Where to Spend Christmas in Italy
Christmas in Italy, or Natale in Italian, can be incredibly magical and a lot of fun. Many places are covered with Christmas decorations and lights, there are festivals and Christmas markets and experience traditional Italian food and learn about celebratory traditions.
Best Places to Go for Christmas in Italy
Christmas is a great time to visit Italy. Not only are there are fewer tourists and shorter wait times at the museums but there are many unique festivities and traditions only in December.
If you want to see Christmas markets – Dolomites
If you want to experience religious festivity – Rome, Vatican
If you want to see the most beautiful decorations – Puglia
How to Say Merry Christmas in Italian
The most common way to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Italian is Buon Natale! It translates to ‘Have a good Christmas!’
Christmas Traditions in Italy
Christmas in Italy is very much a time for family and friends. It concentrates around the enjoyment together of wonderful home-cooked food, but also gift preparations because everything is about presentation. Visit any local shop and you will see piles of presents already pre-wrapped and gorgeous displays!
The celebration kicks off its festivities on December 8 with the feast of the Immaculate Conception when Italians traditionally put up the Christmas tree. It ends on January 6 of the following year with the Epiphany, which is also referred to as Three Kings’ Day.
Note: Vatican City’s Christmas tree is lit a day earlier than most places in Italy.
December 8th – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
(La Festa della Concezione Immacolata)
December 8th is a national holiday in Italy. Families decorate the Christmas tree and outdoor ones are lit in town squares, Christmas markets open for the season.
December 24th – Christmas Eve
(La Vigilia di Natale)
Christmas Eve is a half-day business day, but in the evening families gather for Christmas Eve dinner. This is the most important celebration (more important than the 25th). Many families attend Midnight Mass.
As a tourist, you can usually book a Christmas Eve dinner to taste the traditional festive dishes in Italy.
December 25th – Christmas Day
(Natale)
Christmas Day is spent with family involving a large meal of panettone, and opening gifts you didn’t open on Christmas Eve.
When visiting Italy, enjoy the slow day off. Some restaurants might be open (usually with reservations), but shops are closed that day.