Immaculate Conception in Italy 2026: December 8 Guide

The Immaculate Conception on December 8 is a national public holiday in Italy, and it marks the start of the Christmas season. In 2026 it falls on a Tuesday, so it can become a long weekend from Saturday, December 5. Here is what’s open, what’s closed, the Pope’s visit to the Spanish Steps and how Milan celebrates the day before.

Last updated: October 21, 2026. We checked the information below on the official pages of the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi, the Vatican Press Office, Teatro alla Scala and Italy’s tourism portals on that date.

The Immaculate Conception in Italy at a glance

Is the Immaculate Conception in Italy a public holiday?

Yes. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Immacolata) is one of Italy’s national holidays, listed in the law on public holidays. As a result, shops and restaurants may keep holiday hours, so check opening times on the day.

In 2026, December 8 falls on a Tuesday. Because of this, one day off on Monday, December 7 turns it into a four-day weekend from Saturday, December 5. In Milan, Monday, December 7 is already the city’s own holiday, so the long weekend comes naturally. So book trains and rooms early for those days.

What’s open on the Immaculate Conception in Italy in 2026

• Vatican Museums: closed on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, according to their official calendar. They’re also closed on December 25 and 26 and on Sundays, except Sunday, December 27, when entry is free from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. On December 24 and 31, they let visitors in from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and close at 3:00 pm. See our guide to Vatican Museums tickets.
• Colosseum: open. It closes only on December 25 and January 1, and from late October to December 31 it opens from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with last entry at 3:30 pm. Read our guide to Colosseum tickets.
• Uffizi Gallery: open, because it closes on Mondays, not Tuesdays, plus December 25 and January 1.
• Other museums: there’s no single rule. So check each museum’s weekly closing day and holiday hours before you go.

The Pope at the Spanish Steps

Every December 8, the Pope traditionally visits the column of the Immaculate Conception near the Spanish Steps to pray and lay flowers. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV arrived at Piazza di Spagna at around 4:00 pm, according to the Vatican Press Office. However, the Vatican hasn’t announced the 2026 time yet, and it usually confirms it in early December.

So if you want to see it, arrive early, and check the Vatican’s announcement in early December for the 2026 time. For the rest of the season at the Vatican, read our guide to Christmas at the Vatican.

The Immaculate Conception in Italy starts the Christmas season

December 8 is when much of Italy switches on for Christmas. In Rome, the city lit its tree in Piazza del Popolo on December 8, 2025. The 100 Nativity Scenes exhibition under Bernini’s colonnade opened the same day. Read our guide to the Rome Christmas markets for the rest of the season.

In Florence, the city traditionally lights the tree in Piazza del Duomo on December 8, and the cardinal blesses the cathedral’s nativity scene that day. However, Milan works differently: it lit the big tree in Piazza del Duomo on December 6 in both 2023 and 2025. See our guides to Christmas in Florence and Christmas in Milan.

Milan on December 7: Sant’Ambrogio, Oh Bej! Oh Bej! and La Scala

Milan celebrates its patron saint, Sant’Ambrogio, on December 7, and so offices in the city close. In 2026 that’s a Monday, the day before the national holiday.

The Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair

Milan’s Christmas fair, Oh Bej! Oh Bej!, fills the area around Piazza Castello and the Castello Sforzesco. Last year it ran from December 5 to 8, 2025, and Milan hadn’t published the 2026 dates when we checked. The name means “Oh, how beautiful!” in Milanese dialect, and legend ties it to gifts handed out to children in the 1500s.

At the fair, stalls sell crafts, traditional sweets, toys, flowers, copper and wrought iron, antiques and roasted chestnuts. Also, look for firunatt, necklaces of smoked chestnuts threaded on string, because they’re a fair tradition.

Opening night at La Scala

In Milan, La Scala opens its season every December 7. On Monday, December 7, 2026, at 6:00 pm, the opening night is Verdi’s Otello, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung and directed by Damiano Michieletto. The opening night is already sold out. However, later performances run from December 10, 2026 to January 5, 2027, and La Scala sells tickets only on its official website.

Plan your long weekend

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First, because of the long weekend, book rooms early: compare hotels in Rome on Expedia or hotels in Milan on Expedia. Then, in Rome, a guided walk is an easy way to see the decorations, such as this semi-private Christmas walking tour of Rome.

Finally, for the full month, see our list of events in Italy in December, our guide to Italy in December and our Christmas in Rome guide.

Sources and verification

On October 21, 2026, we checked the Vatican Museums’ 2026–27 opening calendar, the Colosseum and Uffizi opening times, the Vatican Press Office’s note on the Pope’s visit on December 8, 2025, Turismo Roma’s pages on Rome’s Christmas trees, Italy’s national tourism portal and YesMilano on Sant’Ambrogio, In Lombardia on the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair, and Teatro alla Scala’s page on Otello.

Frequently asked questions

Is December 8 a public holiday in Italy?

Yes. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 is a national public holiday. In 2026 it falls on a Tuesday.

Are the Vatican Museums open on December 8, 2026?

No. According to their official calendar, the Vatican Museums are closed on Tuesday, December 8, 2026.

Is the Colosseum open on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?

Yes. The Colosseum closes only on December 25 and January 1, so it’s open on December 8, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with last entry at 3:30 pm.

What time does the Pope go to the Spanish Steps on December 8?

In 2025 the Pope arrived at Piazza di Spagna at around 4:00 pm. The 2026 time hasn’t been announced yet, and the Vatican usually confirms it in early December.

When do Christmas trees get lit in Rome, Milan and Florence?

Rome lit its tree in Piazza del Popolo on December 8, 2025, and Florence traditionally lights its Duomo tree on December 8. Milan lit its Duomo tree on December 6 in 2023 and 2025.