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Rome at Christmas 2024
I absolutely love Rome at Christmas time.
The city is all lit up and decorated, there are wonderful things to eat (always a priority with me), and it's a great time to see Rome in an entirely different light - literally.
Christmas Market in Piazza Navona 2024
Every year we wait for news about the Christmas Market in Piazza Navona.
For 2024 we are still waiting for details!
The Christmas Market and Fair in Piazza Navona in 2014, when a controversy and scandal caused the fair to reduce its proportions drastically. This is now more or less what it looks like each year since then.Here's what you need to know about coming to Rome at Christmas time:
- Is everything closed in Rome on Christmas?
- What can I do on Christmas Day in Rome?
- Where can I eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
- Is Rome crowded at Christmas?
- When do they light the tree at the Vatican?
- Are there Christmas Markets in Rome? Where are they and what are they like?
- What's the weather like in Rome at Christmas time?
- How can I get tickets to midnight mass at the Vatican? How can I see the pope during Christmas?
Rome at Christmas - what to do
Trastevere street during Christmas in RomeWill you be in Rome for Christmas?
Are you worried that a lot is closed?
Well don't worry!
The city is quite alive and only a few places close on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day, but there is still plenty to do and you will not be without a place to eat.
The Christmas holiday season in Rome starts on December 8, which is the holiday of the Immaculate Conception, or Immacolata.
The season officially ends on January 6, the Epiphany.
This day is called the Befana in Italy.
The word Befana is not a direct translation from the word Epiphany.
In Italy, the Befana is a good, although not pretty, witch that flies around and brings gifts to children on the night of the 5th of January, celebrating the Day of the Kings, or Epiphany.
What's closed in Rome at Christmas time
During the Christmas holiday season in Rome, pretty much the whole city is open normally with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, the day after Christmas (Santo Stefano), and New Years' Day.
The Vatican Museums will also be closed on January 6 (the Epiphany.)
Main Rome sites that close in Rome at Christmas holidays
Most of the major sites and monuments that have entry tickets, including the Forum, and Borghese Gallery, are closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day.
They will, however, all be open on the 26th, despite that day also being a holiday.
TIP!!
The 26th of December is an excellent time to sight-see.
Many sites will be much less crowded than usual.
Vatican closing days and times in Rome at Christmas
The Vatican museums are open normally throughout Christmas time, with the following exceptions:
- December 25, Christmas Day
- December 26, St. Stephens (Santo Stefano)
- January 1, New Years Day
- January 6, Epiphany
Saint Peter's Basilica is open daily for visits and normally scheduled masses.
The basilica opens at 7am and closes at 6:30pm.
You may also climb St. Peter's dome (it's wonderful to see the Christmas tree in Saint Peter's Square from way up high!)
See below for more information about midnight mass at the Vatican.
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Rome at Christmas - Shops closing hours
Many shops have extended hours from early November through the 6th of January, i.e. opening on Sundays or staying open through lunch when they don't normally.
Decorations going up for Christmas at one of the many shops on Via VenetoHowever, most shops will be closed by 6pm on Christmas Eve, and shops in Rome will be closed on both the December 25th and 26th.
In the UK and other Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping and sales days of the year.
In the US, the 26th of December is a day for after-Christmas sales (and returning or exchanging some of what you got as a gift on the 25th.)
In Italy, there is no such thing.
Here's why:
- You just don't return stuff you get as gifts (they are just not that into returning and exchanging things here, and you can almost never get your money back.)
- December 26th is Santo Stefano, another religious holiday, which is why banks, offices and shops are closed. But Italians start chomping at the bit by the afternoon of the 25th and from then, and all during the 26th, you will see large swaths of Italians strolling the city center, gazing longingly at the shop windows.
- Shopping sales (saldi) are held twice a year, the dates of which are government regulated. Sales are held once in summer and once in winter. In Rome, winter sales begin sometime the first week in January. Click here for more about Shopping Sales in Rome.
TIP!
Do you really need to shop on December 25th?
Termini train station has many shops, restaurants, a few pharmacies and a grocery store.
They are (almost) all open on Christmas Day!
Restaurants closing in Rome over the Christmas holidays
Most Rome restaurants are open normally throughout the holiday season but may close for Christmas Eve, sometimes Christmas day (although many are open for Christmas day lunch, which is popular among Italians today), and particularly Christmas day evening.
Most Rome restaurants stay open for New Years' Eve, offering a special New Years Eve menu (cenone, or big dinner), at a set price.
Alternatively, some restaurants will offer an "a la carte" menu for Christmas and/or New Years, except that the menu will not be their usual one, and the prices will be higher.
Some Rome restaurants close for New Years day, either for lunch or the entire day.
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So then, what CAN you do on Christmas day in Rome?
So now that I've told you about all the things that are closed, you may be wondering what to do on Christmas Day in Rome.
Here's a list of things I have done in my years here, things I've sent our guests to do, and things I know Romans do on Christmas day:
Walk around the city center, soaking up the lights and atmosphere, from via Veneto to via del Corso.
Enjoy the Christmas market in Piazza Navona. It's a fun, festive thing to do!
Take the bus to the Gianicolo hill and get a bird's eye view of Rome from there.
There is another carousel here for kids, too.
Visit any number of churches and see the presepi, or Nativity Scenes.
There are also generally nativity scenes on display in the Piazza del Campidoglio, Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo.
Watch the Pope's Christmas Day Urbi et Orbi speech.
The Pope appears at the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and blesses the crowd.
(He only does this one other time each year, at Easter.)
You don't need tickets but this event normally draws large crowds so come early and be prepared to wait in line for security.
Have a big Roman Christmas lunch out at a restaurant.
Make it last at least 3 hours (this is quite the Roman thing to do. But you have to book in advance!)
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Concerts to attend in Rome at Christmas
Besides the above concert on Christmas Day, there are a few other concerts in Rome around this time that will get you into the holiday spirit!
Enjoy a Baroque music concert with an art and music introduction in a stunning location in Rome.
Listen to original music by masters such as Palestrina, Victoria, Arcadelt, Lasso, Morales, and Anerio - once composed for the Sistine Chapel choir.
Check out the Rome Gospel Festival at the Rome Auditorium.
There will be a special Christmas Day concert by the Harlem Gospel Choir.
Tickets from €25.
The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.
In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
Rome at Christmas - Exhibits Open Christmas Day
Italian state museums and sites, like the Galleria Borghese and Castel Sant'Angelo; and Rome museums, such as the Capitoline Museums are all normally closed Christmas Day (but open the 26th.)
They also have shorter hours on the 24th.
For a complete list of museums and exhibits open/closed during Rome at Christmas, visit the official Rome Tourist Information page.
(This page is almost never translated into English so hopefully you can either figure it out from the Italian version, or use Google translate.)
Where to see the lights in Rome at Christmas
Until only a few years ago, lighting up streets, homes and buildings was a small part of the Christmas tradition in Italy.
And Christmas trees, which are originally a Northern European tradition, only started being a thing in Rome and in Italy the past few decades.
Christmas tree in front of the Complesso Vittoriano in Piazza Vittorio - the decorations and type of tree change every year, and this one was particularly beautiful!Now, Rome at Christmas is awash in lights and decorations.
Certainly just walking around the city center is a fun thing to do during the holidays in Rome.
The best streets/areas include the area around the Spanish Steps, via del Corso, via dei Coronari, Trastevere, and Piazza Navona.
Piazza del Popolo will have a big Christmas tree set up in early December 2024.
Take a half day Rome tour and see the lights!
Why not combine a Rome golf-cart tour with a chance to see the best of Rome Christmas decorations?
Is Rome crowded at Christmas?
The answer is yes.
And no.
Mostly Rome is not very crowded just up to Christmas and on Christmas.
The Spanish Steps at Christmastime. It can be very crowded just before Christmas and through New Years, but there are quiet moments tooIt starts getting pretty busy right after Christmas and leading up to New Years and then through January 6 (Epiphany or befana.)
So for the dates leading up to Christmas you should be able to find inexpensive accommodations in Rome, but from the 26th, expect rates to go up.
Booking.comWhen do they light the tree in Vatican Square in Rome at Christmas?
The Christmas tree in Vatican Square is without a doubt one of the most popular of the Christmas trees in Rome.
A relatively new phenomenon, started in 1982 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, the tree is lit up in the afternoon sometime around December 8.
There is also an enormous life-sized nativity scene in the square, in addition to the one inside St. Peter's Basilica.
The Christmas tree and Nativity Scene in Vatican Square is one of the biggest attractions around the Christmas holidays, usually lit sometime around December 8, and staying up through January 6The nativity scene and Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square will be lit on December 7, 2024 at 5 PM.
This Christmas in St Peter's Square, the Vatican nativity scene will be from Grado, Italy.
You can read more about it here.
The tree and nativity scene will stay in Saint Peter's Square through January 12th 2025.
Christmas markets in Rome
Rome at Christmas - Market in Piazza Navona
We really have one famous Christmas market in Rome, and that is the one in Piazza Navona.
In Rome at Christmas, Piazza Navona is the main draw as a Christmas Fair.There are a few others around the city but Piazza Navona is the most famous and most popular.
However, in recent years, it's changed and even diminished quite a lot.
Read more on my dedicated page about Christmas Markets in Rome.
Rome at Christmas - Year-Round Christmas store
If you are looking for some seriously cute Christmas ornaments and decorations, check out the "Sempre Natale" store in Rome.
That means "always Christmas", and it does feel like it inside.
The shop is small but well stocked with a great assortment of ornaments.
Via della Scrofa 93, not far from Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.
Open Thurs - Tues 11am - 9pm.
Closed Wednesday.
"Sempre Natale" Christmas shop, where it's always Christmas in Rome!Nativity scenes in Rome at Christmas
Probably one of the oldest Christmas traditions in Italy is the Presepe, or Crèche, or, Nativity Scene.
Whatever you call it, you will find them everywhere in Rome at Christmas, and they are amazing.
The Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square at the VaticanThe most popular Nativity Scenes in Rome at Christmas are in the center of Piazza Navona, the one in Vatican Square, the one in Piazza del Popolo and the one in the church of Santa Maria d'Aracoeli, on the Capitoline Hill.
But almost every church in Rome (and frankly just about everywhere in Italy) has a presepe during Christmas.
Naples is famous for their Nativity Scenes.
There is a street I love to visit there, Via San Gregorio Armeno, where the artisans make the figures and figurines for nativity scenes around Italy and the world.
Via di San Gregorio in Armeno in Naples
Figurines for Nativity Scenes (presepi) in NaplesThese figurines are just incredible, down to the tiniest detail . . . like little wood burning stoves that actually light up; bakers shoving pizza into ovens; and animals that seem alive even though they are only the size of my hand.
One more year-round Christmas Store in Rome - Presepi
Speaking of these little figurines for Christmas Nativity Scenes (presepi), you may also want to check out the shop on via di Sant'Agostino that sells these year-round.
So even if you are not in Rome at Christmas, you can get into the "Christmas Market" mood.
The figurines are (mostly) not made in Naples, but are made by Italian artisans from different parts of Italy, in particular Tuscany.
Items range from Christmas-y to not, and very small to quite large.
It's a fun shop and frankly anytime I take visitors there, they seem to buy something!
Via di Sant'Agostino 20, open daily 10 AM - 1 PM, 4 - 8 PM.
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Rome at Christmas - what the weather's like
As you might expect, the weather in Rome in December is chilly and can be rainy.
The days are short which means it gets dark early, and if it's rainy or humid, the air can feel especially cold after the sun goes down.
But the good thing is that with a darker afternoon, you can enjoy all the lights even more!
And with so many people out and about, there is a pretty warm feeling in the air and it's easy to forget you are cold.
A chilly rainy day doesn't stop people from enjoying the Christmas atmosphere in Rome!What to pack if you are coming to Rome at Christmas
If you are coming to Rome over the Christmas holidays, don't forget to add to your suitcase:
- A rain coat or jacket
- Goretex or waterproof shoes
- Hat, gloves and a scarf
- A good camera that can take pictures in the dark - you will want lots of pictures of the lights and decorations!
- Some extra vitamin C and Zinc to keep the cold and flu away
Want more information about what to pack for Rome?
Rome at Christmas - where to eat
Want to know what Romans eat in Rome at Christmas?
And, where to eat?
I have a separate page about this.
Midnight Christmas Mass at the Vatican
On Christmas Eve, you may attend midnight mass at the Vatican...but you should know:
- It actually starts at 10pm, not midnight. (In fact, the procession begins at 9:30pm, so you may want to be there even earlier.)
- It's extremely difficult to get tickets to midnight mass inside the basilica. You might try with any clergy you know, and request tickets many months in advance.
- If you would like to request tickets to attend a Papal Mass, here's how.
But if you can't get tickets to attend midnight mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, take heart.
You and many thousands like you, can spend Christmas Eve mass in Saint Peter's square, and catch the service on the giant jumbo-tron screens.
It's actually a very festive and warm atmosphere, even if it's not physically warm outside!
For more details about dates/times of events, and even to watch them live on the Vatican telecast, go here.
Note the times given are for GMT, and Rome is one hour later than that.
No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 essential things we recommend never leaving home without:
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Rome at Christmas - Midnight Mass at the Pantheon
For something really special, attend a midnight Christmas mass at the Pantheon (which is a church.)
Midnight Mass at the Pantheon is a special way to celebrate in Rome at Christmas Eve.No tickets are required but if you want to be inside, you should get there early.
Mass at the Pantheon usually begins at midnight on Christmas Eve, but we don't yet have confirmation of this for Christmas 2024.
Many churches around Rome hold midnight mass on Christmas Eve. And they do it closer to midnight than at St. Peter's (which is at 10pm.)
Another special place to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve in Rome is at Santa Maria in Ara Coeli, above Campidoglio.
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