I'd like to see Christmas-y stuff for about 10 days by train toward the beginning of December. My only options are flying into Milan or Rome and home from Rome. I probably won't do much sightseeing, unless there's a special exhibition.
I have no idea where to go. Obviously Rome for 2-3 nights. Venice is my favorite city. I'm ready to hop on a train as soon as I get to Milan.
Verona had a great Christmas Market in the old city the last time I was there (OK 7 years ago).
Venice Campo San Toma has an outdoor ice skating rink with some stands selling Gluhwein and Tirolean cheese and sausage.
Are you only interested in Italy? You could hop a train, as you say, to Germany or Austria where the Christmas markets originated.
If you fly into Milan, that gives you more northern christmas-y places to explore. Verona has been mentioned. An easy trip is up to Bolzano and its market via train. Myself, I want to explore the area from Bolzano over to Lienz - Innichen for sure - and then maybe back down to Venice. I have not looked up Christmas market dates yet. Anticipation and planning are such fun!
I am going to be watching for a trip report because this exact idea is on my December list in either 2023 or 2024….
Here are the two best Christmas experiences we've had in Italy.
One year we stayed in Naples before Christmas and visited the little streets that sell the "ingredients" for making the nativity scenes (presepi): people, animals, vehicles, food, houses, flowers, trees, the tools and costumes for various occupations and activities, even things like tiny bricks and stepping stones, etc. All different styles and sizes in many shops and displayed on tables. The people figures are not just the usual shepherds, wise men, angels, and so on, but U.S. presidents, soccer players, children, grandmothers, pizza makers, police officers, you name it. Some were mechanized and could chop down a tree or sew a shirt. Naples in December was calm and inviting and fun (we kept wondering where all the "grit" and craziness was --- so much else to do there, too.
The other place would be a lot more trouble for you to get to. It's a very small town about halfway between Florence and Ravenna called Portico di Romagna. Every year, the townspeople, schoolchildren, and various artists and groups of people all create presepi to fill every nook and cranny of the town. These literally line every street and project from the walls of people's houses. Some of the nativity scenes are traditional, but many are made from unusual materials (shells, the guts of old radios and TVs, musical instruments, nuts and dried flowers, recycling stuff, broken flower pots, pebbles, driftwood), and quite a few are political or satirical or funny or larger than lifesize or just plain weird. Maybe my favorite one was made from old electronics and wood scraps and featured a crowd of wooden people surrounding the manger photographing it with real cellphones. It seemed like the people in the town make different ones every year. We stayed several nights in an old convent in town and saw that while the town was quiet on weekdays, there were throngs of mostly Italian tourists there on weekends.
In Rome Piazza Navona Christmas market starts on Dec. 8th.
Thanks to all who took the time to respond. Like too many posters, I started here instead of doing a little googling first.
I took one Christmas markets trip a few years ago, Germany, Alsace and Salzburg. I thought about Italy because I don't have really warm winter clothes. In early December I'm still in summer clothes and often in sandals! (Bolzano would be a hard pass 🤧)
With your thoughtful replies, I did a little "research." It seems that the most popular places are heavily Germanic - lots of typical foods, gifts, decorations.
Now I'm looking at the French riviera and maybe Spain.
