Looking for the best Christmas markets in Italy? This map shows 10 Italian Christmas markets for 2026, with dates, opening hours, exact locations and directions to each one.
When do the Christmas markets start in Italy in 2026? The first to open are Arezzo and Florence on 14 November, followed by Trento on 20 November. Merano opens on 26 November, and Bolzano, Bressanone, Brunico and Vipiteno on 27 November. Most Alpine markets run until 6 January 2027, but Florence's market closes on 20 December and Arezzo's on 27 December.
Which is the best Christmas market in Italy? For a classic Alpine market, go to South Tyrol: Bolzano is the biggest and best known, while Merano, Bressanone, Brunico and Vipiteno are smaller and easy to visit by train. Trento is the best pick if you're travelling early in the season. Further south, Arezzo has Tuscany's Tyrolean village, Florence a German-style market in Piazza Santa Croce, and Rome its traditional market in Piazza Navona.
The organisers have confirmed the 2026 dates for 8 of the 10 markets. Verona and Piazza Navona haven't announced theirs yet, so we show last year's dates as a guide. Check the official announcements before you travel.
Event · Christmas market · South Tyrol
27 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Stalls daily 10:00-19:00 (24 Dec 10:00-16:00), closed 25 Dec
Italy's best-known Christmas market, in Piazza Walther with more artisan stalls along Via Isarco. South Tyrolean crafts, speck, strudel and mulled wine with the mountains behind.
Tip: Opening ceremony on 26 November at 17:00.
Event · Christmas market · South Tyrol
26 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Stalls 10:00-19:00, Fri and Sat to 20:00, closed 25 Dec
Stalls along the Passer river promenade beside the Kurhaus and in Piazza Terme. A relaxed spa-town market, easy to combine with Merano's thermal baths.
Event · Christmas market · Trentino
20 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Daily 10:00-20:00 (25 Dec 16:00-20:00)
Wooden chalets in Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra, by the old city walls and Buonconsiglio Castle. One of the first Alpine markets in Italy to open each year.
Tip: Unlike the South Tyrol markets, Trento opens on Christmas Day (16:00-20:00).
Event · Christmas market · South Tyrol
27 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Stalls Mon to Thu 11:00-19:00, Fri to Sun 10:00-19:00, closed 25 Dec
A compact market in Piazza Duomo, right in front of Brixen's cathedral. Smaller and calmer than Bolzano, with local crafts and South Tyrolean food.
Event · Christmas market · Veneto
2026 dates not announced (2025: 21 Nov to 28 Dec) · 2025 edition: Sun to Thu 10:00-21:00, Fri and Sat 10:00-23:00
Run with the city of Nuremberg, so expect a German-style market. In 2025 its main site moved to Piazza Bra, beside the Arena, with more stalls in Piazza dei Signori.
Tip: Squares can change from year to year. Check the organiser's site for the 2026 locations.
Event · Christmas market · South Tyrol
27 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Stalls daily 10:00-19:00 (24 Dec 10:00-14:00), closed 25 Dec
Stalls along Via Bastioni (Graben), Piazza Tschurtschenthaler and Via Ragen di Sopra, in a small mountain town in the Puster Valley near the Kronplatz ski area.
Event · Christmas market · Tuscany
14 Nov to 27 Dec 2026 · Thu to Sun 10:00-21:00, daily from 17 Dec
A Tyrolean-style Christmas village in the sloping Piazza Grande, the heart of Arezzo's Città del Natale festival, one of Tuscany's biggest Christmas events.
Tip: The wider Città del Natale festival continues until 6 January, but the Piazza Grande market ends on 27 December.
Event · Christmas market · South Tyrol
27 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 · Stalls generally 10:00-19:00 (24 Dec 10:00-13:00)
Stalls in Piazza Città at the foot of the Zwölferturm tower, in a pretty old town just south of the Brenner Pass.
Event · Christmas market · Florence
14 Nov to 20 Dec 2026 · Mon to Thu 10:00-22:00, Fri to Sun 10:00-23:00
Florence's main Christmas market, a German-style Weihnachtsmarkt in front of the Basilica of Santa Croce. Note it closes before Christmas.
Tip: It closes on 20 December, so it's not open over Christmas itself.
Event · Christmas market · Rome
2026 dates not announced (2025/26: 6 Dec to 6 Jan) · 2025/26 edition: daily 9:00 to 1:00
Rome's classic Christmas market, with stalls, a carousel and the Befana around the Fountain of the Four Rivers. It runs until Epiphany on 6 January.
Recommended hotels
Bolzano centre
Best for: South Tyrol base
Art Nouveau hotel from 1910 in its own park, a few minutes' walk from the market in Piazza Walther.
Check pricesBressanone old town
Best for: Atmosphere
Historic family-run hotel in Brixen with a garden and pool, a short walk from Piazza Duomo.
Check pricesVerona old town
Best for: Splurge
Five-star hotel in a 14th-century palazzo, a short walk from Piazza dei Signori and Piazza Bra.
Check pricesFlorence, Duomo
Best for: Location
Built around a Byzantine tower near the Duomo, about 15 minutes' walk from Santa Croce.
Check pricesRecommended activities
Full day
A guided day visiting Bolzano and other Alpine Christmas markets, with transport included.
BookFull day
Mountain passes, lakes and snowy villages near Bolzano and Brixen.
Book2-4 hours
Warm up after the market in the indoor and outdoor pools of Terme Merano.
BookBefore you go
Prague · 8 markets
All 8 Prague Christmas markets for 2026 on one map: opening dates, hours, where each market is and which one is best for you.
Open map
Paris · 8 markets
8 Paris Christmas markets for 2026 on one map: dates, where each market is and which one is best for you.
Open map
Florence · 1 day · 9 stops
What to see in Florence in one day: a 9-stop walking itinerary with a map, walking times and directions, from Santa Maria Novella to Piazzale Michelangelo.
Open route