Christmas Markets in Italy: all the magic of the holidays

Christmas is approaching, and with it returns that special magic that only this time of year can bring. As every year, in many Italian cities Christmas markets are set up, festive lights begin to illuminate the streets, and shop windows are decorated with timeless ornaments. It’s a festive season that feels like stepping into a fairytale, where the atmosphere radiates joy, the air fills with inviting scents, and traditional flavors warm both heart and soul.

From north to south, Italian squares turn into small villages made of twinkling lights, charming wooden chalets, and stalls filled with handmade crafts, traditional sweets, and decorations. Walking through the streets, one can smell mulled wine and gingerbread, warm freshly baked treats, while in the background play the most famous Christmas melodies.
Visiting a Christmas market in Italy isn’t just about shopping, it’s a true experience that immerses you in the holiday spirit and lets you discover the unique traditions of every region.

We’ve prepared a mini-guide to some of the main Christmas markets in Italy for the 2025 holiday season. It’s a carefully chosen selection: listing them all would be impossible, since even the smallest towns across the country celebrate with their own magical Christmas markets!

Ten Christmas Markets Not to Miss During the 2025–2026 Holidays

Bolzano

With over 20 years of history, the Bolzano Christmas Market is not only the largest in South Tyrol but in all of Italy. Its 70 stalls offer Christmas cookies, crafts, and decorations. There are plenty of attractions for children as well, including pony rides, puppet shows, a mini train, sleigh rides, and carousels.

Where: Piazza Walther
When: November 28, 2025 – January 6, 2026 (closed December 25)
For more information and full schedules, visit the official Bolzano Christmas Market website.

Merano

Still in northern Italy, just about 30 km from Bolzano, lies Merano, a well-known spa town. During the holidays, it transforms into a festive wonderland, enchanting thousands of visitors each year with its wooden stalls, Christmas music, and the aroma of warm drinks and freshly baked sweets. Children can have fun ice skating, riding ponies, or trying their hand at Christmas baking workshops.

Where: Lungopassirio area
When: November 28, 2025 – January 6, 2026
For more information and full schedules, visit the official Merano Christmas Market website.

Brunico (Bruneck)

Still in Trentino-Alto Adige, heading east you’ll find Brunico, in the heart of the Puster Valley. This charming town attracts visitors all year round for its cultural and outdoor activities, but in winter it turns into a magical scene with wooden huts and a beautifully decorated old town set against the snowy backdrop of Plan de Corones.

Many attractions and events are planned for Christmas 2025, including a large wooden marble run in Ragen di Sopra and a unique sensory experience at the “Barn of Scents”, where spicy and sweet aromas fill the air. There will also be Christmas concerts and the traditional Saint Nicholas Parade, accompanying Saint Nicholas from Ragen di Sopra to Piazza Tschurtschenthaler.

Where: Via Bastioni, Piazza Tschurtschenthaler, and Via Ragen di Sopra
When: November 28, 2025 – January 6, 2026
For more information and full schedules, visit the official Brunico Christmas Market website.

Arezzo

Moving further south into the heart of Tuscany, Arezzo hosts Italy’s largest Tyrolean Village, featuring exhibitors from Tyrol, Austria, and Germany. Visitors can explore a magical Christmas village offering crafts, gift ideas, local products, and tastings.

The atmosphere becomes even more enchanting with the Big Light Show, a spectacular display of colors and lights illuminating the historic buildings in Piazza Grande, and the House of Santa Claus. Inside the Medici Fortress, Santa and his elves welcome children and adults alike with games, animations, light installations, and themed exhibitions.

Where: Piazza Grande
When: November 15 – December 28, 2025 (Thursday through Sunday)
For more information and full schedules, visit the official Arezzo Christmas Market website.

Cooking Classes in Arezzo

Discover the best of Arezzo’s cuisine with Cesarine. Join a cooking class and learn all the secrets to impress your guests with traditional Tuscan dishes.

Naples

Changing scenery completely, from the Tuscan hills to the Campanian coast: Naples hosts what is perhaps the most famous Christmas market in the world: San Gregorio Armeno. This narrow street is internationally renowned for its nativity workshops, where skilled artisans craft figurines that go beyond the traditional nativity scene: alongside shepherds and angels, you’ll find politicians and celebrities who made headlines during the year, for better or worse.
But the festive atmosphere will be felt all throughout Naples: in addition to San Gregorio Armeno, Christmas markets will also be set up in other areas, such as Piazza del Plebiscito, where from December 8th to 21st the Santa Claus Village will be open.

Fasano

Still in southern Italy but on the Adriatic coast, Fasano - one of the most picturesque towns in Puglia - celebrates Christmas with beautifully decorated streets and markets filled with local artisanal products and regional delicacies.

Cesarine in Puglia

Experience the most authentic Apulian cuisine with Cesarine! With cooking classes, hands-on experiences, and food tours, you’ll have plenty of options. Whether it’s a lesson learning to make the famous orecchiette pasta or a tour uncovering the secrets of Apulian olive oil, a Cesarine experience is the perfect way to take home a taste of this renowned culinary tradition!

Florence

If you’re spending the holidays in Florence, besides admiring its world-famous attractions - the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, and Michelangelo’s David - you can visit the city’s German-style Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce. The stalls offer everything from food to handmade crafts.
The city will also host Europe’s longest ice-skating rink, and in Piazza Vittorio Veneto a Ferris wheel will provide a breathtaking view over the city’s skyline.

Where: Piazza Santa Croce
When: November 20 – December 16, 2025

Gubbio

The medieval town of Gubbio once again celebrates Christmas with its “ChristmasLand”. At the foot of the world’s largest Christmas tree, over 700 square meters of space will be dedicated to markets, nativity scenes, elves, and themed decorations that will amaze visitors of all ages. The event blends perfectly with the historic setting of Palazzo Beni and its art collection.

If you’re in Gubbio for the Christmas market, we recommend continuing your journey to Greccio, less than two hours away, where you can admire its famous living nativity scene.

Cesarine in Umbria

After soaking up the festive atmosphere of the Christmas markets in Gubbio, why not visit one of the nearby towns for a Cesarine food and wine experience? In Spello, Spoleto, Perugia, Assisi, and many other villages, our Cesarine are ready to welcome you for a truly flavorful experience. Whether it’s a cooking class, a lunch, or a food and wine tour, a Cesarine experience will add another unforgettable moment to your Christmas 2025.

Milan

As every year, wooden chalets will fill Piazza Duomo, turning the area beneath the Madonnina into a magical Christmas village.

Not to be missed is the historic “Oh bej! Oh bej!” fair, one of Milan’s oldest traditions dating back to 1510. Legend has it that on December 7, the feast day of Saint Ambrose, Milan’s patron saint, a papal envoy named Giannetto Castiglione arrived in the city. Fearing he would not be warmly received by the locals, who were not fond of the Pope, he handed out sweets and toys to children. The delighted cries of “Oh bej! Oh bej!” (“Oh how beautiful!” in the Milanese dialect) gave the fair its name.
Today, the fair takes place every December 7–8 near Castello Sforzesco.

When: December 1, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Where: Piazza Duomo

Cagliari

Even the capital of Sardinia dresses up for the holidays. From December through January 6, 2026, Piazza del Carmine will host its Christmas market with charming wooden huts. The event celebrates local craftsmanship and regional excellence, accompanied by live music, shows, children’s workshops, and festive lights.

When: December – January 6, 2026
Where: Piazza del Carmine

Cooking Classes and Food Tours in Cagliari

In Cagliari, taste takes center stage with Cesarine! Join traditional cooking classes to uncover the secrets of Sardinian recipes, or enjoy guided food tours through markets and local shops to experience the most authentic flavors of the region.