Christmas Markets in Italy 2026: the 20 worth the trip

Italy's Christmas markets open in waves. Arco starts on 13 November 2026, Florence and Arezzo on the 14th, Trento and Verona on the 20th, Aosta on the 21st, and the five big South Tyrol markets on 26 and 27 November. Almost all close on 6 January 2027, while Verona, Arezzo and Govone stop before Christmas or just after. This page puts twenty markets in order: where to go for a Nordic atmosphere, where for crafts, where for the history of the place. The dates are those published by the organisers; where a 2026 detail has not come out yet, we say so.

Dates and opening hours at a glance

The official pages of the South Tyrol markets do not mention tickets: entry to street markets is free, and you only pay for what you buy.

The five big South Tyrol markets

Bolzano is the busiest: 35th edition, opening on 26 November at 17:00 in Piazza Walther, with stalls also along Via Isarco, from the Cathedral to the Cappuccini park. They sell crafts, candles, decorations and nativity scenes in wood and ceramic. The official site gives 10:00-19:00 every day and publishes the special hours for 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January separately.

Merano has about 80 exhibitors along the Passirio, next to the Kurhaus, and the longest hours: the food huts stay open until 22:30 on Friday and Saturday. In the same period there is Advent at Tyrol Castle (27-29 November and 5-8 December, 11:00-18:00, a market inside the castle) and Lumagica in the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle (19 November-10 January, third edition, dedicated to Sissi). The Christmas Train South Tyrol leaves from Milan on the three weekends before Christmas and from Verona on 7 and 8 December.

Bressanone celebrates 35 years with the angels' parade on 26 November at 16:30, the Krampus on 5 December and St Nicholas on the 6th. At the Hofburg, a light and music show for UNICEF runs until 9 January (two performances each evening, one euro per ticket goes to UNICEF; the ticket price is not yet published). Info: brixen.org/natale.

Brunico spreads across Via Bastioni, the Tschurtschenthaler park and Ragen di Sopra, with mulled wine, speck, Strauben and Zelten: the craft huts close at 19:00, the food stands at 20:00 (21:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of public holidays). Vipiteno lies in the New Town, beneath the Twelve Tower, and is the most compact to explore on foot; on 31 December the food area stays open until 01:30. For the dates of all the other South Tyrol markets (Chiusa, San Candido, Ortisei, Renon, Corvara and others) there is the calendar on christkindlmarkt.it; many open only at weekends.

Trentino

Trento sets up about 75 huts in Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra, at the foot of the Castello del Buonconsiglio; on 7 December the food huts stay open until 21:00. Around them: a tree in Piazza Duomo, an ice rink in Piazza Battisti, a children's village with a Ferris wheel in Piazza Dante. Entry is free and you can walk from the station.

Arco puts its huts around the Collegiata and in the main square; the "Alla Sarca" car park is linked to the centre by a footbridge. Levico Terme has a market in the century-old Habsburg park, open only on selected days (21-22 and 27-29 November, 4-8, 11-13, 18-20 and 24 December, then every day from 26 December). Levico is on the Trento-Bassano railway line.

Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Lombardy

Aosta: the Marché Vert Noël (18th edition) fills Piazza Chanoux and the surrounding streets, with Fontina DOP, Lardo d'Arnad and free workshops. Inauguration on Friday 20 November at 18:00, then open daily from 21 November to 6 January, free entry.

The Magico Paese di Natale (20th edition, 14 November-20 December) is split between Govone, Asti and San Damiano d'Asti. Father Christmas's House, the Elves' School and the Royal Castle of Govone are booked on the official site, which links to the online ticket office; 2026 hours and prices are not yet published.

Santa Maria Maggiore, in the Val Vigezzo, has just one long weekend: 27th edition, 6-8 December, 09:30-18:30, 214 exhibitors and 11 refreshment points, with a preview on 5 December at 18:00. Info: mercatininatale.santamariamaggiore.info.

The Borgo di Babbo Natale at the Ricetto of Candelo (Biella) filled the weekends from 22 November to 14 December in 2025, 10:00-18:00; the 2026 dates are not yet announced (the Ricetto calendar currently lists only the November events). In Bergamo in 2025 the market was in Piazzale degli Alpini, in front of the station, with over 30 huts from 22 November to 6 January; the 2026 dates do not appear to be published yet.

Veneto, Emilia, Tuscany

Verona (18th edition, 20 November-27 December) uses Piazza Bra, Piazza dei Signori with the Flover Village and an ice rink in Piazza Sacco e Vanzetti. Lights switched on on 21 November at 17:00 in Piazza Bra. Info: visitverona.it.

Bologna focuses on the Antica Fiera di Santa Lucia (6 November-27 December), under the Servi arcades in Strada Maggiore. Other events: Via Altabella (20 November-6 January), Piazza XX Settembre (19 November-6 January), a French market in Piazza Minghetti (5-8 December). List on bolognawelcome.com.

Florence: Piazza Santa Croce, 50 exhibitors, from 14 November to 20 December, 10:00-22:00 (Friday to Sunday until 23:00), run by the city council. Montepulciano brings life to Piazza Grande and Via San Donato on 21-22 and 28-29 November, 5-8 and 12-13 December, then from 19 December to 6 January, 10:30-19:30. Arezzo turns Piazza Grande into a Tyrolean Village (11th edition) from 14 November to 27 December, Thursday to Sunday, with a light show from 17:00 to 21:00 and Father Christmas's House in the Fortezza Medicea.

Campania

Naples has no Nordic market: it has San Gregorio Armeno, the street of nativity scenes. The 2026 fair is open from 1 November and runs until 10 January 2027, with red huts and figurines dedicated to the America's Cup (in Naples from 22 May 2027). Details on the page about nativity scenes.

Salerno is visited for the Luci d'Artista: switch-on on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 17:30 at the Villa Comunale, until 6 January 2027, 31 installations and 4 video mappings, free entry. Trenitalia adds 19 services a day at weekends and on 7-8 December and 4-6 January. See Luci d'Artista.

1. Bolzano, Piazza Walther: 27 Nov-6 Jan
2. Merano, along the Passirio: 26 Nov-6 Jan
3. Bressanone, Piazza Duomo: 27 Nov-6 Jan
4. Brunico, Via Bastioni: 27 Nov-6 Jan
5. Vipiteno, New Town: 27 Nov-6 Jan
6. Trento, Piazza Fiera: 20 Nov-6 Jan
7. Arco, Collegiata: 13 Nov-6 Jan
8. Levico Terme, Habsburg park: 21 Nov-6 Jan
9. Aosta, Piazza Chanoux: 21 Nov-6 Jan
10. Govone, castle: 14 Nov-20 Dec
11. Santa Maria Maggiore: 6-8 Dec
12. Candelo, Ricetto: weekends, 2026 not yet announced
13. Bergamo, Piazzale degli Alpini: 2026 dates not yet announced
14. Verona, Piazza Bra: 20 Nov-27 Dec
15. Bologna, Strada Maggiore: 6 Nov-27 Dec
16. Florence, Piazza Santa Croce: 14 Nov-20 Dec
17. Montepulciano, Piazza Grande: weekends and 19 Dec-6 Jan
18. Arezzo, Piazza Grande: 14 Nov-27 Dec
19. Naples, San Gregorio Armeno: 1 Nov-10 Jan
20. Salerno, Villa Comunale: 7 Nov-6 Jan

How to choose

For a long weekend, Bolzano and Merano can be combined by regional train. With children, Trento (village in Piazza Dante) and Govone. For food, Aosta and Bologna. To avoid the crowds, weekdays in late November, before the long weekends. If you don't want an alpine climate, Arezzo, Florence and Naples have milder temperatures and the advantage of being cities worth seeing anyway.