Most Christmas markets in Italy will open in 2025 at the end of November, typically between the 21st and 28th. These markets will remain open until January 6, 2026 (Epiphany), giving visitors almost six weeks to experience the magic of an Italian Christmas. The high season runs from December 8 to 23, when all the stalls are fully operational, entertainment is at its peak, and the atmosphere is particularly festive. The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is a time when locals celebrate Italian Christmas traditions with their families. Here a selection of some of the most beautiful Christmas markets - Rome, Turin, Milan, Florence, Meran, Bolzano and many more.
Christmas Markets in Bolzano
The Bolzano Christmas market is the largest and most famous in Italy, attracting visitors from all over the world. Set against the backdrop of the Duomo and its colourful roof, it is also considered one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the country. Piazza Walther offers a unique setting, with the cathedral and its colourful roof. Children enjoy sampling South Tyrolean specialties and admiring the area's fairytale-like architecture. This market represents the pinnacle of Christmas markets in Italy, seamlessly blending German heritage with Italian warmth. In the Trentino-Alto Adige region, the Bolzano Christmas Market, the oldest in Italy, begins on November 28th and runs until January 6th. Approximately ninety stalls will showcase South Tyrolean specialties such as speck, mulled wine, strudel, fritters, and traditional desserts. Additionally, "Sparkling in the City" is a popular tasting experience that features Alto Adige DOC sparkling wine paired with finger food at restaurants in the city center.
Dates: November 27, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Location: Piazza Walther
Not to be missed: Over 100 wooden huts, traditional Zelten, artisan workshops, collectible Christmas mugs.
Milan Christmas Market
The Milan Christmas Market transforms the city's most famous square into a festive wonderland, featuring stalls that showcase a mix of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. It offers a perfect blend of Christmas atmosphere and the chic style of the fashion capital.
Dates: December 1, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Location: Piazza Duomo
Don't miss elegant stalls, views of the Duomo, luxury shopping nearby.
Christmas Market in Florence
Located in the scenic Piazza Santa Croce, the Florence Christmas market features a festive atmosphere, local crafts, and traditional flavors. Featuring over 50 wooden stalls, this market brings German Christmas traditions to the heart of the Renaissance.
Dates: November 23 – December 22, 2025
Location: Piazza Santa Croce
Don't miss: German Christmas market traditions, Tuscan leather goods, roasted chestnuts, and mulled wine.
Rome Christmas markets
Rome features several enchanting Christmas markets, with Piazza Navona being the most iconic. The Christmas market at Piazza Navona is the most renowned in the capital, turning the baroque square into a delightful Christmas village. Here, visitors can explore vibrant stalls offering handmade decorations, nativity scenes, and a variety of local specialties.
Dates: December 8, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Don't miss: the historic carousel, appearances of the Befana, artisanal nativity scenes, and roasted chestnuts.
Other markets include the Villa Borghese Christmas Village and the stalls at Circus Maximus.
On November 30th, the Salone delle Fontane in Rome, Lazio, hosted the seventh edition of "Panettone Maximo 2025." This festival showcased a wide variety of sweet treats from different origins, featuring 48 pastry shops that presented their exquisite holiday leavened pastries for tasting. In addition to panettone, visitors enjoyed other Christmas delicacies such as nougat, chocolate, hazelnuts, and both wines and sparkling wines. There were also be cooking demonstrations by Michelin-starred pastry chefs. On November 29th, The Westin Excelsior Hotel in Rome held a tasting event for the finest Italian sparkling wines. This marks the twenty-fourth edition of "Sparkle 26," where guests can sample 92 wines that have been awarded the "5 Sfere" designation. Lombardy leads among the regions represented, followed by Trentino and Veneto.
On the topic of wine events, the Eternal City hosted the 14th edition of Life of Wine on Sunday, November 30th, at the Hotel Villa Pamphili. This event will feature 40 selected Italian wineries, each sharing the story of their wines as they age in the bottle. Every producer will present at least three vintages of a single label at their tasting table. Additionally, from Sunday, November 30th, to Monday, December 1st, the new edition of Uva Fiera, a market-exhibition showcasing small-scale, high-quality, and sustainable Italian wine producers, is taking place for the first time at the Monk Cultural Center in Rome.
Christmas Markets in Northern Italy
The best-known Christmas markets in Northern Italy are in Trentino-Alto Adige, a region influenced by Austria and Germany, considered the birthplace of European markets. Trento has become a hub for authentic Alpine atmosphere and local crafts.
Dates: November 21, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Location: Piazza Fiera and Piazza Cesare Battisti
Don't miss over 90 stalls, Trentino products, polenta brustolada, dumplings
Merano Christmas Markets
The Merano market extends along the river and offers the perfect combination of relaxation, snow, and Christmas spirit.Dates: November 28, 2025 – January 6, 2026. Location: Riverside, historic center
Don't miss: mountain views, nearby spas, spa town setting.
Verona Christmas Markets
A German-Italian market in the heart of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet.Don't miss: Collaboration with the Nuremberg Christkindlmarkt, romantic atmosphere, proximity to Juliet's balcony
Dates: TBC
Location: Piazza dei Signori
Christmas Markets in Turin
Turin features several markets, including Borgo Dora, known for its traditional Piedmontese decorations, local chocolate, and the "Luci d'Artista" light installation. In Turin, Piedmont, from November 28th to 30th, you can choose from a "Mole di Panettoni," as the title suggests. This event, now in its 14th year, will take place at the Hotel Principi di Piemonte. Thirty master bakers will compete to create the best artisanal panettone from the Piedmont and Lombardy schools, both creative and chocolate-flavored.
Christmas Markets on Lake Garda
The towns surrounding Lake Garda host markets from mid-November to early January, offering scenic lake views along with an Alpine atmosphere. The German influences on the festivities include wooden houses, Glühwein, bratwurst, stollen, and Christmas pyramids. The Italian touch is reflected in nativity scenes, panettone, pandoro, nougat, mulled wine, and local crafts. Additionally, unique Italian elements such as Befana and the extended celebration period lasting until January 6th highlight the focus on nativity scenes and sacred art. As a result, this creates an authentic experience that is less commercial and more traditional compared to other European markets.
Christmas Markets in the South and the Islands
On November 29th and 30th, the Salerno Maritime Station in Campania will host Panettone d'Artista, the largest panettone tasting and sale in Southern Italy. The organizers promise that this year's event will be "more delicious than ever." Once again, it will feature master pastry chefs from across Campania and Southern Italy.
Sardinia has launched "Passi di Gusto," a program featuring excursions, tastings, and cooking demonstrations in Southern Sardinia. This program is scheduled for November 29th, December 6th, 7th, and 13th, and 14th. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the mining sites along the Santa Barbara Mining Trail on foot, while also tasting the local flavors of the Sulcis-Iglesiente, Arburese, and Guspinese regions. Each day will highlight a specific product, including spiny artichokes, olive oil, wine, beer, honey, and almonds, with sessions for tastings and cooking demonstrations.
Additionally, Cagliari hosted the "Sardinia Cocktail Festival" from November 29th to December 1st. This event is dedicated to the culture of responsible drinking and the promotion of Sardinian distilled products, liqueurs, and other cocktail-related items. It is part of the Sa Mesa Nostra project, a broader initiative aimed at promoting regional food and wine.
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