Discovering Italy's 10 most beautiful Christmas markets

When do the Christmas Markets start in Merano? A visit to South Tyrol at Christmas is a must.
From 24 November 2023 to 6 January 2024, you can plan a Christmas holiday in Merano and discover one of Italy's most colourful markets.
The opening takes place on 23 November 2023 at 5 p.m.
Please note the timetable: from Monday to Thursday the trade stalls are open from 11 am to 7 pm, while on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays they open at 10 am and close at 8 pm, and on Sundays the stalls are only open until 7 pm.
The food stalls, however, close at 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday and at 10.30 pm on the other days.

Special openings

• 24.12.2023 10 am - 3.30 pm
• closed on 25 December
• 31.12.2023 10 am - 3.30 pm
• 06.01.2024 10 am - 8 pm

Just 35 kilometres from the Merano Christmas markets, you can visit the many stalls of the Bolzano Christmas markets, from 24 November 2023 to 6 January 2024.

The markets are open Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm
Friday - Saturday - Sunday - public holidays from 10 am to 7 pm

Prepare to be overwhelmed by the scent of cinnamon, homemade cakes and traditional mulled wine. There are also little wooden houses and festively decorated fir trees.

You can also reach the Bolzano markets by bus. An alternative idea, however, is to go there in a camper van. The many parking facilities make it easy to park and stay for one or more nights. In addition, you can take advantage of being in the area to visit Vipiteno, Bressanone and Brunico, with their magnificent Christmas markets and Christmas decorations that make them picture-postcard sights.

They are some of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Trentino and among the oldest in Italy. We're talking about Trento, which every year hosts more than 70 wooden houses in Piazza Fiera, making it the ideal destination for discovering local handicrafts and typical gastronomic specialities.

The Trento Christmas Markets will be open from 18 November 2023 to 7 January 2024 from 10 am to 7.30 pm; on Fridays and Saturdays, only the gastronomic area (food and beverages) will be open in both squares from 10 am to 8.30 pm.

Special opening/closing times:

on 24 and 31 December 2023 the entire market is open from 10 am to 6 pm;

the market is closed on Christmas Day;

on 7 December 2023 the artisans/trade centre is open from 10 am to 7.30 pm | the gastronomic centre is open from 10 am to 8.30 pm

Among the most beautiful Christmas markets in Veneto, those in Verona are set up in Piazza dei Signori, in the heart of the city.

Here, from 17 November, there are 100 exhibitors offering traditional handicraft products.

Included among the events in Verona for the Christmas period, up to 27 December, the markets await you with glass decorations and crib figurines, as well as typical cakes and pastries of Verona and other local products, to be tasted right there or taken home.

Don't forget to take a look at the traditional nativity scene exhibition hosted in the Verona Arena.

Among the most popular Christmas markets in the Aosta Valley is the Marché Vert Noël (New Year's Fair), one of Aosta's most popular and well-known events.
Christmas 2023 in Aosta has three key points - Piazza Caveri, Giovanni XXIIl and Roncas. Here, 30 wooden chalets enliven the markets with local specialities and handicrafts.

Open every day from 25 November to 7 January 2024, it can also be the starting point for discovering the region's other Christmas markets, such as those at Fort Bard, or to enjoy the evocative Christmas atmosphere in some of the most iconic castles in Valle D'Aosta, such as Castel Savoia in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, Gamba Castle in Châtillon and Aymavilles Castle.

At Christmas, Turin hosts many Christmas markets and events such as Luci d'artista, an annual event that lights up the streets and squares of the Piedmontese capital, this year in its 26th edition, from 27 October 2023 to 14 January 2024.

Under the shadow of the big Christmas tree in Piazza Castello, from the end of November, you can find many wooden chalets arranged with Italian handicrafts and foreign specialities.

Also this year on 2, 3, 8, 9 10, 16, 17 and 23 December 2023, the Palazzina di Caccia in Stupinigi will be transformed into the magical world of Father Christmas: Santa Claus will welcome children and take them on a magical journey to the North Pole. A stroll through the historical royal stables will take you to the elves' workshop and you can admire the handcrafted nativity scene

You'll find: the Elves' village with workshops, Father Christmas' House with his study where you can leave your letters, the Christmas market with gift ideas for friends and relatives, the mechanical nativity scene, street food in the historical royal stables and, of course, the elegant Savoy residence, with its salons, stuccoes and works of art.

The Magical Christmas Village market in Asti is a highlight of your Christmas holidays in Piedmont, open from 11 November to 17 December 2023, from 10 am to 8 pm.

If you are in the area, don't miss Father Christmas' House, set up in the splendid Royal Castle of Govone, while on 3, 8 and 10 December 2023 from 2 pm to 7 pm, we recommend a visit to the Living Nativity Scene in San Damiano d'Asti, a presentation that over the years has gained prominence among the Cribs of Piedmont.

Hundreds of participants in typical period costumes recreate ancient trades, supported by the characteristic music of the pipers.

At Christmas, a touch of Italian-Austrian Tyrol arrives in Tuscany, with typical artisan products.
The Arezzo Christmas markets occupy the central Piazza Grande from 18 November 2023 to 1 January 2024 and will be open from Thursday to Sunday.

If you are planning your Christmas holidays in Tuscany, don't miss out on a trip to the Christmas Garden and Santa's House in Arezzo from 18 November to 24 December 2023

Christmas in Tuscany cannot be without the Christmas Market in Piazza Santa Croce, Florence. In front of the beautiful Basilica you will find a small Christmas village where you can buy handmade gifts, Christmas decorations and typical products such as cold meats, cheeses and wine.

The Weihnachtsmarkt in Santa Croce is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm from 18 November until 17 December 2023; Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 11 pm

To make the experience even more magical, wander through the streets of the historic centre of Florence, amidst shop windows decorated for Christmas, Christmas trees and festive lights.

Naples is even more charming at Christmas.
In San Gregorio Armeno, in the Spaccanapoli area, in the heart of the Old City Centre, there is a Christmas market open every day of the year, but it is truly at its best at Christmas time. Indulge your curiosity and discover all the crib figurines on display in the numerous Christmas shops on this small street in Naples.

Take the opportunity to taste the sweet Christmas treats of Capania, such as mustaccioli and struffoli. Also not to be missed is the Cloister of Santa Chiara, which during the Christmas period hosts a large nativity scene over 200 metres in length.