Christmas Markets in Italy 2014

Christmas in the traditional mercantile town of Bolzano, where the cultures and traditions of central Europe and the Mediterranean meet. Bright lights, scents and sounds steeped in tradition, with its romantic arcaded streets and picturesque lanes. All against the backdrop of the Rosengarten Dolomites!

Venue Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz   Open from November 28 until  January 6, 2015

Buy traditional handicrafts and savour local sweetmeats. Attractions for children! Enjoy a festival for the senses and leisure, enveloped in the magical pre-Christmas atmosphere of Merano.

Venue Passeggiata Lungo Passirio/Piazza della Rena/Piazza delle Terme

Open from November 28 until January 6, 2015

The venerable Cathedral with its 800 year-old Gothic cloister lends a unique aura to this Christmas marketin the Cathedral square. You will be fascinated by the bustle of activity and the myriad of colours, seasonal aromas and music, or by the crib exhibition in the Episcopal Palace (Hofburg) emanating tradition and history.

Venue Piazza Duomo/Domplatz (Cathedral Square) Open from November 28 until January 6, 2015

The impressive "Zwölfer-Turm" tower built in 1486 overlooks the Christmas market in this medieval mining town, itself at an altitude of almost 1,000 metres. It also features a special exhibition related to the history of mining in the nearby high mountains.

Venue Piazza città/Stadtplatz (Town Square)  Open from November 28 until January 6, 2015

Discover traditional handicrafts and seductive delicacies between the four main gates of the medieval town walls. Should you wish to combine a visit to the Christmas market with winter sports, then the superb slopes in the Kron-Platz ski resort are just outside the town.

Venue Beside the Moat (Via Bastioni/Am Graben) and Town Hall Square (Nuovo

Piazza Municipio/Neuer Rathausplatz)   Open from November 28 until January 6, 2015

The Trento Christmas Market in Piazza Fiera, with over 60 wooden huts is one of the most famous fin the region. Wooden huts sell traditional decorations for Christmas trees and nativity scenes, crafts, cakes, local products, original gift ideas, and gourmet specialities in a special food section. In keeping with tradition, at the middle of the main square, a gourmet section will be dedicated to the specialities of Trentino: apple strudel, "treccia mochèna" (plaited pastry cake), "polenta brustolada" (grilled polenta), and "tortel di patate" (potato cake), "speck" (smoked ham), "canederli" (dumplings) and filled pasta, as well as the popular "vin brulè"(mulled wine) of Trentino and "parampampoli" (hot toddy).  Open November 22, 2014 until January 6, 2015

Rovereto - the City of Peace hosts the coloured tent from the Holy Land and the Villancicos, the traditional popular Christmas songs from Spain. The artisans of Bethlehem and the Dabka group will bring to Rovereto the atmosphere of the Middle East: cribs, products in olive, mother of pearl, ceramic, textile and popular song. The lightning ceremony of the big Christmas tree will be accompanied by the band of the Magnifica Comunità di Folgaria and by the performances of young writers, who will represent the nativity. Open November 22, 2014 until January 6, 2015

Arco, Lake Garda Christmas Market

A magical atmosphere and characteristic wooden huts, offering high quality crafts at the Christmas
Markets, - candles, lanterns, decorations, local products, toys and much more. Additional features are Christmas carols and entertainment. and, on 8 December, an Advent Calendar will be projected on the buildings in the town centre, a magical night with a wonderful firework display. Open November 21, 2014 until January 4, 2015

Experience the festive atmosphere in the heart of the legendary Parco degli Asburgo in Levico Terme during the Advent period, with soft lighting that illuminates the majestic plants of the age-old arboretum and characteristic wooden huts. In this charming setting, adults and children can explore the Christmas Market and the most genuine Trentino-Tyrolean popular traditions, with street shows and games, sweets and delicacies, the Elves' House, creative workshops, a pet farm, mini-train and horsedrawn carriage.

Open November 22, 2014 until January 6, 2015

In the shadow of the Tofane, the advent period takes on its traditional colours thanks to the Cortina Christmas Market, which brings  a festive atmosphere to the main street, Corso Italia,  lined by renowned national and international shops, and traditional small wooden huts where artisans and local producers exhibit their products. All accompanied by mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and traditional sweets. To complete the atmosphere, there will be all the most cherished and traditional Christmas songs.  Open December 5, 2014 until January 4, 2015

The gardens of Piazza Carli host the Asiago Christmas Market, several huts will sell traditional decorations in glass, wood and ceramic, typical Asiago patisserie, natural products and the famous Asiago cheese. There will also be huts selling local dishes and mulled wine. Open November 8, 2014 until January 6, 2015

Verona hosts each year a Nuremberg Christmas Market in the central Piazza dei Signori. The German styled market will have all the traditional huts, elegantly illuminated and decorated selling typical food, handicrafts, Christmas tree decorations, cribs and serving specialities such as mulled wine, Stollen and Lebkuchen cakes, bratwurst and more.

Christmas Market of Belluno will crowd and light up the gardens of Piazza dei Martiri, one of the most beautiful squares of the city, with its wooden stands, decorations, and bright, colorful lights. Called Christmas Gardens, the market sells wool and wood handmade objects, original gift ideas and local and regional specialties. There will be about twenty stands and many outdoor refreshment areas with mulled wine, sandwiches and hot chocolate. In the weekend there will also be entertainment such as music, games for children and shows.

Open November 29, 2014 until December 24, 2014

At this time of year, the “Marché Vert Noël” turns a little piece of the town – Piazza Caveri – into an alpine village. Delicious local specialities, wines, handicrafts, traditional objects, gifts, Stroll through the village in search of a gift idea among the crafts on display: candles, handmade soaps, ceramics, wooden handicrafts, antiqueobjects and furniture, clothing and accessories in boiled wool and felt, hemp, lace, Christmas decorations, typical food, wine, sweets and pastries from the region, articles featuring découpage or other decorative or craft techniques.  Open November 29, 2014 until January 6, 2015

The magic and the charm of Christmas songs, markets in  the city of Udine.

Open December 9-24, 2014

Christmas is a well loved tradition all over Italy and traditional Christmas markets and fairs can be found all over.

Piazza Navona Christmas Market -a bustling multi-coloured market, selling cribs, decorations and sweets. A treat for young children, it reaches its height of excitement on the night of 5th January, when the “Befana” (The Good Witch) flies about the country, delivering presents to “wellbehaved“ children and pieces of coal to the naughty ones. www.turismoroma.it

Open : December 1, 2014 to January 6, 2015

Christmas fairs in various piazzas (campo) in Venice: Campo S.Bartolomeo, CampoSan Salvador, Campo San Luca, Campo Manin, Strada Nuova

Open: December 20-24, 2014

Mercato Tedesco di Natale (German Christmas Market) Piazza Santa Croce. This Christmas Market is inspired by the tradition of the German city of Heidelberg, wooden huts and stalls selling Italian and German delicacies, decorations, handicrafts.  Open December 3-21, 2014

Fiera di Santa Lucia, Portico of Chiesa dei Servi in Strada Maggiore

Traditional Christmas Fair, stalls full of decorations for the Christmas tree, the nativity crib, food and wine and other delicacies.  Open December 17-28, 2014

Nativity Cribs in Via S. Gregorio Armeno, this narrow street is famous all over the world for its handcrafted Nativity Crib figurines, from the traditional ones to the most sophisticated , it buzzes at Christmas time with Neapolitans and tourists alike. This year there will also be a fair at Palazzo Venezia “The stars of Epiphany”  January 2-6, 2015 were visitors can taste all the traditional food and cakes of the Neapolitan Christmas tradition.

Il villaggio delle meraviglie, Giardini Indro Montanelli, entry from Corso Venezia. Christmas market and other seasonal activities for adults and children takes place in these gardens in the centre of Milan, with a skating rink and shows with various performance artists throughout the festive season.  Open: November 29, 2014-January 11, 2015

This traditional market returns with many new exhibitors and full of  colour, tradition, celebration: a wide range of gift items for Christmas, together with tastings and selling of culinary delights and specialities of Piedmont producers and other Italian regions.

Open December  4-23, 2014 in Piazza Borgo Dora, 34.