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Christmas Markets in Italy 2026
Christmas markets in Italy start as early as November and stretch from South Tyrol all the way to Tuscany and Umbria. Some are large city markets held on central squares, while others are smaller events set in parks, historic villages, and old town centres.
For the 2026 season, we’ve selected 12 Christmas markets worth adding to your itinerary, with up-to-date dates, locations, and a quick overview of what to expect at each one.
Christmas Market in Gubbio
Christmas season dates: November 21, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Location: Piazza Quaranta Martiri and the historic centre
The main winter attraction in Gubbio is the giant illuminated Christmas tree on the slopes of Monte Ingino. It is switched on on December 7, so if you want to see it, plan your visit for after that date.
The Christmas market is held in Piazza Quaranta Martiri, with stalls selling local food, sweets, and handmade crafts. You’ll also find an ice rink, a Ferris wheel, and family-friendly attractions nearby.
If you want to see both the market and the Christmas tree, arrive in the second half of the day. You can explore the historic centre before dark, then stay around the square once the lights come on or head to one of the viewpoints overlooking the hillside.
Christmas Market in Bolzano
Dates: November 26, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Opening: November 26 at 5:00 PM
Opening hours: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
December 25: closed
Location: Piazza Walther and the historic centre
In Bolzano, it’s worth looking beyond Piazza Walther itself. The Christmas market spreads into the surrounding streets, with smaller festive areas appearing throughout the centre, so the best approach is simply to wander through the old town and stop wherever something catches your eye.
The stalls are full of local products, including wooden crafts, textiles, candles, Christmas decorations, and South Tyrolean food. For something seasonal to eat or drink, start with Zelten, apple strudel, and a hot vin brûlé.
If you’re also planning to visit Merano or Bressanone, Bolzano is a convenient place to start, with easy connections for continuing your Christmas market route through South Tyrol.
Click here to learn more about creating a personal itineraryChristmas Market in Florence
Dates: November 14 – December 20, 2026
Location: Piazza Santa Croce
Florence has a compact Christmas market in one of the easiest locations to reach: once you arrive at Piazza Santa Croce, you’re already there. There’s no need to make a separate trip across the city.
The market has more than 50 wooden stalls selling Christmas decorations, gifts, handmade items, and food. The overall feel is closer to a traditional German Weihnachtsmarkt, so Tuscan products sit alongside sausages, strudel, and hot seasonal drinks.
The easiest way to visit is to include the market in a walk through the historic centre rather than plan a separate day around it. Santa Croce, Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo, and the Arno riverfront all fit naturally into the same route.
Christmas Market in Levico Terme
Dates: November 21, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Open on:
November 21–22, 27–29
December 4–8, 11–13, 18–20, 24
December 26 – January 6
Opening hours: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
December 5–7: until 8:30 PM
Location: Habsburg Park
In Levico Terme, the Christmas market is set inside a large historic park. The wooden stalls are spread among the trees and walking paths, so it’s easy to combine the market with a relaxed stroll through the park.
You’ll find local crafts, Christmas decorations, and food products from Trentino, along with separate food stalls serving hot dishes and drinks.
The main thing to watch is the calendar. Before Christmas, the market only opens on selected dates, while from December 26 through January 6 it runs every day.
Click here to create a personal itinerary for ItalyChristmas Market in Merano
Dates: November 26, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Market stalls:
Monday–Thursday: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
Friday, Saturday, and public holidays: 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
December 24: 10:00 AM–3:30 PM
December 25: closed
December 31: 10:00 AM–3:30 PM
January 6: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Location: Passer riverfront, the Kurhaus area, and central Merano
In Merano, the stalls line the Passer River rather than gathering around a single square, so the market fits naturally into a walk through the town centre.
Around 80 vendors sell local crafts, Christmas decorations, and South Tyrolean food products. The food area stays open later than the regular market stalls: until 9:00 PM on most days and until 10:30 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays.
The Merano thermal baths are nearby, which makes it easy to plan a full winter day without much extra travel: spend some time at the spa, walk through the centre, and finish the evening at the Christmas market.
Christmas Market in Arezzo
Dates: November 14 – December 27, 2026
Opening hours:
Thursday–Sunday: 10:00 AM–9:00 PM
December 17–27: daily
December 27: until 8:00 PM
Location: Piazza Grande
Arezzo’s main Christmas market takes place in Piazza Grande, with 34 wooden stalls selling gifts, handmade products, and food from Tuscany, Tyrol, Austria, and Germany.
It’s best to plan your visit for the second half of the day. Along with the market, the historic centre hosts light shows, while the Medici Fortress is home to Santa Claus House, with activities for children.
There’s enough to fill several hours here: browse the market, walk through the historic centre, visit the fortress, and stay until the evening lights come on.
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Christmas Market in Rango
Dates: November 14 – December 31, 2026
Opening hours: 9:30 AM–6:30 PM
Location: historic centre of Rango, Bleggio Superiore
Rango’s Christmas market takes place right inside the old village. The stalls are set up beneath stone arches, in cellars, old houses, and former farm buildings.
Most of what you’ll find here is local: cheeses, cured meats, wooden crafts, handmade products, and goods from small local producers.
Rango works best as a stop on a road trip through Trentino. The village is small, so a few hours are enough to explore both the market and the historic centre at an easy pace.
Christmas Market in Trento
Dates: November 20, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Opening hours: daily, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
On Fridays and Saturdays, the food area stays open until 9:00 PM
December 24 and 31, January 6: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
December 25: 4:00 PM–8:00 PM
Location: Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra
Trento’s Christmas market is spread across two main squares. The stalls are especially good for local food, with cheeses, canederli, polenta, cured meats, honey, chocolate, and Trentino wines. You’ll also find the usual Christmas gifts, decorations, and handmade crafts.
If you’re in town on December 12–13, there’s another event worth knowing about: the Santa Lucia market, a separate fair with a larger number of stalls.
Christmas Market in Milan
Dates: December 1, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Location: Piazza Duomo and the surrounding streets
Milan’s Christmas market is set right beside the Duomo. The stalls sell decorations, gifts, handmade products, and food from different regions of Italy. For something seasonal, try panettone, torrone, or chocolate.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the city’s main shopping streets are just steps away, so there’s no need to plan a separate route just for the market. The area is at its best towards evening, when the Christmas lights come on around the city centre.
Click here to create a personal itinerary for ItalyChristmas Market in Bressanone
Dates: November 27, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Opening: November 26 at 5:00 PM
Opening hours:
Monday–Thursday: 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Friday–Sunday and public holidays: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
December 24 and 31: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
January 1: 12:00 PM–7:00 PM
January 6: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
December 25: closed
Location: Piazza Duomo
Bressanone’s Christmas market is held in the square in front of the cathedral. It’s fairly compact, so you can see the whole market in one relaxed visit without having to walk between different locations.
The stalls sell wooden crafts, candles, local cosmetics, gifts, and South Tyrolean food products. For something to eat, try canederli, sweet krapfen, and a hot vin brûlé.
In the evening, you can combine the market with the light and music show at the Hofburg. It’s a good option if you want to spend a little longer in the centre rather than ending your visit as soon as you’ve finished at the market.
Christmas Market in Montepulciano
Dates: November 21, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Open on:
November 21–22
November 28–30
December 5–8
December 12–15
December 19 – January 6
Opening hours: 10:30 AM–7:30 PM
December 25: open only in the afternoon
Location: Piazza Grande, Via San Donato, and the surrounding streets
In Montepulciano, the Christmas market spreads through part of the historic centre around Piazza Grande. There are around 70 wooden stalls selling gifts, handmade products, sweets, and local food.
If you’re visiting with children, the Castello di Babbo Natale inside the fortress is worth adding to your plans. Without children, the main draw is the town itself, the market, and the local food and wine: pecorino, Tuscan cured meats, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Until December 19, the market is only open on selected dates, so it’s worth checking the schedule before you go. From December 19 through January 6, it runs daily.
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Christmas Market in Verona
Location: Piazza Bra, Piazza dei Signori, and the historic centre
Verona’s Christmas markets are spread across the city centre, so they’re easy to visit while walking between the main sights. A typical route takes you through Piazza Bra, the Arena di Verona, Piazza delle Erbe, and Piazza dei Signori.
The stalls sell gifts, handmade products, sweets, and hot drinks. For a local Christmas treat, try pandoro or Nadalìn, two traditional cakes closely associated with Verona.
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