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Italy's Christmas markets: Where and when to visit in 2024
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Italy’s Christmas markets: Where and when to visit in 2024

Written by News One



Though it may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of winter cosiness, Italy tends to go all out for Christmas, producing markets that often rival those of neighbouring Switzerland and Austria.

Whether you like sipping on mulled wine surrounded by snow-capped mountains, feasting on pretzels while marvelling at light shows, or simply soaking up the cheery Christmas atmosphere, Italy has something for all tastes. 

Below we’ve listed seven of the most magical Christmas markets around the country.

Bolzano, Alto Adige – November 28th to January 6th

The Christmas markets in the mountainous Alto Adige region are some of Italy’s oldest and best.

The festive extravaganza in the region’s capital, Bolzano (or Bozen), is said to be one of Italy’s longest-running, with tens of stalls selling a variety of Christmas goods and treats in the city’s central Piazza Walther.

As you’d expect, Bolzano’s Christmas market has a marked Austrian feel (the area formerly belonged to Austria, and has retained its own distinct identity and culture).

Expect to be offered candied fruit, apple strudel, cinnamon-spiced mulled wine and other alpine delights as you browse its chalet huts.

Merano, Alto Adige – November 29th to January 6th

A half-hour drive from Bolzano is the town of Merano, which hosts another of Alto Adige’s famous Christmas markets.

Its stands run alongside the promenade of the Passirio river, with dozens of vendors selling local delicacies and artisanal items and an ice-skating rink set against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. 

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Merano’s Piazza della Rena also hosts a yearly Christmas village, where a large chalet full of local delicacies offers visitors the perfect opportunity to warm up.

This year, you can also look forward to a Christmas light exhibition in the Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens. 

Milan, Lombardy – December 1st to January 6th

Italy’s financial capital Milan may not be the first city that springs to mind when thinking of Christmas, but its yearly mercatino di Natale is regarded as one of the best in the country.

The market is held in Piazza del Duomo throughout the month of December and into early January, with over 60 stalls, a Santa’s grotto and a life-sized nativity scene.

In addition to the mercatino, the city’s famous Christmas fair Oh Bej! Oh Bej! (meaning “How Beautiful!” in local dialect) will take place from December 5th to December 8th this year.

The fair is held in front of the famous Castello Sforzesco, close to the historic Brera district, with antiques and toys sold along with traditional Christmas treats such as panettone and torrone (nougat).

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Verona, Veneto – November 15th to December 26th

Twinned with Nuremberg’s Christkindlmarkt, Verona’s mercatino di Natale is an impressive fusion between German and Italian tradition. 

Market stalls cover swathes of Verona’s city centre, including the famous Piazza dei Signori, with vendors selling anything from sauerkraut and sausages to strudel and zabaione (eggnog). 

The whole affair is truly picturesque, but expect swarms of visitors too.

And if you enter the city from the main train station (Verona Porta Nuova), look out for a huge, illuminated shooting star jutting out of the city’s Piazza Bra. 

A centrepiece to the Veronese Christmas experience, the installation will make its comeback this year after a collapse during dismantling operations caused  ‘irreversible damage’ to the famous Verona Arena in January 2023.

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Asiago, Veneto – November 9th to January 6th

Just over an hour’s drive from Verona is the small town of Asiago. 

Though market stalls may be considerably fewer compared to Verona, the atmosphere won’t be less joyous.

This year the market is expanding to two locations – Piazza Carli and Piazza II° Risorgimento – offering visitors an even wider choice of products and gift ideas. 

Crafts lovers will find a wide selection of handmade objects and decorations, while children will be able to venture into Santa’s grotto.

The market will be open only over the last three weekends of November, and then every day from December 6th to January 6th.

Arezzo, Tuscany – November 16th to December 29th

Though it sits in the heart of Tuscany, Arezzo’s ‘Tyrolese’ Christmas fair pays tribute to Alto Adige’s Alpine markets.

Local artisans from Austria and Germany will be in attendance, selling traditional crafts and foods, including filled pretzels, spatzle, polenta, dumplings, raclette and ham hock, as well as Tyrolese beers.

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Arezzo’s fair also features a lights show, with animated Christmas images projected onto the walls of the historic buildings surrounding the market squares.

A Santa Claus house, optional guided tours, and a lego brick house are some of the other attractions on offer this year.

If that doesn’t sound fun enough, Eurochocolate, an international festival celebrating the sweet good, will be held in the Tuscan city from November 16th to November 24th.

Montepulciano, Tuscany – November 16th to January 6th

The largest mercatino in central Italy, Montepulciano’s Christmas market features wooden stalls in and around the central Piazza Grande, with vendors selling typical Christmas decorations and hand-crafted items.

Visitors also have the opportunity to sample the famous Montepulciano red wine on a ‘Christmas terrace’ overlooking the Val d’Orcia.

If you’re visiting with children, the town’s mediaeval fortress transforms into ‘Santa’s castle’, fitted with a magical kitchen, bedrooms for elves, a sleigh, and of course, Santa himself.

The market is open every weekend between November 16th to December 15th and then every day from December 20th to January 6th.





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