Christmas in Rome

Christmas is a magical time of year in Rome. The city bustles with festive twinkling lights, outdoor markets, holiday foodstuffs, concerts and more.

Rome Walks' Top Picks and Tips for a Roman Christmas

Shopping

Ornaments at the Piazza Navona Christmas Market

Christmas Market at Piazza Navona 

12 Dec - 6 Jan

The delight of children everywhere, starting mid-December Piazza Navona is filled with stands selling toys, candy, ornaments, figures for nativity scenes and much more. The square really comes to life in the late afternoon and evening with a carnival-like atmosphere: street performers, an old-fashioned carousel, and giant warm doughnuts slathered with Nutella.

Bagpipes

Zampognari 

Bagpipes in Italy?! A large format bagpipe known as a zampogna is a traditional instrument from shepherding communities in central and southern Italy. Players parade around the city marking the holidays with the forlorn notes of Italy's most famous (and perhaps only) Christmas carol: Tu scendi dalle stelle.

Food

Pandoro dusted with powdered sugar

Many special foodstuffs only make their appearance during the holidays. Panettone and Pandoro are buttery yeasted cakes sold in big boxes. Torrone is a nougat made from nuts, eggwhites and honey, sold in brittle or soft variations. Addictively sweet clementines are in season -- grab half a kilo from a fruit-seller, they make a great on-the-go snack. And don't forget roasted chestnuts, sold in paper cones by vendors around the city. To experience some of the feasting that is such a hallmark of the season, reserve places at one of the many restaurants that offer special multi-course holiday dinners on the 24th, 25th and 31st of December. 

Nativity Scenes

Classical Nativity Scene

Few things are as dear to Italians as the presepe or presepio (nativity scene or creche), a  vital folk art that brings the Christmas story to life through the diorama-like recreation of the birth of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by Mary, Joseph, the Magi, angels, animals, and sometimes hundreds of other figures engaged in their everyday village activities. Every church and main square boasts their own special presepio, and an annual exhibition of over a hundred can be seen in Piazza del Popolo. 

Lights

Lights on Via del Corso, 2013

Every neighborhood in Rome is done up with fantastic light displays for the holidays, and any stroll around the center during the season will be brightened by the merry Christmas twinkle.

Music

A busy season for classical music

If the bagpipers have whetted your appetite for seasonal music, you won't be disappointed: the city comes alive with many concerts of holy music. Almost all churches in the center host free concerts - check out posters outside churches for dates and times, most begin around 9:00 pm. Here are our suggestions for special concerts in Rome:

25 December 

Beethoven, Haydn, Lizst, etc 

Tempietto, Piazza Campitelli 9

26 December

Giovanni Allievi & Orchestra Sinfonica Italiana

Auditorium Parco della Musica, Viale del Coubertin 30

31 December

New Year's Concert - Opera Solos, Accademia dell'Opera Italiana

Chiesa Angelica All Saints, Via del Babuino 153

USEFUL INFO

Official Italian Holidays

25 December - Christmas

26 December - Feast of Saint Stephen

1 January - New Year's Day

6 January - Feast of the Epiphany

The Vatican Museums are closed on all of the dates above; the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Midnight Mass and Christmas Day mass at the Vatican in St. Peter's Square - write to nacvisoffrome@pnac.org for tickets