No other Christmas markets quite match the atmosphere of those held in South Tyrol. Here, the mercatino di Natale in beautiful Bressanone, with great items for sale.
In Manarola in the Cinque Terre, every year since 1963, an entire hill gets populated with 300 figures – characters from the story of the Nativity, shepherds, animals, angels, houses – lit by thousands of light bulbs.
Sant'Agata Feltria in Emilia-Romagna dubs itself as 'il paese del Natale': in December, the streets of this quaint borgo are filled with Christmas-inspired stands, and the sound of bagpipes resonate in the background.
Gubbio boasts the largest Christmas tree in the world, located on the slopes of the 2,950-foot-high Mount Ingino, which overlooks the town. More than 250 bright-green lights form the silhouette of a fir tree.
Go ice-skating with quite the view! In Rome, an ice rink is set up in the shadow of Castel Sant'Angelo - a fun activity for the whole family.
Amazing light displays brighten Salerno for the annual Luci d'Artista show.
San Gregorio Armeno is a famous street in Naples where nativity scene makers display their famous and original creations, which include traditional figurines but also caricatures of politicians and celebrities.
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ boasts a strong tradition of living nativity scenes: one of the most evocative takes place at Sassi di Matera, the Unesco-inscribed city in Basilicata famous for its ancient cave dwellings.
In Sicily, don't miss the 'presepi' in Caltagirone, where the nativity scene figurines are made with the famous local ceramic.
All around ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, cities, towns and villages embrace the holiday season with bright street decorations, living nativity scenes, and charming markets featuring joyfully decorated stands selling cribs, wood sculptures, hand-made ceramics, candles, glass balls, angels and more.
Below is a round-up of places all across ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ where to immerse yourself in the holiday atmosphere. Let us know your favorite!
*If you're in need of ideas for your Christmas gift shopping, .
