A journey among Italy's 10 most beautiful Christmas trees

Not just one Christmas tree in Merano, but dozens of fir trees in the South Tyrolean town of Merano are festively decorated. The result is an enchanted village.

Wander around Piazza Terme, Piazza della Rena, Corso Libertà, Via delle Corse, passing under the historic arcades and along the Kurpromenade, where you will also find the Christmas market filled with exquisite local products and handicrafts.

Gigantic and skilfully decorated, the Christmas tree in Trento is erected in Piazza Duomo.

Visit in the evening, because in addition to the marvellous illuminated fir tree, there is a light show projected around the square, on the buildings and in the streets of the centre. Then you can hop on the little train that will take you on a journey of discovery through the historic centre. 

A festively lit Christmas tree reflected in the lagoon of one of the most beautiful cities in the world immediately conjures up magic.

You will find it in St Mark's Square in Venice, between the waters of the canal and the area outside the Doge's Palace. Before arriving here, walk through the Procuratie and the decorated porticos.

Remember to check out the Christmas concert programmes, which take place between La Fenice Theatre and St Mark's Basilica, for a full Christmas experience. 

Elegance, design and preciousness all converge here at Christmas: in Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where the imposing tree over 12 metres high stands at the Ottagono intersection.

The hundreds of decorations are crystals by the Austrian maison Swarovski, illuminated by thousands of lights. A true, immense, jewel, to be admired gazing upwards to the pinnacle.

But the precious tree in the Galleria will not be the only one to light up the centre. There will also be the traditional tree in Piazza del Duomo to which other trees - thematic and designer - will be added this year in different areas of the city. 

As refined as the city that hosts it, the Piedmontese capital's Christmas tree this year stands in the middle of a small grove of 20 fir trees of various sizes. All the trees, contained in vases, shine white thanks to LED lights, thus combining respect for the environment and timeless Italian tradition.

To admire it, head for the magnificent Piazza Reale, now enveloped in the enchanting backdrop of festive lights; take the opportunity to sit down in one of the historic cafés to enjoy something warm or have the traditional Merenda Reale Torinese. The absolute star of this moment is chocolate, the emblem of gastronomic Turin, served together with other traditional Piedmontese delicacies. 

The largest Christmas tree in the world, in Gubbio, is a light installation that towers over the slopes of Monte Ingino, right up to the ancient walls surrounding the edge.

An immense sparkling vision unfolds there: over 750 metres high with 300 light sources in green for the tree's outline and multicoloured for the decorations.

Against the backdrop of the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), the capital's imposing Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia glistens, as grandiose as its surroundings.

Head here along the central Via del Corso, whose lights are switched on on 8 December, along with those of the tree. Walk along the street with an upward gaze, to discover a sky of multiform light installations.

As a worthy location for the symbol of Christmas, Naples chooses the immense Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the largest in Italy.

Right here, between the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace, stands the Christmas tree: lively and colourful as only the people of this city know how to be.

It is not only the big cities of Italy that compete to create the most beautiful and original Christmas tree. Villages also express their creativity in celebrating the Christmas holidays according to their own traditions.

In Trivento, in the province of Campobasso, the symbol of the town is a tree composed of a jigsaw puzzle of crocheted tiles. A project by the 'Un Filo che Unisce' ('A Thread that Unites') association, with a height of 6 metres and a diameter of 3.50, it dominates the town's central square. Created by the women of the Molise town for the first time in 2018 with around 1,300 coloured wool 'tiles', today it remains lit all year round and has inspired many other similar projects throughout Italy and the world. Indeed, there are many who ask to purchase these precious textile artefacts to imitate the operation, a tribute to Made in Italy craftsmanship.

There is a very special valley in Sicily: it is the Vallone Madonna degli Angeli, in the territory of Polizzi Generosa, in the Madonie area. Here, you will find the rarest Christmas tree in the world.

Don't think, however, of artist's light installations or record-breaking size: the Abies nebrodensis, once an endemic species, then at risk of extinction, is now protected as an Italian forest heritage. It is therefore one of the few magnificent specimens, with its perfect conical-pyramidal shape and dense foliage with elongated needles.

Not just trees, but real symbols that make every destination unique.

10 all-Italian Christmas trees that will ensure you experience the festive season to the full.