In Italy this Christmas and looking for an Italian Christmas market to go to? This post is all about finding the best Italian Christmas market based on what you’re looking for!
Many of the Italian Christmas markets are influenced heavily by the German Christmas markets, specifically the one at Piazza di Santa Croce. Many of the Christmas markets have great keepsake items for sale, while others are primarily there to serve the best food and wine! Let this post be your guide to all of the options available for Italian Christmas Markets.
My personal favorites that I attended in 2021 were Piazza di Santa Croce, as well as one in Mantova, Italy. Both are great and have wonderful options for food and gifts alike.
Italian Christmas Market
Best Italian Christmas Markets
Piazza di Santa Croce
2023 Dates: Nov 28 – Dec 20, 2023
Inspired by the German “Chriskindlmarkt”, the Weihnachtsmarkt market at Piazza di Santa Croce is the BEST Christmas market in Italy. Complete with vendors selling glüwein, roasted nuts, local spices and ingredients, and international goods, this is the best German Italian Christmas Market experience. This is Italy’s largest Christmas market, with over 100 individual shops lined up ready for you to check out. This is also Italy’s oldest Christmas market, with it being a tradition in Firenze for over 500 years!
Some of the must try treats at this Italian Christmas Market include: glüwein (mulled wine), bratwurst, pretzels, and of course Dutch Crepes and Waffles at the Austrian booths around the market. Another great must-have treat is the chimney cake, also referred to as “Kürtőskalács” covered in toppings such as cinnamon and chocolate.
While this Christmas market has some of the best local foods and ingredients, as well as German inspired treats, the market also sells a lot of fun and unique goods from all over the world. However, you should pay close attention when buying anything from any of the Christmas markets. A lot of the markets sell items that aren’t original that can be found anywhere, as the goods are made in China or Vietnam, and aren’t locally crafted. Keep your eyes peeled, likely the ones that scream Christmas are not authentic or local. These shops are purely there to profit off of tourists, so be a smart one and check them out for fun but don’t waste your money! A good rule of thumb: if there are duplicates, it’s very likely it is not local or handcrafted.
At the Weihnachtsmarkt market at Piazza di Santa Croce, the best things you can buy are the local ingredients and spices. These are a guaranteed local item, and are something you can’t find everywhere else. This is the highlight of the Italian Christmas Market experience, buying the local ingredients and hand crafted items!
Verona Christmas Market
2023 Dates: 11 Nov – 26 Dec, 2023
Another one of Italy’s most beautiful Italian Christmas market experiences, the markets in Verona are ones you cannot miss. Located at and near Piazza de Signori: There are two close by each other you have to go to get some of the best treats, Glüwein and all the beautiful Christmas displays. Verona had some of the most memorable trees, lights, and window displays of all the Italian Christmas Markets I had been to.
Piazza de Signori and Courtyard of Mercato Vecchio host the Verona Christmas markets, near Piazza Erbe.
These Christmas markets are mostly known for having the greatest tasty treats and local ingredients. There were not many booths with local trinkets or handcrafted elements to purchase, most were things you could find just about anywhere in Europe during Christmas market season.
The overall feel and atmosphere of this market was one of the best in Europe. I remember the experiences I had at this market much better than most others I visited.
Milan Christmas Market
2023 Dates: 2 Nov – 6 Jan, 2023
If you’ll be in Milan this holiday season, and are looking for a Christmas experience in one of the fanciest Italian cities, be sure to check out the Christmas market, Mercatino di Natale in Piazza Duomo.
Mantua Christmas Market
2023 Dates: 18 Nov 2023 – 7 Jan 2024
Another local Italian city to visit a smaller less tourist-y Christmas market is in Mantua, Italy. This market is much more local, and you’ll find incredibly unique handcrafted goods here. I found my dad’s Christmas gift here, a handmade stone house on branches. It was high quality and super stressful to get home to the US, but was incredibly worth it. It fits well in our house and is beautiful! Click HERE for directions!
Aside from the handcrafted goods, the fall feel and quietness of the local Christmas markets made this one of the most memorable and cozy feel Italian Christmas market experiences I had been to! Felt very at home here.
Italian Christmas Traditions
Florence Tree Lighting Ceremony
2023 Date: Dec. 7th at 6pm
THE EVENT to go to at Christmastime in Italy is the tree lighting ceremony by the Duomo in Florence. This is a big event and THE can’t miss Italian Christmas Market Experience. Crowds line up to watch the tree light, and following the lighting there is a parade and SO MANY SANTAS come out and parade around on a train! It’s something I will never forget, one of the most interesting events I experienced in Florence.
The tree lighting usually is on the Italian national holiday, “Feast of Immaculate Conception” celebrating Mary’s discovery via the angel that she would give birth to a King. When I was in Italy, the tree lighting happened the night before on Dec. 7th. The holiday is celebrated on Dec. 8th, so keep an eye out around 6pm for the tree lighting in Florence near the Duomo!
Christmas Parade of Papa Natale
2023 Date: Dec. 7th at 6pm
Following the famous tree lighting ceremony in Italy, if you walk near cafe Gilli and the surrounding piazza, you will see a train and hundreds of “papa Natale” or Santas as you may know them. This is such a unique experience, certainly do not miss it if you’re in Florence and have time to go for a stroll after the tree lighting!
Christmas Carousel
Near where the Papa Natales are located is a carousel! Can’t have a European Christmas complete without one 🙂 The carousel can be found near another beautiful Christmas tree in Florence located in Piazza della Repubblica. Here, you’ll also see some fantastic light displays on the building behind me taking this photo! There were so many unique displays I could sit and watch for hours.
Italian Hot Chocolate
While spending time at Italian Christmas market shops and experiences, be sure to get yourself a true Italian hot chocolate. Italian hot chocolate is not at all like American hot chocolate, it is much thicker and is made with melted chocolate. If in Florence, try one at Ditta Artiginale, it is SO delicious and is a unique tasty treat like no other!
F-Light Festival
2023 Dates: Dec. 8th – TBD
Throughout the holiday season in Italy, beginning Dec. 8th and continuing on until Jan. 6th is a light festival known as the “F-Light” festival. Throughout Florence, projectors display unique light artworks on iconic buildings throughout the city. The most iconic being the Ponte Vecchio, displaying moving lights in the shape of the bridge itself. Photos certainly do not do justice, this is an experience you must see for yourself while walking through Florence in December!
Italian Christmas Lights
Of course, throughout most cities in Italy you’ll come across the fun holiday light displays all throughout the city! My personal favorites are still in Florence, as there were so many beautiful Christmas trees, sparkling lights, and unique shapes everywhere you walked! All of the pathways I walked daily had some of the most memorable and beautiful Christmas lights. Ponte Vecchio was beautiful at night to walk across. The cities are all so sparkly during the holidays.
Ice Skating
Did you think it’d be a complete Italian Christmas without having ice skating available in the city? Of course not! I remember being SO excited when I learned there would be an ice rink open near another one of Florence’s Christmas markets. How often do you get the chance to ice skate in another country? This rink is near the backside of the train station at Fortezza da Basso so if walking from the city center it is a bit further.
Ferris Wheel
2023 Dates: Dec. 1 – TBD
Located near the holiday market and ice skating rink is a HUGE Ferris wheel! I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Italy, and my friends and I decided to go up for a view the night we were out celebrating! This was such a fun way to view Florence. A super fun experience to check out, so worth the cost! I believe the cost was around 12 Euros when we went, however it was so worth the price.
Italian Christmas Market
Surrounding the ice rink in Florence is a fun local holiday market offering delicious treats for you to enjoy after skating or taking a ride on the Ferris wheel! Because this market along with the ice skating rink and Ferris wheel are tucked away from all the tourist attractions in Florence, it is a nice local experience to enjoy with friends and family. It is a much smaller market, geared more towards providing treats for skaters and experiences with “Papa Natale”. One of the booths appeared to be where you could write a letter to Santa or “Papa Natale” as he is referred to in Italian.
I hope you enjoyed this post on how to have some of the best Italian Christmas market experiences! This post was all about what Christmas activities there are to do in Florence, as well as a few other cities in Italy. I hope this helps plan your future trips and gives you a unique look into the Italian Christmas market!
