Winter in Italy is full of events: from Christmas markets, winter sports, and cultural celebrations, there is something to suit every taste. Moving around the Belpaese, let’s gather some inspiration. Disclaimer: If winter was once considered off-season (except for snow-related sports), it is now as popular as the other seasons. Temperatures tend to be mild, or at least milder than they used to be, and many cities now have a twelve-month-long calendar of events and activities.
Mercatini di Natale everywhere
I mercatini di Natale (Christmas markets) have always been a Winter classic, but they have become a real must-go in the last few years. Born in Germany, in the last decades they have started to massively pop up in Italy, starting in Trentino-Alto Adige (no surprise, given the region’s ties with the German culture).
The oldest Italian mercatino, however, is la Fiera di Santa Lucia, held since the 18th century under the astonishing UNESCO heritage portico of Santa Maria dei Servi church in Bologna. Now, there’s probably no medium-to-large Italian city without its own —more or less “ancient”— mercatino di Natale. The magic of lights, the nativity scene, the smell of cookies, candies, and traditional food, plus the Christmas songs, always do the trick.
The most famous (and crowded, carefully plan your visit!) markets are in Bolzano, Merano, Bressanone, Vipiteno, and Brunico—all in the Alto Adige area. If you’d like to plan a Christmas-market-crawl, start from there, pick any direction, and you won’t be disappointed. You might end your tour in via San Gregorio Armeno, Napoli, where local artisans display their spectacular nativity scenes. Done with the basics, let’s discover some other Italian Winter classics.
Winter Sports
Joining a race—whether a marathon, half-marathon, 5K, or anything in between—is a wonderful way to enjoy cities from a different perspective and connect with locals. You can end the year with the BOclassic Alto Adige, a race in the center of Bolzano on New Year’s Eve, starting and ending at the Christmas market (never miss a chance to attend a market). Alternatively, you could run the Maratona di Pisa on December 15. However, the most popular sport-related activity is skiing.
There are many places to practice snow sports and enjoy stunning landscapes along with delicious, hearty food. Some examples include the Breuil-Cervinia area (Valle d’Aosta), symbolized by the Cervino Mountain, also known as “the perfect pyramid”; the entire Dolomite Mountains, spanning northeastern Italy; Roccaraso and Rivisondoli (Abruzzo), situated between the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo and the Parco Nazionale di Majella; and you can even ski in Calabria (in the Parco Nazionale della Sila) and Sicilia, on the slopes of Mount Etna.
Winter Fairs, Food Festivals, and Cultural Events
To fully enjoy the festive mood, you might head to Gubbio, in lovely Umbria, to see l’albero di Natale più grande del mondo (biggest Christmas tree in the world); to Manarola (Liguria) and Cesenatico (Emilia-Romagna) to admire their stunning nativity scenes. The most suggestive nativity scene, however, and with no surprise, can be admired in the Vatican during the Midnight Mass on December 24.
If you’re more into snow, the Snow Sculpture Festival in San Candido and San Vigilio (Alto Adige) might be your choice. Finally, if you like masks, costumes, and century-long traditions, Italy got you covered. You can choose between two worldwide renowned carnivals: il Carnevale di Venezia (no introductions needed, right?) and il Carnevale di Viareggio, which has been taking place since the 19th century and involves a massive papier-mâché float parade (and a fierce competition to win il miglior carro), during a six-day-long party.
Beyond lovely markets, crazy carnivals, and stunning snowy peaks, Winter is still the best season to discover gems and less-known cities, towns, trails… you name it. There are no off-limits areas since the temperatures are generally not extreme: if you don’t like crowds, pick a place with no “world-renowned fairs/markets,” and you might even enjoy some peace!
By Claudia Quesito
Also read:
November Holidays in Italy: Traditions and Customs
Discovering the Celebration of La Befana in Italy: A Traditional Holiday
