THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
Christmas (Natale in Italy) begins on December 8th, with the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Traditionally on this day, the Christmas tree goes up.
The celebration ends on January 6th, with the Fest of the Epiphany (Epifania).
In Italy, this marks the day of the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi (three wise men).
This day is also the 12th day of Christmas, when many Italians exchange gifts.
On January 5th, families attend midnight mass. After going to bed, La Befana, a woman with a crooked nose and crooked broomstick, visits. She brings stockings of sweets for the good children.
Traditionally, she would bring coal for the bad ones. She is not the cookie and milk collecting Santa. She expects a bottle of wine on the mantle. I like her outlook.
Gesu Bambino, the Christ Child, brings the gifts on Christmas day.
And then there is Santa (Babbo Natale), a newcomer on the Italian scene. He comes on Christmas eve but not everywhere.
The Christ Child is more popular. Isn’t that refreshing?
Buon Natale Traditional Foods.
You will find pasta on many Italian Christmas tables, although it is not the main course.
Veal and lamb are popular meats, except on meatless December 24th and January 5th.
You will find many things with chocolate covering including fruits, and chocolate truffles.
Christmas cakes, including panettone, pandoro, and panforte, appear everywhere.
Other Christmas Traditions.
A few of the traditions we think are most crucial no matter where you spend Christmas in Italy:
The Presepe (Nativity Scene).
The presepe refers to the crib, but now the term includes the entire Nativity scene.
The first Nativity probably dates to Saint Francis of Assisi and 1223 A.D. This was a live Nativity Scene in the town of Greccio, south of Assisi.
In Santa Maria Maggiore, some say they have the oldest permanent nativity scene in Italy. It dates from the 13th century and is in marble.
Feasts
Italians need little excuse to have a feast. I have no problem with that. Buon Natale is no exception.
On Christmas Eve, they skip eating meat before going to Mass.
On Christmas Day, families come together for a day-long feast. Of course, all the family’s traditional recipes make an appearance.
They get another day of celebrating on the 26th with Santo Stefano. Often this dinner is the leftovers from the day before.
A slightly less popular tradition in Italy is wearing red underwear. This tradition, stemming from medieval times, wards off sickness and bad luck.
That touches on many of the Italian traditions. However, each region has some traditions of its own in how they celebrate and eat.
Let’s take a stroll through a few of them.
Come, we are walking.
Buon Natale in Turin.
Less than 50 miles from the French border is this fascinating city. Home to the House of Savoy dynasty, it is the place chocolate first appears in Italy. So can you imagine what they do with chocolate during the holidays?
Or have a traditional hot Bicerin, with expresso, chocolate, and milk.
In the shadows of the Alps, cold weather is typical, and ice skating is popular. The city illuminates many of the streets and squares. Also, many buildings, including the Mole Antonelliana and Galleria Umberto I.
In Piazza San Carlo, you will find the Christmas tree. Natale Markets are all over the city, with the largest ones in Piazza Castello, Cortile del Maglio, and Piazza Solferino.
Buon Natale in Milan.
Approximately 90 miles east of Turin is the capital of the Lombardy region. It is also within sight of the Alps on a clear day. Milan is less than 35 miles from the Swiss border.
December has great shopping in Milan, but the big winter sales begin in January. However, make sure to check out the fashion house Christmas windows.
Milan hosts a Christmas and separate candy market. There’s an antique fair, and churches offer concerts and religious ceremonies throughout December.
Natale begins December 7th with the Festa di Sant’Ambrogio, the town’s patron saint. Surprise, there is local food, drink, crafts, and ornaments in the Duomo square. The O Bej, O Bej market is near the Sforzesco castle.
In Piazza San Carlo, they light the traditional giant menorah.
Milanese cuisine reflects Swiss and German influences. In this land of dairies, you will find butter sauces, mushrooms, meats, and stews. You will need to go south to find olive oil and tomato-based dishes.
Milan does not celebrate the Epiphany on the scale other Italian cities do. However, the Three Kings’ procession starts at the cathedral.
Christmas in Venice.
One hundred sixty miles to the east of Milan and approximately 100 miles south of the Austrian border, is Venice.
Snow is not in the forecast. However, the warm Adriatic Sea and the cool air from the Dolomites do create some magical mystic fog.
There are several Christmas markets in the various Campos, including Santo Stefano.
Murano.
On the island of Murano, check out the Natale di Vetro (Christmas of Glass).
All the glass factories are producing incredible glass decorations, and there is a 20-foot-tall glass Christmas tree.
Also, visit Europe’s oldest ghetto, where you can catch one of the many Hanukkah celebrations. Besides lighting the menorah, they have food, music, and dancing.
Since the 15th century, Venetians would skip meat on Christmas eve. Midday, they would have Venetian spaghetti with sardines (Bigoli co la Sardella), a bit of sweet nougat, and copious wine.
On Christmas Day, the menu includes Venetian sausages such as Ossocollo, Soppressa, Prosciutto, and Salami.
On New Year’s Eve, Bellini toasts are numerous. Finally, at midnight there is (in non-pandemic years) a group kiss. Then they go home for a few weeks before they start Carnivale.
Buon Natale in Florence.
The holiday season begins in the Piazza Duomo, where you can see a life-size presepe of terracotta. Markets are unique. Besides Italian markets, there is a German Christmas Market, and the British Institute hosts a Christmas Fair.
Piazza della Signoria, Piazza della Repubblica, and Piazza Santa Croce deserve a visit. They say the Santa Croce market draws inspiration from the market in Heidelberg, Germany. You will find German treats and crafts here.
For the Epiphany, do not miss the traditional Cavalcade of the Magi through the historical center. The Magi, in traditional costume, reenact the journey of the Magi to see baby Jesus.
Florence kicks up the gastronomic scene during the holidays. Try the local version of panettone, which they call panforte. Instead of being bread-like, the panforte is more like a dense, flat cake and sweeter due to honey.
Mostarda is a holiday mustardy syrup with candied fruit. You spread it on cheeses and the local sausages.
The Christmas meal may begin with Crespelle alle Fiorentina. These are spinach pancakes they layer with ricotta with bechamel sauce over the top. Pork with apples is more common than a Christmas goose or roast.
Tempio Maggiore’s synagogue is less than a ten-minute walk north of Piazza Santa Croce. Stop by to see the Lighting of the Menorah.
Christmas in Rome.
Due to its proximity to the Vatican City, you might expect Rome takes Buon Natale seriously. And it does.
Starting in late November, Christmas markets start popping up all over town. One of the largest is in Piazza Navona, and it has the largest crowds of non-locals.
I prefer the one near the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), the Piazza Mazzini, and Ragusa Square.
Less than a ten-minute walk from the Colosseum is the International Museum of Nativity. Here, you can see some of the more than 3000 Nativities. Materials include plaster, glass, ceramic, and more.
Guests at the Bernini Bristol can see the enormous menorah outside in Piazza Barberini. There is a smaller one in Piazza Bologna.
On the first day of Hanukah, join the Jewish community for a lively street party in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto. Besides dancing, drinking, and eating, there are concerts by the Great Synagogue’s choir.
This visit is a great chance to try the famous Jewish fried artichokes.
Save room for a Fritelle de Chanuka. This sweet dough fritter has a filling of raisins and anise seeds. After frying, they coat it with warm honey.
The Vatican City.
Of course, there is a Christmas tree and a life-size nativity scene.
In addition, the Vatican hosts the annual 100 Nativitys exhibition. Here they display approximately 200 nativity scenes from artists across Europe.
Midnight Mass at the Vatican now takes place at 10 pm.
The Pope’s Christmas Day message takes place in St Peter’s Square in non-pandemic years. It feels like the world’s 1 billion + Catholics are all in the square and surrounding streets.
The Vatican closes on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and also on New Year’s Eve.
Christmas in Naples.
More than 400 miles from any country we would think of as a traditional Christmas destination is Naples.
And yet, it has some of the best traditions for Buon Natale.
Naples is the presepi (nativity scenes), capital, and has hundreds erected across the city.
The monastery of San Martino, sitting above Naples, is home to the Museo Nazionale di San Martino. The museum houses an impressive collection of nativities, some dating to the 1800s.
Via San Gregorio Armeno (Christmas Alley) is famous for its artisan shops selling handcrafted Nativity figurines (pastori). From mid-November, you will not see anyone making figures as they are too busy selling. I recommend a visit here any other month of the year except November-December. Some Christians can show un-Godly behavior during the holidays.
With temperatures around 50 degrees, F. do not expect snow. However, precipitation is likely.
Neapolitan cuisine is lovely year-round. But it’s even better at Buon Natale.
Especially the traditional Christmas treats. Struffoli is balls of dough they fry and coat with honey and sprinkles. The hard round cookies known as Roccoco have a spicy almond flavor. Mustacciuoli, officially a cookie, is like a small piece of spiced cake they dip in chocolate. S-shaped Susamielli cookies include honey, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Several of these are better after dunking in coffee or dessert wine.
Christmas Eve meals contain a lot of seafood in place of meat. Christmas day usually includes chicken soup and pasta. Sweets and wine are a given.
New Years.
In Naples, this night used to be quite dangerous. Coinciding with the Festa di San Silvestro, it was a time to throw out the past. At midnight, people would throw clothes, kitchenware, broken appliances, and unwanted furniture out of their windows.
Today, they eat lentils to bring good luck.
Smaller Italian Towns at Natale.
Every region of Italy celebrates Christmas. Some of the smaller towns make a big splash. Here are a few in no particular order.
Bolzano.
The Christmas market in Bolzano is the biggest in Italy. The town, between the Dolomites and Venice, celebrates all month. The market is in Piazza WalzerPlatz, next to the Duomo. Expect to find a wide assortment of traditional crafts and wooden figurines.
Nearby, Merano and Brunico are destinations for their food and crafts stands.
Brixen.
This resort town in the Dolomites is the oldest in Tyrol. The Nativity collection at the Hofburg Museum is overwhelming. The market is next to the 800-year-old cathedral.
Arco
In the Trentino region, this charming town is at the foot of the Dolomites. The market only hosts around 40 booths, but they are teeming with Christmas crafts, baked goods, and mulled wine.
Trento.
Not far from Arco is the capital of the Trentino region. In the Piazzas, you will find a charming Natale market.
Verona.
Verona is south of the Trentino region and hosts a great Christmas market in the German tradition. They organize the market in partnership with Nuremberg Germany’s Christkindlmarkt, giving it a unique flavor.
Bassano Del Grappa.
Little wooden chalets take over the whole town. The market spreads from Piazza Garibaldi to two additional Piazzas. Be a kid and take a ride on the antique carousel.
Gubbio.
In the middle of Umbria, this town is famous for having the most enormous Christmas tree in the world!
The town lights up the side of Mount Ingino in the shape of a tree, employing numerous sources of lights.
In addition, you can find a German-style Christmas market in the town.
Buon Natale Summary.
Is this all the Natale lights, villages, markets, treats, or nativity scenes in Italy worth seeing? Hardly.
But maybe it gives you an idea of some of the magical places waiting for you to visit.
Would you please scroll down to the “Hey Explorer, what are your thoughts” section below?
Then, please comment or tell me your thoughts on:
“What would you want to do at a Christmas market in Italy?”
Would you mind helping me spread the news by rating, commenting, and sharing this blog below? – THANKS!
“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.
Italy has a riches of cultural and architectural riches. This article touches on how magical these places transform at Christmas. I would love to see the mountain sized Christmas tree in Gubbio. The hot “pudding” chocolate in Turin would be amazing. Shopping for hand-made presepi in Naples would be on my list. I would have to see Vatican Square in Rome. Then on to the markets of Venice with a stop on Murano for glass ornaments. I can see it taking a month to sample the offerings of Milan, Verona, Florence and numerous small towns to taste and see the festivities. It looks like Italy would be the perfect place to experience Buon Natale.
Thomas, the photography is just magical. The photo of the Christmas tree in front of the Milan cathedral is breathtaking! Only thing I’m concerned about is a visit from La Befana – not quite so sure of that image in my head when I’m trying to fall asleep! Merry Christmas to you and yours!