CHRISTMAS IN ITALY  >  INDEX


Christmas markets Italy.

Although Epiphany [ celebrated on January 6th ] may actually be a more important holiday than December 25th, the Italians love this Christmas season so much that they commemorate it for an entire month, beginning on December 8th.

Bagpipes are the most common Italian Christmas sound. The zampognari, the shepherds who play the bagpipes, come down from their mountain homes at Christmas time and perform in the market squares. The playing of bagpipes is popular in the regions of Calabria and Abruzzo, and in the piazzas of Rome.

Almost every small village stages a living nativity scene on Christmas eve, followed by midnight mass and often, distribution of food and drink.

Children in Italy believe in a female version of Santa Claus called La Befana, an old woman who flies on a broom and brings presents. According to Italian legend, Three Wise Men asked La Befana for directions to Bethlehem. La Befana was asked to join them but declined three times. It took an unusually bright light and a band of angels to convince La Befana that she must join the Wise Men, but she was too late. She never found the Christ child and has been searching ever since. On January 6, the Feast of Epiphany, La Befana goes out on her broom to drop off stockings filled with treats to all the sleeping children of Italy. Just as children in America leave milk and cookies for jolly Santa Claus, La Befana collects messages and refreshments throughout the night.

 
Picture the scene: it's the week before Christmas, and the morning post arrives with a special Santa letter for your child. Imagine their face as they open their very own personalised letter from Father Christmas.



 The Legend of Old Befana  -  Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)
Paperback 32 pages (January 1989); Publisher: Voyager Books; Language: English; ISBN: 0152438173
 Baboushka and the Three Kings 
Ruth Robbins, Mary Clement Sanks, Nicolas Sidjakov
An old woman who was too busy to travel with the Wise Men to find the Child now searches endlessly for Him each Christmas season.
Paperback 28 pages (October 1986); Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Trade); Language: English; ISBN: 0395426472

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 Bastia Umbra [ Umbria ]
On the Sunday before December 21, this charming old town near Assisi hosts a bric-a-brac fair, with a heavy emphasis on old prints, stamps and local handicrafts. Make sure you pop into the 13th-century church of Santa Croce, an artistic treasure trove that serves as a backdrop for the market.

 Bolzano
Christkindlmarkt is a very unusual Christmas fair for Italy, because you might find more Christmas tree ornaments than nativity scene figurines; also wooden dolls, dried flower compositions, delicious Germanic sweets and a local tradition: crowns made of fir branches interwoven with ribbons and four candles. Light one each Sunday for the four weeks of Advent.

 Bressanone
Weihnachtsmarkt, another Alpine Christmas fair, is held Dec. 2-Jan. 8 at the cathedral. Vin brûlé is distributed to one and all after the concerts and mass. You'll see more American-style decorations on the houses here.

 Erice
The Rassegna Mediterranea degli Strumenti Popolari (Mediterranean Folk Music Festival) is held in this lovely art town late in December. Musicians come from all over the world with their bagpipes, tambourines, flutes, Jew's-harps, lutes and other instruments, filling the beautiful old streets with their melodies.

 Merano

 Milan 
La Fiera di Sant'Ambrogio, the city's most important antiques fair, takes place in Piazza Sant'Ambrogio and adjoining streets. Opening of the season at La Scala Opera House.

 Naples  -  Christmas in Naples
The entire street of Via San Gregorio Armeno is taken over by artisans selling presepi scenes and figurines. A giant presepio in Galleria Umberto I depicts incredibly lifelike scenes from Neapolitan life. The cloister of Santa Chiara and Certosa di San Martino have permanent nativity scenes. Teatro San Carlo season begins: older than La Scala, it has perfect acoustics and flamboyant neoclassical and rococo decorations.

 Prato [ Tuscany ]
On the Saturday before Christmas, 50 stands spring up around the Town Hall building (or under the porticos if the weather is bad). With heavy emphasis on linens and old books, this is a great place to find gifts you can actually fit into your suitcase.

 Rome  -  Christmas in Rome
Epiphany Fair in Piazza Navona

 San Marino
In December a small group of antiquarians sell their wares in the very photogenic Borgo Maggiore castle. Small items abound, including old maps and coins. When your shopping is done, visit the local Picture Gallery to see Titian's portrait of St. Francis and many other lovely paintings.

 Venice  -  Christmas in Venice
Christmas is a great opportunity to seek out Campo San Maurizio, a picturesque square not far from St. Mark's . In December collectors from the entire northeastern corner of Italy gather to sell small objects and paintings.

 Arco / trentino  -  Haspburgian Christmas market in Arco and more
The fairy tales, the magic lights and flavour in Riva del Garda, the Haspburgian Christmas market in Arco and Christmas time in Tenno represent the traditional events celebrating the special period of the year in the wonderful landscape of the Garda Lake.

Hotels

 Booking UK - Hotels in Italy  -  an easy way to select and book hotel rooms
Centrally located hotels ranging from small family run budget accommodation to world-class five star hotels. Bookings UK is a dedicated hotel and accommodation reservation website.

  

  
Centrally located hotels ranging from small family run budget accommodation to world-class five star hotels.

  

Travel Agent / Tour Operator

 - Create your perfect trip - Flight, Hotel and Car

Transport / How do I travel to Italy

  Opodo  -  
Flight tickets Italy.

 
Book cheap flights to Italian Christmas markets at ebookers and benefit from discounted airfares. View their latest offers and book your flights, accommodation, car hire and insurance online

  Airline Tickets / Bargain Flights  -  Flights to Italy / Price comparison possible

 Trenitalia  -  Italian Railways

   -  Eurolines  -  coach line to Italy
A. o. Siena - Rome - Naples; Venice; Cattolica - L'Aquila; Turjn; Sicily

 Ma-Re-Si 
Operates an all year round scheduled service between the ports of Valletta (Malta), Catania (Sicily) and Reggio Calabria (Italy).




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