The arrival of November coincides with the transformation of many towns into Christmas villages thanks to traditional Christmas markets. From north to south, you start breathing the Christmas air.
In November, the days become shorter and the air becomes crisp, anticipating one of the most anticipated periods of the year: Christmas.
The squares of many Italian cities are lit up with lights and festive decorations and populated by colorful stalls that open their doors, giving the typical Christmas atmosphere. Defining which is the most beautiful Christmas market in Italy is impossible.
25 Christmas markets not to be missed
There is something magical that spreads in the cities when the first Christmas markets start in November. From north to south, these villages offer a unique experience of artisanal products, culinary specialities and an atmosphere that anticipates the holiday season. Here are 25 November Christmas markets not to be missed.
Bolzano
When: from 28 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The Bolzano market is one of the most beautiful and expected Christmas markets in Italy because the peaks of the Alps offer the perfect setting for wooden chalets wrapped in lights and decorations and the air that smells of spices and mulled wine. Between themed items and handicrafts, the look is captured by the tree in Piazza Walther.
Merano
When: from 29 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Merano is one of the most popular destinations for Christmas because the city’s Christmas markets stimulate the senses of visitors. The illuminated wooden houses, Christmas trees, handicrafts and homemade cakes create the typical warmth of Christmas.
Bressanone
When: from 29 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The Trentino Alto Adige gives another magical Christmas market, that of Bressanone. The Duomo and Piazza Duomo create the perfect setting for themed stalls and food stands. The Christmas market in Brixen is enriched with traditional lights and music.
Vipiteno
When: from 29 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The medieval city center with the Tower of the Twelve and the surrounding houses turns into an exceptional location for the Christmas markets, giving a fairy tale with a winter flavor. Walking through the stalls you can lose yourself among the Christmas decorations, handicrafts and handmade cribs.
Brunico
When: from 29 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Between the Bastion, Tschurtschenthaler Square and Via Ragen di Sopra, the Brunico Market takes place, a route that winds through decorated wooden houses and the snowy profile of Plan de Corones, all immersed in a medieval atmosphere. In addition to traditional stalls with handicrafts and gastronomic specialties, it offers special attractions such as the living nativity scene, concerts, the wooden marble track and the San Nicolò Parade.
This Christmas market has been recognized as a “Green Event” for its ability to promote environmental sustainability and ecological mobility with free public transport through a dedicated card.
Trento
When: from 22 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Piazza Fiera hosts the market of Trento with its colorful and varied wooden houses, from handicrafts to local products. The offer is expanded by the stalls of Piazza Cesare Battisti. Among the chalets you can also enjoy some traditional desserts, including strudel and zelten, accompanied by typical drinks (such as parampampoli and mulled wine).
Levico Terme
When: from 23 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The Asburgian Christmas Market in Levico Terme transforms the Asburgian Park into a stage of magic. Entering, you can see the lights reflected on the trees and wooden houses offering artisan products and typical gastronomic specialties of Trentino. Artisans show off their creations while visitors can take part in various activities and shows, from creative workshops to live music.
Ossana
When: from 29 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Ossana is also known as “village of cribs” because of the more than 1,600 cribs built in ancient barns and streets of the center. The Christmas market, instead, is held in the Castle of San Michele and houses wooden houses that offer gift ideas and local handicrafts and agricultural products.
Riva del Garda
When: from 15 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
In Riva del Garda, besides the lights and typical decorations, the Christmas period comes alive with “Di Gusto in Gusto”, an event focused on the food and wine specialties of the region. Walking between the houses, then, you can taste and buy a variety of typical products, accompanied by excellent local wines.
Turin
When: from 26 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Christmas lovers will not be disappointed by the Christmas markets of the Savoy city. Among the most suggestive is that of Piazza Castello, where the courtyard and surrounding streets are illuminated by thousands of lights and stalls offer a wide range of products, from traditional Piedmontese desserts such as gianduiotto to handicrafts from the surrounding alpine valleys.
Aosta
When: from 23 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
It is one of the most anticipated Christmas markets in northern Italy: the Marché Vert Noël transforms Aosta into a Christmas village with dozens and dozens of chalets scattered throughout the historic center and ready to offer crafts, local culinary specialties and special gift ideas. Among the goodies of the Christmas market in Aosta are the creations of the masters of wood.
Asti
When: from 16 November to 22 December 2024
The Christmas market in Asti starts and ends earlier than other markets in the area and is one that is worth visiting at least once. The wooden houses, colorful lights, decorations and products and specialties of the stalls create a special festive atmosphere; not surprisingly Asti has been included among the unmissable destinations for those who love Christmas markets by the European Best Destination.
Govone
When: from 16 November to 22 December 2024
The Christmas market of the Piedmont municipality also starts in mid-November and ends just before Christmas and offers a Christmas atmosphere that is difficult to forget. Between the old town and the central square there are many wooden houses and various shows come to life suitable for everyone while the Saubaudo Castle is transformed into a magical castle in full Christmas spirit.
Milan
When: from 16 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The vibrant spirit of Milan is also reflected in the rich calendar of events and Christmas markets scattered throughout the city. Between frames of effect and pieces of history, the Christmas break makes Milan shine a different light.
Among the themed events not to be missed at the end of November there is the Nordic Christmas Market set up at the Cultural Foundation Ambrosianeum and the Village of Wonders in Porta Venezia with rides, skating rinks and shows. In December, the traditional market in Piazza Duomo, the ancient Fair of Oh Bej Oh Bej at the Castello Sforzesco and the ecological Green Christmas at the Napoleonica foundry are added.
Venice
When: from 25 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
During the holidays, Venice lights up its Christmas with a stream of lights and festive air that extends from Christmas in Laguna at Campo Santo Stefano to initiatives on the islands of the Lagoon, such as Murano and Burano.
In Campo San Polo you can ice skate and visit a Christmas market; the famous Christmas markets in Mestre offer a mix of stalls, concerts and activities for children. Among the many we also remember the Christmas market of Campo San Maurizio and that of Marghera.
Verona
When: from 15 November to 26 December 2024
From mid-November to Boxing Day, Verona is preparing to shine with its Christmas markets, an event that turns the city into a festive scenario. Via Pallone houses the wooden houses of the Christkindlmarkt, where you can choose from a wide range of handicrafts, gastronomic specialties and typical sweets of Christmas.
No less fascinating is the International Nativity Scene Exhibition, which from late November to mid-January, displays hundreds and hundreds of cribs from museums around the world in the setting of the Arena di Verona, with a spectacular Star Comet to be symbol of this historic event.
In December there is the Santa Lucia Fair in Piazza Brà with traditional sweets, gifts and the festive atmosphere of a carousel for children.
Bologna
When: from 15 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The Christmas atmosphere in Bologna is breathed in various parts of the city thanks to the Christmas markets and themed initiatives. The main Christmas markets are held at the Fiera di Santa Lucia (among the oldest in Italy), at the Fiera di Natale in via Altabella and in Piazza XX Settembre, as well as those in Via San Giuseppe. The atmosphere is particularly intimate and warm thanks to the historical places and the charm of the architecture of Bologna.
Livorno
When: from 16 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The park of Villa Fabbricotti in Livorno is transformed into a charming Christmas Village thanks to the Santa Claus House, the craft markets, the shows and the rides. The event is suitable for everyone and offers many activities for the little ones.
Pisa
When: from 25 November to 6 December 2024
From the end of November to mid-December, Pisa turns into the City of Christmas with a rich program of events and activities for all ages. In addition to the traditional markets and decorations in the squares, there are itinerant shows, workshops, concerts and special entertainment.
After the inauguration (with lighting, juggling and gospel performances) there are puppet shows, Christmas workshops, ice sculptures and concerts. The program extends over several places in the city, from the historic center to the coast, culminating in the New Year’s concert in Piazza dei Cavalieri and a fireworks display on the Ponte di Mezzo.
Lucca
When: from 23 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
Lucca is preparing to immerse itself in the magic of Christmas with a rich calendar of events of the Magical Christmas, transforming every corner of the city into a place of Christmas surprises. The streets are animated by craft markets, artistic installations and musical events.
Florence
When: from 16 November to 24 December 2024
Florence is preparing to host the Weihnachtsmarkt in Piazza Santa Croce, a Christmas market inspired by German markets. Here, in addition to high-quality craftsmanship and local specialties, there are international stands where you can find typical European products such as gingerbread, bratwurst and strudel.
In addition to the market of Piazza Santa Croce, that of Piazza del Duomo offers typical products and unique decorations, that of Piazza della Repubblica is more intimate while the Christmas Fair of Fortezza da Basso expands the offer and proposes an ice skating rink.
Arezzo
When: from 16 November to 29 December 2024
Arezzo’s Piazza Grande is transformed into a Tyrolean village thanks to the installation of wooden houses offering crafts, food and gift ideas. The atmosphere becomes even more magical and evocative thanks to the vibrant colors and suggestive projections of the light show.
Gubbio
When: from 23 November to 6 January 2025
During the Christmas period, Gubbio comes alive with a rich program. Among the attractions there are the Christmas Markets in Piazza 40 Martiri, where you can find gift ideas and local products. There is no lack of attractions such as the ChristmasLand experiential path in the Museum of Arts and Crafts at Palazzo Beni which includes a great Nativity and an environment dedicated to the Elves. The Magic of Chocolate at Palazzo Conte della Porta offers demonstrations of master chocolatiers.
Among the attractions of this period are the Great Ferris Wheel of the North Pole, the Santa Claus Sleigh, the Gubbio Express Christmas Train and the Enchanted Carousel.
The medieval town also celebrates Christmas in style with the world’s largest Christmas tree in Santa’s Christmas Land.
Rome
When: from 9 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
The capital is dressed up with colorful lights and Christmas markets scattered in various areas of the city, since the beginning of November. Among the highlights of this period is the Christmas Market at Cinecittà World and its mix of cinema and Christmas celebrations
Among the most popular is definitely the market of Piazza Navona, where stalls offer traditional handicrafts and cakes and create a charming atmosphere surrounded by history.
In addition to Piazza Navona, the markets at the Auditorium Parco della Musica and those in the Prati district offer additional gastronomic and artisanal products.
Naples
When: from 27 November 2024 to 6 January 2025
In Naples, the Christmas markets offer an almost surreal experience between history and secular tradition. Among the unmissable experiences there are Via San Gregorio Armeno (famous street for its handicraft workshops of cribs) and the crib of the Cloister of Santa Chiara (glimpse of eighteenth-century Naples). There are also other markets in the city (such as Vomero and Piazza Plebiscito) that offer decorations, handicrafts and culinary specialties (e.g. struffoli).
Among the events scheduled for the Christmas period there are the Christmas Market at the Railway Museum of Pietrarsa with crafts and typical products of Campania and the folkloristic Night of Fresh Fish in Porta Nolana the day before the Eve.
Copertina : Pixabay