A Perfect Rome Christmas Trip

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the Holiday season that is a wonderful combination of whimsy, feasting, festivities, and reverent tradition — a Rome Christmas might be exactly what you’re looking for.

One of the many reasons I love creating custom itineraries for clients who want to celebrate Christmas in Rome is that there are so many things to do, and you can enjoy plenty of familiar activities, along with uniquely-Italian cultural experiences that will not only elevate your holiday but that will make many unforgettable memories.

Unlike Easter in Rome, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors, Christmas in Rome tends to be a bit more subdued. Many people leave town to be with family, and while it’s fun, festive, and very beautiful, you can also experience the city in a fresh and new way.

You kind of get the best of everything: lighter crowds, but still lots of interesting celebrations going on, and sites, businesses, and restaurants are still open as usual.

While major tourist attractions like the Colosseum are closed on the 24th and 25th, Vatican City is open and offers some spectacular Christmas events (see below).

Here are my favorite things to see and do on an ideal Rome Christmas adventure!

Take in the Rome Christmas markets

Christmas markets are a long and proud tradition in Europe, with many to choose from in larger cities starting in late November and going through the first week of January.

Each has its unique focus and aesthetic, from old-world style and vintage goods to winter carnivals and artisan Christmas food and crafts. You can even go ice skating if you want!

The biggest market is in the breathtaking Piazza Navona, where you’ll find dozens of stalls selling Christmas food and drink, holiday decorations, and artisan gifts. This is also the perfect stop for families, with street performers and a big Christmas carousel for kids (and kids-at-heart).

See the ancient streets all lit up

Rome Christmas really knows how to put on a light show. The city becomes a kind of storybook wonderland after the 8th of December. Imagine twinkling, warm-glow lights everywhere, illuminating thousand-year-old streets and buildings.

You can stroll the centro storico, or city center, or explore the main thoroughfare, Via del Corso, in all its Holiday finery. Colossal Christmas trees adorn St. Peter’s Square and the Colosseum. Rome’s exclusive shopping street, the Via dei Condotti, really comes alive with elaborate light designs, with a different theme each year.

Rome is also rightly famous for its many elaborate Nativity scenes — on the street, in churches, in storefronts. (If you want a guided tour of all the best sights and lights, I love this festive tour.)

Enjoy special Holiday cuisine

No surprise, but a Rome Christmas also includes special celebratory foods!

Along with classic pasta dishes like gnocchi alla Romana, the most traditional Rome Christmas lunch features abbacchio, which is lamb cooked with garlic and rosemary and served with potatoes or other hearty vegetables.

For pastry lovers, the Holidays offer a couple of unique seasonal treats. You can enjoy some pangiallo, which is a dense, sweet cornmeal-based bread filled with nuts, dates, chocolate, and honey. You’ll also see panettone (literally “big bread;” pictured) everywhere — it’s a soft, sweet, buttery bread dotted with raisins, candied fruits, almonds, and citrus.

Typically, a big dinner is also served on Christmas Eve before midnight mass. Known as “The Feast of the Seven Fishes,” this meal features fish, shellfish, and other ocean delicacies. I’m from Italian-American family and we participate in this tradition every year! If you’re a fan of seafood, there’s never a better time to indulge!

Christmas Mass with the Pope

Even people who are not religious at all often experience a certain kind of awe in St. Peter’s Basilica. As the global seat of the Catholic church, this time of year is an extremely meaningful season for thousands of Romans.

If your travel plans include being in Rome on Christmas Eve, be sure to catch the unveiling of the Vatican’s life-size nativity scene – called a presepe, and join locals and pilgrims and tourists alike for the midnight mass with the Pope. Whether it’s the earnest devotion of the crowds, the towering glory of the basilica itself, or the reassuring words of Francis — many travelers report that this is an experience that stayed with them.

Celebrate Hanukkah, too

Rome is home to one of Europe’s most historic Jewish populations, and both the Rione Sant’Angelo and Trastevere neighborhoods are filled with vibrant shops and restaurants that celebrate Jewish history, food, and culture.

Each year, the city displays a huge 20-foot tall menorah in Piazza Barbarini. Each night of Hanukkah one of the candles is lit (you can watch it happen at 6 pm). And, on the final night of Hanukkah, join the locals at the Hanukkah Street Party where there’s plenty of music, dancing, food, and drink!

Your perfect Rome Christmas is waiting for you!

Christmas time is one of the most fun times to visit Rome. It’s full of things to do, special celebrations, and unique cultural experiences.

Many travelers from the US tell me that getting away during the Holidays is wonderful: it’s more relaxing, less pressured, and offers time with loved ones in a gorgeous setting. They often wind up making it an annual tradition!

With a custom-designed itinerary, I can help you find just the right places to see, stay, and enjoy, direct you to the best restaurants, and can make sure you experience a Christmas in Rome that you’ll never forget.