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

RomaPass, Omnia Card - Are They Worth It?

If you're planning a trip to Rome you may have heard about the RomaPass and Omnia Card. But are they worth the price?

Firstly, let's look at one of the biggest conveniences of both the RomaPASS and Omnia Card: three days of unlimited 

public transportation.

Metro Stop in Rome

Rome has an extensive transportation network of buses, metro lines, and several local trains. While locals who depend on ATAC (the Rome transport authority) complain about frequent strikes (an average of about 10 per year) and service not up to the level of other European capitals, visitors usually find the metro and buses a cheap and convenient way to get around to the major sites in the city center. Do be prepared for rush-hour crowds and reduced service on Sundays, holidays and...the month of August!

A BIT ticket costs €1.50 and is good for one metro ride and unlimited buses within 100 minutes of being stamped.

A variety of combo tickets (BIG - €6 for 24 hours, BTI - €16.50 for 3 days and CIS - €24 for 7 days) are available from the ticket machines in most major Metro stops and train stations.

Although the ATAC website has updates on strikes and a route-planner, it is only partially translated into English. 

The best online route-planner is muovi.it.roma, also available as an app and updated in real time.

Ostia Antica

Ostia Lido Beach

BEST DEALS: Get your money's worth from your transport ticket! Did you know you can travel to Rome's seaside for just €1.50? Or how about visiting the excavations of Ostia Antica, an ancient Roman city in the countryside? Both Ostia Lido (beach) and Ostia Antica (scavi)  can be reached from Ostiense train station for the very convenient price of a regular BIT ticket. 

ROMAPASS

RomaPASS Website

PRICE: €36 for a 3-day pass

WHAT YOU GET: The RomaPASS offers free entrance to two museums in Rome and unlimited public transportation for 3 days. It is sold online and in metro stations, newsstands and at many sights. BUT...it is not valid for entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

Let's say you decide your free entries will be 1) Colosseum (includes entry to Forum and Palatine) and 2) Borghese Gallery

Tickets to the Colosseum are €12 - €14, and to the Borghese Gallery €11 - €13. If you intend to use public transport just twice per day, that adds up to €9 over 3 days.

TOTAL: €36 - the same price of the RomaPASS!

But if you intend to use the public transport more than twice a day, you will definitely save some euro, and will not have to take the time to buy individual tickets online - or will you? Well, for the Borghese Gallery you must book in advance and claim your tickets 45 minutes before entry time. Another advantage to the RomaPASS is that the Colosseum and Borghese gallery often host special exhibitions that cost an obligatory extra 4-6 euro on top of admission, but are free for RomaPASS holders.

CONCLUSION: Yes, it's worth it IF you plan on visiting more than just the Colosseum and Vatican AND are going to use public transportation extensively. Predicted savings per person: €10

OMNIA CARD

Omnia Card Website

PRICE: €85.50 - €95 for a 3-day pass

WHAT YOU GET: Two entries to museums (INCLUDING the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel), unlimited public transportation, and use of the hop-on, hop-off RomaCristiana open tour bus.

Let's say in this case your two free entries will be the Vatican Museums (which includes the Sistine Chapel) and the Colosseum. Note that St. Peter's Basilica is free to all.

As mentioned before, an online ticket to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine is 14 euro. Skip-the-Line Vatican tickets can be purchased from the Vatican online for 20 euro. 

Unlimited public transportation for 3 days is €16.50 with a BTI ticket.

So far, the total is €50.50. Hmmm...where's the deal?

Oh yes, the open-top tour bus, with audio guides in many languages. This runs approximately every 20 minutes and has 11 stops in main points in the center; a complete circuit is about 1.5 hours. A single ride is €15, 24-hour access €20, 48-hour access €23.

So even adding up all the services Omnia Card offers up individually, the total is €73.50, we are still shy - by a good bit, too - of the price of the card. Why would anyone buy this?

Additionally, the card must be picked up at special offices at only two locations in Rome (near St. Peter's Square and St. John of Lateran).

CONCLUSION: It's not worth it. While audioguides are offered as part of the service, we find canned, recorded commentary makes for a stale experience of the wonders of the Eternal City. Nothing can replace a knowledgeable local guide who can bring history to life.

DOES ROME WALKS RECOGNIZE THE ROMAPASS?

Yes we do! If you book either the Ancient City & Colosseum or Borghese Gallery tours, please check the RomaPass box on the booking form and the ticket price will be deducted. 

We do not accept the Omnia Card for the Vatican, since their scheduled entries do not coincide with ours.

No RomaPASS? No problem!  

We purchase all entry tickets in advance for our clients. We don't consider ourselves a ticket agency - our mission is to provide the best tours and guides in the city, but we also want our clients' experience to be convenient and hassle-free, and we are happy to take care of all tickets and reservations for you.