet distinct and unique in its nature. Specifically:
- A FCW25 Drink List consisting of 2 exclusive cocktails
- Signature Cocktail FCW25 – A custom creation made with products from the main sponsors and sponsors.
- 1 Wellness Signature Cocktail FCW25 – A custom Low ABV or Alcohol-Free drink created with products from the main sponsors and sponsors.
- POP-UP BAR TOSCANA. Following the success of the initiative in September 2024 during Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week, Paola Mencarelli has decided to bring the regional Pop-Up Bar concept to Florence. The FCW25 Cocktail Bars and Hotel Bars, along with the Event Partner locations, will host the Pop-Up Bars of the most prominent Cocktail Bars and Hotel Bars from Tuscany Cocktail Week. Even among the Italian and international guest bartenders, the focus will be on Tuscan bartenders working both in Italy and abroad.
- A brand new feature of FCW25 is the introduction of the “Barkeeper FCW” initiative, designed to give greater visibility to the resident bartenders of each Cocktail Bar. On specific days and at designated times, it will be possible to meet the city’s mixology stars behind their own bar and discover the secrets behind their Signature Cocktails FCW25.
Florence Cocktail Week will shine a spotlight on local venues, allowing newcomers and mixology enthusiasts to explore the various establishments and the expertise of the bartenders themselves. Through their creations, these bartenders will promote the culture of responsible and high-quality drinking, as well as foster interaction between customers and hosts.
All events will be listed in the FCW25 Event Calendar on the official website www.florencecocktailweek.it
“DINING WITH THE SPIRITS”, “PIZZA WITH THE SPIRITS”, “PASTRY WITH THE SPIRITS” AND “GELATO WITH THE SPIRITS”
Due to the success of previous editions, the initiatives “Dining with the Spirits” and “Pizza with the Spirits” will be featured again. Florence’s chefs and pizzaioli will use spirits as ingredients in their dishes and pizzas, offering them throughout FCW25 week either within their regular menus or during dedicated evenings. Two new additions to these well-established initiatives in Florence are “Pastry with the Spirits” and “Gelato with the Spirits”, expanding the format to include pastry chefs and gelato makers as well.
The list of participants will be announced in the “Dining with the Spirits”, “Pizza with the Spirits”, “Pastry with the Spirits” and “Gelato with the Spirits”sections on the official website www.florencecocktailweek.it
PAOLA MENCARELLI
Born and raised in Tuscany, in the Crete Senesi, Paola has been surrounded by the rich food and wine culture of her region. With a degree in French literature and a master’s in journalism, communication, and food criticism, she has skillfully combined her passion with professional writing, becoming a publicist journalist and contributing to the gastronomic guides of Gambero Rosso.
Her training and experience in event organization within the food industry, along with her growing passion for the world of mixology, led her to found Italy’s first cocktail week. Since 2016, she has been the founder and artistic director of Florence Cocktail Week, followed by the launch of Tuscany Cocktail Week in 2019. Invited to Venice, she solidified the success of the format by creating Venice Cocktail Week in 2021, and in 2022, she launched the Cortina Cocktail Weekend, along with the first edition of the “Mixology’s Cup” on the slopes. In 2024, invited to the Amalfi Coast, she created Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week, an original cocktail week project dedicated to the best cocktail bars in the Amalfi Coast and Campania.
With the goal of contributing to the growth of the mixology sector in Italy, in late 2023, she decided to bring together all the cocktail weeks she organizes under the umbrella of “Italian Cocktail Weeks by Paola Mencarelli.”
In 2021, she published the book I Signature Cocktail di Florence Cocktail Week, 5 anni in 143 drink with Giunti Editore. A judge for some of the most prestigious Italian and international rankings, in 2022 she was awarded the Order of Merit as Consul of Italian Hospitality.