Where should you go in Italy in December? For Christmas markets, go to Bolzano, Trento or Florence. For nativity scenes, go to Naples and Rome. For the mildest weather, head south to Naples and Sicily. For quiet hill towns with real local traditions, go to Marche and Umbria, where Gubbio lights its giant tree and Loreto lights bonfires.
Italy in December 2026: quick answers
- Best Christmas markets: Bolzano (27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027), Trento (20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027) and Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce (14 November to 20 December 2026), all from the official organizers’ pages linked below
- Best for nativity scenes: Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples, and St. Peter’s Square in Rome, where the 2026 nativity scene comes from Abruzzo
- Mildest weather: Naples and Palermo, with average December highs around 13 °C (55 to 56 °F) in their provinces
- Snow and mountains: the Dolomites and South Tyrol, where the markets of Bolzano and Merano sit below ski slopes
- Off the tourist trail: Marche and Umbria: the candle festival in Candelara, the bonfires of Loreto on the night of 9 to 10 December, and the lighting of Gubbio’s giant tree on 7 December 2026
- Public holidays: 8 December (Tuesday in 2026), 25 and 26 December, 1 January and 6 January
We are Marco and Ilaria, and we live in Marche, the region between Umbria and the Adriatic. We design private, tailor-made trips around Italy, so we spend every December watching our own towns light up. This guide sorts the best places by the kind of trip you want, with 2026 dates taken only from official pages.
Is December a good time to visit Italy?
Yes, if you like cities, food and festive traditions more than beaches. December is the month of Christmas markets, nativity scenes and lights, and outside the holiday weeks the big art cities feel calmer than in spring or summer.
The trade-offs are short days and cooler, sometimes rainy weather. Beach towns are mostly asleep, so think of December as a month for cities, hill towns, mountains and long lunches. The busiest days are the long weekend around 8 December, a national holiday, and the week from Christmas to New Year.
What is the weather like in Italy in December?
December in Italy is cool rather than freezing in most cities, and much colder in the Alps. The north is the coldest part of the country, the center sits in between and the south and Sicily are the mildest.
The table uses the official 1981 to 2010 province averages from the Atlante italiano del clima e dei cambiamenti climatici, published by Italy’s Rete Rurale Nazionale. These are averages for the whole province, hills and mountains included, so city centers are often a little milder.
| Province | Average low | Average high | December rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolzano (South Tyrol, mostly mountains) | -6.7 °C (20 °F) | 0.1 °C (32 °F) | 45 mm |
| Milan | 0.5 °C (33 °F) | 6.2 °C (43 °F) | 66 mm |
| Venice | 1.5 °C (35 °F) | 7.7 °C (46 °F) | 74 mm |
| Florence | 3.0 °C (37 °F) | 8.6 °C (47 °F) | 86 mm |
| Perugia (Umbria) | 1.8 °C (35 °F) | 8.3 °C (47 °F) | 85 mm |
| Ancona (Marche) | 2.8 °C (37 °F) | 9.5 °C (49 °F) | 85 mm |
| Rome | 4.4 °C (40 °F) | 11.4 °C (53 °F) | 101 mm |
| Naples | 6.8 °C (44 °F) | 13.2 °C (56 °F) | 105 mm |
| Palermo (Sicily) | 7.3 °C (45 °F) | 13.0 °C (55 °F) | 92 mm |
For Florence itself, the Tuscany Region’s weather service LaMMA gives 1991 to 2020 December averages of 2.8 °C (37 °F) at night and 11.4 °C (53 °F) by day at Florence Peretola, with about 88 mm of rain over roughly 10 rainy days. Pack a warm coat, an umbrella and shoes that cope with wet stone streets.
Where to go in Italy in December by type of trip
The best place depends on what you want from the month. This table matches each kind of December trip with the places we would suggest to a friend.
| If you want | Go to | Why | Key 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas markets | Bolzano, Trento, Merano, Florence | Wooden chalets, mulled wine, crafts | Bolzano 27 Nov to 6 Jan; Trento 20 Nov to 6 Jan; Florence 14 Nov to 20 Dec |
| Nativity scenes | Naples, Rome | Workshops of San Gregorio Armeno; the Vatican nativity | Vatican lighting date not yet announced |
| Mild weather | Naples, Sicily | The warmest December averages in Italy | All month |
| Snow | Dolomites, South Tyrol | Ski season starts; markets in the valleys | Check each resort |
| Local traditions, few tourists | Marche and Umbria | Candles, bonfires and the giant tree | Gubbio 7 Dec; Loreto 9 to 10 Dec; Candelara weekends to 20 Dec |
| Art without the crowds | Florence, Rome, Perugia, Urbino | Museums and churches in a quieter month | Avoid 8 Dec and 25 Dec to 1 Jan if you can |
Where are the best Christmas markets in Italy in 2026?
The most famous Christmas markets are in South Tyrol and Trentino, in the far north, with Bolzano and Trento leading the list. Further south, Florence has the best-known market in an art city.
- Bolzano: the 35th edition fills Piazza Walther from 27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with the opening ceremony on 26 November at 17:00. Craft stalls open 10:00 to 19:00 and the whole market is closed on 25 December (Bolzano tourist board).
- Trento: Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra host the market from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, every day from 10:00 to 20:00, with shorter hours on Christmas Day (16:00 to 20:00) and on 24 and 31 December (Trento Città del Natale, Azienda per il Turismo Trento).
- Merano: the chalets line the promenade along the Passer river, as in the photo at the top of this page.
- Florence: the Weihnachtsmarkt in Piazza Santa Croce runs from 14 November to 20 December 2026 with more than fifty wooden stalls, open 10:00 to 22:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00 to 23:00 Friday to Sunday, free entry (Feel Florence, City of Florence).
Rome’s traditional fair in Piazza Navona had not published its 2026 dates when we wrote this on 10 November 2026, so check before you plan a day around it.
What is Rome like at Christmas?
Rome at Christmas centers on the tree and nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square, plus decorated churches and streets across the city. December is also a good month to see the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums with fewer people than in peak season, except during the holiday weeks.
For Christmas 2026 the Vatican has announced that the nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square will be created by the Archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto with the Friends of the Nativity of Atessa, in Abruzzo, and that the silver fir, about 25 meters tall, comes from the Cugno dell’Acero forest in Terranova di Pollino, in Basilicata (Holy See Press Office). The tree’s decorations are made by children in the ceramic workshops of the Lene Thun Foundation. The inauguration date had not been published by 10 November; in 2025 the tree and nativity were lit on 15 December (Vatican News).
Where can you see the best nativity scenes in Italy?
Naples is the capital of the Italian nativity scene, the presepe. On Via San Gregorio Armeno, in the historic center, artisan workshops make nativity figures all year round, and in December the street is at its busiest (Italia.it).
Inside the Certosa and Museum of San Martino, on the hill above the city, the Cuciniello nativity gathers about 800 18th-century figures collected by Michele Cuciniello and donated to the city. Italia.it also points to the royal nativity scene of the Reggia di Caserta, an easy day trip. Go early on a weekday: Via San Gregorio Armeno is narrow and fills up fast on December weekends.
What is there to do in Marche and Umbria in December?
Marche and Umbria offer December traditions that most guides skip: a village lit only by candles, bonfires for the Holy House of Loreto and the largest Christmas tree in the world. You will share them mostly with Italians, and the hill towns stay lively all winter.
Candele a Candelara: the candle festival near Pesaro
Candelara is a medieval hamlet 7 km from Pesaro, in northern Marche, and its December festival is Italy’s first Christmas market devoted entirely to candles. The 23rd edition takes place on 28 and 29 November and on 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19 and 20 December 2026, from 10:00 to 20:00. Twice each afternoon, at 17:30 and 18:30, the electric lights go off for 15 minutes and the village glows by candlelight alone. Entry is a €4 contribution before 13:00 and €6 after, free under 10 (Pro Loco di Candelara).
The Festa della Venuta in Loreto, 9 to 10 December
Loreto, near the Conero coast, is one of the most venerated shrines in the world. On the night between 9 and 10 December, bonfires are lit on the hills around the town to show the angels the way of the Holy House, all the church bells ring and a procession carries the Madonna out of the sanctuary. On 10 December a solemn pontifical mass is celebrated in the basilica (Let’s Marche, Marche Region tourism). In 2026 the vigil falls on a Wednesday evening. Combine it with a morning in nearby Recanati.
Gubbio and the largest Christmas tree in the world
Gubbio, in Umbria just across the border from Marche, draws the outline of a Christmas tree in lights on the slopes of Monte Ingino. It was first created in 1981, entered the Guinness World Records in 1991 and uses more than 300 colored light sources connected by about 8,500 meters of cable. In 2026 it shines from 7 December to 10 January 2027 (Umbria Tourism), and the lighting ceremony on 7 December is the highlight of the town’s Christmas program (Comune di Gubbio). The official Gubbio è Natale site lists a Christmas market, an ice rink, a Ferris wheel and a life-size nativity in the San Martino quarter from 21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 (Gubbio è Natale). From Gubbio, Perugia and Assisi are easy to add.
Want a winter trip built around these traditions?
We live in Marche and plan private trips for 1 to 7 guests: Gubbio’s tree, the Loreto bonfires, a candlelit evening in Candelara, truffle lunches and wineries, with licensed guides and our own drivers taking you there. See our private Marche tours or our private luxury tours of Italy.
Where can you find snow in Italy in December?
For reliable snow, go to the Alps and the Dolomites. South Tyrol is the easiest choice because you can pair the slopes with the Christmas markets of Bolzano and Merano in the valleys below.
The ski season starts at different dates in each resort and depends on the snow, so check the resort’s own site before you book. In central Italy, the Apennines get snow too: in Marche, the Sibillini Mountains have ski slopes such as Sassotetto above Sarnano, which suit a day in the snow rather than a full ski week.
Which Italian city is warm in December?
Naples and Palermo are the warmest big cities in December, with average highs of about 13 °C (55 to 56 °F) and lows near 7 °C (44 to 45 °F) in their provinces, according to the official climate atlas above. Rome follows at about 11 °C (53 °F) by day.
Warm here means pleasant for walking and outdoor sightseeing, not for the beach. The south is also wetter in December than the north, so bring a rain jacket. Sicily’s baroque towns and Greek temples are much quieter now than in summer.
What is closed in Italy over Christmas?
Expect closures on Italy’s national holidays: 8 December (Immaculate Conception), 25 December (Christmas), 26 December (Santo Stefano), 1 January and 6 January (Epiphany), as listed by the Ministry of Education’s 2026 to 2027 calendar summary. In 2026, 8 December is a Tuesday, Christmas is a Friday and Santo Stefano is a Saturday, so many Italians travel over the weekend of 5 to 8 December.
Many museums, shops and restaurants close on 25 December, and some on the afternoon of the 24th. Even the markets change hours: Bolzano’s market is closed on Christmas Day, while Trento’s opens only from 16:00 to 20:00. Book Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals well ahead, because restaurants that stay open fill with Italian families.
A sample 8-day December route through central Italy
This route uses the 2026 dates above and links Rome, Umbria and Marche in one week. It works best with a driver or a rental car, because the hill towns are poorly served by trains.
- Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December: Rome. The Vatican, the Colosseum and the city’s decorated churches and streets.
- Monday 7 December: Gubbio. Arrive in the afternoon, walk the medieval center and stay for the lighting of the giant tree.
- Tuesday 8 December: Urbino and Candelara. Morning in Renaissance Urbino, then the candle festival in Candelara for the 17:30 and 18:30 candlelit moments.
- Wednesday 9 December: the Conero and Loreto. Lunch by the sea, then the evening vigil and bonfires of the Venuta in Loreto.
- Thursday 10 December: Recanati and the Marche hills. Leopardi’s hometown, a winery visit and a slow dinner in a hill town.
- Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December: Florence. Museums by day and the Santa Croce Christmas market, open until 20 December, by night.
For more ideas in our region, read our Le Marche travel guide and our seasonal notes on luxury travel in Italy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to visit in Italy in December?
It depends on your trip. Bolzano and Trento have the best-known Christmas markets, Naples has the most famous nativity scenes, Rome combines Christmas with major sights, and Marche and Umbria offer local traditions such as Gubbio’s giant tree and the Loreto bonfires with far fewer tourists.
How cold is Italy in December?
Official 1981 to 2010 province averages show December highs of about 6 °C (43 °F) in Milan, 9 °C (47 °F) in Florence, 11 °C (53 °F) in Rome and 13 °C (55 to 56 °F) in Naples and Palermo. Nights are near freezing in the north and well below freezing in the Alps.
When do the Christmas markets in Italy open in 2026?
Florence’s Santa Croce market opens on 14 November 2026 and closes on 20 December. Trento runs from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, and Bolzano from 27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, closed on 25 December.
Is Italy crowded in December?
The first three weeks of December are generally calmer than spring and summer, but the long weekend around 8 December and the week from Christmas to New Year are busy, both in the art cities and in the mountains. Book hotels and Christmas meals early for those dates.
When is Gubbio’s Christmas tree lit in 2026?
The largest Christmas tree in the world, drawn in lights on Monte Ingino above Gubbio, is lit on 7 December 2026 and stays on until 10 January 2027, according to Umbria Tourism.
What is open in Italy on Christmas Day?
Most museums and many shops are closed on 25 December, and some restaurants close too, so book ahead. Churches are open for Christmas services, and some markets keep short hours: in 2026 Trento’s market opens from 16:00 to 20:00 on Christmas Day, while Bolzano’s is closed.
Plan your winter trip with locals in Marche
Sweet Life Italy is a certified incoming tour operator of the Marche Region, based in Castelraimondo and founded by Marco and Ilaria, who live in Marche. We design private, tailor-made trips for 1 to 7 guests across Marche and the rest of Italy, with licensed guides, food and wine experiences and our own drivers, and we bring more than 13 years in luxury tourism to every itinerary.
We plan every trip with at least 8 weeks’ notice, so if December 2026 is already too close, this is the right moment to plan a late-winter escape or next December. Tell us about your trip and we will start with a free video call. After that we send a day-by-day proposal and a free first estimate.
Featured photo: the Christmas market in Merano, by Kurverwaltung Meran / E. Callierotti via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
