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.

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

Will 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. 

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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.

FOR CHRISTMAS DAY 2024 - The Colosseum will be open from 9 am to 1 pm.

They will, however, all be open on the 26th, despite that day also being a holiday.

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.

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.

However, 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:

1. 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.)
2. 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.
3. 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.

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.

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.

FOR CHRISTMAS DAY 2024 - The Colosseum will be open from 9 am to 1 pm.

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:

Learn about the history, legends, and traditions of Rome at Christmas as you visit glittering Christmas trees and beautiful nativities as well as the array of angel sculptures.

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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!

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.

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.

Is Rome crowded at Christmas?

The answer is yes.

And no.

Mostly Rome is not very crowded just up to Christmas and on Christmas. 

It 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.com

When 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 nativity scene and Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square will be lit on December 7, 2024 at 5:00pm.

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. 

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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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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?

Click here.

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.

Go here.

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.

Rome at Christmas - Midnight Mass at the Pantheon

For something really special, attend a midnight Christmas mass at the Pantheon (which is a church.) 

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.

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