Towards the end of November, many villages and towns dress up for Christmas. From North to South Italy, we have searched for some of the most spectacular destinations to visit in this period, where you can live a magical experience amidst lights, markets and Christmas gastronomic specialties.
So here are the 10 destinations to go and see in the coming weekends!
Let's start from Piedmont where the Magical Christmas Village takes place, an event nominated for the fourth consecutive year among the twenty best Christmas markets in Europe by the international tourism promotion organization European Best Destination. The historic beating heart of the event is the small town of Govone, in the Roero area, where the House of Santa Claus is set up at the Royal Castle, a Unesco World Heritage Site with a spectacular musical, the theater of the "School of Elves" and the exhibition "Christmas at Home Savoy". In Asti, on the other hand, more than 130 Christmas houses are set up with the best artisanal and excellent food and wine realities from all over Italy.
In Trentino-Alto Adige, in one of the "most beautiful villages in Italy", Christmas takes on a unique charm. Let's talk about Rango, a fraction of the municipality of Bleggio Superiore (TN) where the whole village, from the narrow uphill alleys to the hidden squares, lights up with Christmas lights. On weekends, exhibitors invade the village with handicraft, gastronomy and art products.
We remain in the province of Trento, moving to Levico Terme where the Hapsburg Christmas Market takes place. The itinerary, full of stands with excellent craftsmanship and gastronomy, develops in the fascinating scenery of the Hapsburg Secular Park.
In Veneto, on the Veronese side of Lake Garda, Christmas arrives in Lazise and Bardolino where visitors are welcomed with the numerous wooden houses of the Christmas markets, where they can taste traditional food and wine and buy local crafts. There is also space for the ice skating rink and there is no shortage of entertainment initiatives such as concerts, Santa's sleigh, fireworks and much more.
In Tuscany the magic of Arezzo City of Christmas is renewed. From 19 November, every weekend, the historic center comes alive with numerous attractions, markets, shows and events. Do not miss the House of Santa Claus in the Palazzo di Fraternita, while in the churches of the city you can admire original nativity scenes.... read more»
In the Marche from 26 November to 6 January there is the Christmas you don't expect in more than twenty towns in the province of Pesaro and Urbino. Markets, art, author and living nativity scenes, villages illuminated by candles, bright lights and decorations, initiatives for the little ones in the company of Santa Claus and his elves, workshops, concerts and shows in charming perched villages and rolling hills of the Marche hinterland.
In Umbria, the magic of Christmas can be felt in Gubbio (PG), where you can admire the largest Christmas tree in the world. In addition, incredible attractions, events and nativity scenes color the streets of the city. In the evocative location of the gardens of Piazza Quaranta Martiri, among a thousand lights and colours, the wooden stands of the Christmas Market create a suggestive atmosphere.
In Lazio there is Viterbo Christmas Village! From 27 November, the largest and best preserved medieval historic center in Europe will host the traditional markets with wooden houses, Santa Claus' house, the Nativity scene set up on two floors in the Papal Palace and many initiatives for children.
Finally, we could not fail to mention Cadeaux al Castello, the enchanting Christmas market set up in the Limatola Castle (BN). The medieval scenery of the castle makes the market one of the most beautiful in Italy, where there is no shortage of guided tours, itinerant shows and many initiatives for adults and children.
