Christmas Markets in Italy 2026: Dates by City, From Bolzano to Florence

Last updated: September 25, 2026

Italy’s Christmas markets split into two families. First, in the north, especially in South Tyrol and Trentino, they follow the Alpine tradition: wooden stalls, mulled wine, crafts and speck, and they stay open until Epiphany on January 6. Elsewhere, however, markets are shorter and often weekend-only, while in Naples the season belongs to the nativity workshops of Via San Gregorio Armeno. This guide lists the Christmas markets in Italy for 2026 with the dates each organizer has actually published, and it says clearly where 2026 dates are not out yet.

Christmas markets in Italy 2026: dates at a glance

Dates and hours checked on September 25, 2026. In general, food and drink stalls stay open later than the craft stalls, and hours also change on December 24, 25 and 31. We will update this page as more organizers publish their 2026 details.

Markets whose 2026 dates are not out yet

Several of the best-known markets had not published their 2026 dates when we checked. For this reason, last year’s dates give you a good idea of the pattern, but do not book around them:

• Verona, Piazza dei Signori: in 2025 it ran from November 21 to December 28, according to the official Visit Verona site.
• Milan, Oh Bej! Oh Bej! at the Castello Sforzesco: always tied to the city’s patron saint, St. Ambrose, on December 7; in 2025 it ran from December 5 to 8.
• Rome, Piazza Navona: the Christmas and Befana fair ran from December 1, 2025 to January 6, 2026.
• Candelara, in the Marche: the candlelit market ran on weekends from November 22 to December 14, 2025.
• Naples, Via San Gregorio Armeno: not a dated market but a street of nativity workshops, open all year and busiest from November to early January.

The best Christmas markets in Italy, region by region

South Tyrol: the Original Christmas Markets

The five towns of South Tyrol market themselves together as the “Original South Tyrolean Christmas Markets”. Bolzano, the largest, fills Piazza Walther and opens with a ceremony on the evening of November 26. Merano lines the promenade along the river, Bressanone sits in the cathedral square, Vipiteno gathers under its medieval tower and Brunico is the smallest and most local. Because they share the same dates, you can also see two or three in a day by regional train. If you are coming from Verona, Italo trains reach Bolzano in about 1 hour 28 minutes (two trains a day, checked September 2026).

Trentino: Trento, Rovereto, Levico and Arco

Trento’s market, in Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra, opens on November 20, a week before South Tyrol, and is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm. In addition, Levico Terme holds its market in the park of the old Habsburg spa, and Arco, near the northern tip of Lake Garda, opens on set days from November 13. For a lake day earlier in the year, see our Lake Garda day trips.

Tuscany: Florence and Arezzo

Florence’s German-style market takes over Piazza Santa Croce from November 14 to December 20, 2026, and it stays open late: until 10 pm Monday to Thursday and 11 pm from Friday to Sunday. Meanwhile, Arezzo, for example, turns Piazza Grande into a Tyrolean village from November 14, open Thursday to Sunday and then every day from December 17. Pair a market evening with a Florence food tour, and read our guide to Christmas in Florence for the rest of the season.

Piedmont: Govone and Santa Maria Maggiore

Govone’s Magico Paese di Natale, now in its 20th year, spreads across three towns near Asti on weekends from November 14 to December 20. By contrast, in the mountains, Santa Maria Maggiore in the Val Vigezzo holds one of Piedmont’s best-known mountain markets, but only for three days, December 6 to 8.

Rome, Venice and Naples

The big cities have smaller markets but a long season. Rome’s fair in Piazza Navona usually runs from early December to Epiphany; see Christmas in Rome. Venice, on the other hand, is more about lights and churches than stalls, as our guide to Christmas in Venice explains. Finally, Naples has Via San Gregorio Armeno: walk the nativity workshops first, then go underground with a Naples underground tour.

Beyond the markets, our guide to hidden Christmas events in Italy covers eight lesser-known traditions.

How to plan a Christmas market trip in Italy

• Avoid the December 8 weekend if you can. December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, is a public holiday and falls on a Tuesday in 2026, so the long weekend from December 5 to 8 will be the busiest of the season.
• Go on a weekday. In South Tyrol and Trento, weekday mornings are quiet; weekends are much busier.
• Remember Epiphany. January 6 is also a public holiday, and it is the last day for most Alpine markets. In 2027 it falls on a Wednesday.
• Book hotels early. As a result of the crowds, Bolzano, Merano and Trento fill up on weekends from late November.
• Combine a market with a day out. From Venice, the Dolomites day trips run through the same mountains; from Verona, the Verona walking tours cover the city before its market opens.

For the rest of the season, from lights to living nativity scenes, see our guide to Christmas in Italy, and for a full route, the northern Italy itinerary.

For weather, museum closures and where to go beyond the markets, see our guide to Italy in December. If you want the mountains too, compare Dolomites tours by season and starting point.

For the most famous Alpine fair, our Bolzano Christmas market guide has the official 2026/27 dates, hours and train tips.

Affiliate links: if you book through them, Italy2Love earns a commission at no extra cost to you.

Staying over? Our guide to where to stay in Florence matches each area to the kind of trip you want.

Christmas markets in Italy: frequently asked questions

When do the Christmas markets in Italy open in 2026?

The South Tyrol markets in Bolzano, Merano, Bressanone, Vipiteno and Brunico open on November 27, 2026 and close on January 6, 2027. Trento opens on November 20, and Florence and Arezzo on November 14, according to their official websites.

What is the best Christmas market in Italy?

Bolzano is the largest and best known, and the other South Tyrol towns share its dates, so you can combine two or three in one day. Trento opens earliest among the Alpine markets, and Florence’s Santa Croce market is the easiest to add to a city trip.

How late are the Christmas markets in Italy open?

Most Alpine craft stalls close at 7 or 8 pm, while food and drink stalls stay open later. Florence’s market in Piazza Santa Croce is open until 10 pm Monday to Thursday and 11 pm from Friday to Sunday.

Are Christmas markets in Italy open on Christmas Day?

Several are closed on December 25, including Bolzano, Bressanone and Brunico, and hours are shorter on December 24 and 31. Check each official page before you go.

When is the busiest time to visit Italian Christmas markets?

The long weekend around December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which falls on a Tuesday in 2026. Weekday mornings are the quietest time.