Christmas is approaching fast, and if you are traveling across Italy in December, you cannot miss a visit to one of the Christmas markets in Tuscany to do some Christmas shopping, and fill your heart with its magical and suggestive atmosphere. Kids know that Christmas time has something special. But even adults, especially families with children, can feel the joy inside their heart.
So, even if you are already grown-up, I personally think that a walk among one of best Christmas market in Tuscany, with the fascinating typical little wooden houses decorated with fir twigs and shining lights, can be therapeutic for your soul.
This is also the perfect occasion to taste a hot chocolate with whipped cream or other regional gourmet food while you listen to traditional Christmas carols. Here is our selection of Christmas cake of Tuscany to taste. Instead, if you have a keen for wine, enjoy yourself with a glass of warming Vin Brule (Mulled Wine).
Here is a list of some of the nicest Christmas markets in Tuscany I suggest you visit (divided by provinces), to buy some decorations for your house or presents for your beloved people.
Our favorite Christmas Markets in Tuscany
Arezzo
| Arezzo, Christmas Markets | Where: Piazza Grande |
| Dates:
Market: from 18th November 2017 to 1st January 2018 (from Thursday to Sunday) Santa’s House opening days: 18 + 19 + 25 + 26 November 2017 + 2 + 3 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 17 + 23 + 24 December 2017. |
Opening Hours:
Market: from 10 am to 9 pm. Cabin restaurant: from 10 am to 10 pm (from 10 am to 11 pm on Saturday) Santa’s House: from 10 am to 1 pm, and from 2 pm to 6.30 pm |
| The main square of the town hosts traditional wooden houses run by original Tyrolean merchants coming from the Christmas markets of Salzburg, Merano, and Bolzano. They sell typical crafts such as wool slippers, soft plushies, Tyrolean tablecloths, pieces of jewelry and costume jewelry, Christmas decorations for your tree, candles, cups, and teapots. You can even taste delicious food as Tyrolean bacon, pretzels, strudel, licorice, chocolate, and drink a cup of warm mulled wine. Children. The Piazza also hosts a traditional mountain cabin with a restaurant where you can taste warm dishes as cheese raclette, cornmeal mush, Tyrolese meatballs, while the Palazzo di Fraternita hosts the house of Santa Claus where children may have fun with games and entertainment dedicated to Christmas. | |
| Abbadia San Salvatore, Christmas Market and night of bonfires | Where: historical center |
| Dates: every weekend and holiday from 8 December 2017 to 7 January 2018
Bonfires: 24th December 2017 at 6 pm |
Hours: from 9 am to 8 pm |
| This lovely village at the feet of Monte Amiata is known as Città Delle Fiaccole (city of Torch) because every 24th December piles of chestnut wood are burned to enlight the night of Christmas. Christmas celebrations start the 8th of December with the illumination of the streets, the preparation of the pile, and the opening of one of the most traditional Christmas markets in Tuscany.
Do not miss the event of the 24th December. The blessing and the lighting of bonfires start at 6 pm, and they last all night long giving Christmas night a unique atmosphere. |
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| Chiusi della Verna, Christmas Markets | Where: the main square of the village |
| Dates: 8 + 9 + 10 + from 24 to 27 December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 9.30 pm |
| You can walk along wooden houses full of local handicrafts perfect for a Christmas presents, a food area with Vin Brulé, hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, bomboloni (the Tuscan variant of Donuts), strudel, cotton candies, hot dogs, fries, pizza, and tigelle. On December 8 on Santa’s house, Elfs will receive the letters from all the children. Do not miss the Christmas Pie Contest, Santa Claus’ House, the concert of traditional Christmas carols, the Nativity scene contest, the Sky Lantern and the traditional dances. | |
| Pozzo della Chiana, “Un pozzo di regali” | Where: Viale S. Vittoria |
| Dates: 26 November 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 8 pm |
| The 10th edition of Un pozzo di Regali allows children to give their Santa letters to the Elves of the village. The last editions they received at least 400 letters by the kids of the town. | |
Siena
| Siena, Il Mercato nel campo | Where: Piazza del Campo |
| Dates: 2nd + 3rd December 2017 | Hours: from 8 am to 8 pm |
| The suggestive Piazza del Campo hosts for 2 days the historic “Mercato nel Campo” that was held every week since 1300. Hundreds of stands will crowd the Piazza. You could taste local delicacies, and buy presents for the upcoming Christmas. | |
| Torrita di Siena, The Elves Village | Where: Torrita di Siena |
| Dates: 16 + 17 December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 8 pm |
| The old and tiny village of Torrita di Siena hosts the village of the Elves with a food court, dozens of stands of local artisans where buying handmade products, wooden toys, and pottery, activities, and entertainment for children. | |
| Monteriggioni, Natale al Castello | Where: Abbadia Isola
(a free shuttle is available from the Castle of Monteriggioni to Abbadia Isola |
| Dates: 8th December 2017 + 24th December 2017 (torchlight procession) | Hours: from 11 am to 11 pm |
| The 8th December, the burg of Abbadia Isola hosts a lovely Christmas Market with entertainment for adults and kids.
The 24th December a suggestive torchlight procession will bring you from the castle of Monteriggioni along the path of the Via Francigena to the burg of Abbadia Isola where you can attend the holy mess at the Abbey of Santi Salvatore and Cirino. |
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| Chianciano Terme, Santa’s Village | Where: Downtown |
| Date:
November: 4 – 5 – 11 – 12 – 18 – 19 – 24 – 25 – 26 December: 1 – 2 – 3 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 15 – 16 – 17 – 23 – 24 – 25 – 26 |
Hours:
The village of Santa Claus: The Fairytale world: Friday, weekdays: show at 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm Saturday, Sunday, and holiday: show at 11 am, 3.30 pm, and 5.30 pm |
| A suggestive Christmas village with many stands where you can buy Christmas presents and taste typical food. A Christmas train will lead the guests around the hamlet. Inside the park of Sant’Elena there is the Santa’s house, the Santa Claus train station, the Elf village and the Elf Factory with the magical sled, an itinerary with ponies, Santa Claus present machinery, the thermal grotto with elves’s nativity scenes, the typical Elf houses, the naughty children’s jail and a big lab for artworks, and face painting activities. The village also includes Santa’s Office and Santa’s Post Office to deliver letters that will be forwarded to Lapland.
Kids can even follow an itinerary inside the world of the Fairytales, discovering the best fairytales ever as The Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, the Puss in Boots. |
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| Montepulciano, Christmas in Montepulciano | Where: Downtown of Montepulciano |
| Dates: November: 18 + 19 + 25 + 26; December: 2 +3 + 7 + 8 +9 + 10 + 15 + 16 + 17 + from 22 december to 7 January 2018 | Hours: from 10 am to 7.30 pm |
| A real Christmas Market in the heart of Montepulciano, with seventy little wooden houses displaying handicrafts, traditional food, candies, clothing, leather goods, Christmas decorations, and adornments.
Children can also enter the Santa’s Castle inside the fortress and have fun with creative workshops, games, street entertainment, animals in Santa’s Farm and a skating ice rink. For more info visit the official website: Natale a Montepulciano |
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Firenze
| Florence, Weinachtsmarkt | Where: Piazza Santa Croce |
| Dates: from 29 November to 17 December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 10 pm |
| Traditional German Christmas Markets with wooden chalets and typical Christmas decorations from all over Europe. Typical German food such as gingerbread, strudel, and a beautiful merry-go-round for kids.
During Christmas time, the center of Florence also hosts the F-Light Festival. To get more information, here is the link to our post: Firenze F-Light Festival |
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| Florence, Natale per FILE | Where: Palazzo Corsini |
| Dates: 1 + 2 + 3 December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 19 pm |
| More than 60 exhibitors will crowd the historical Palazzo Corsini in the heart of the city for the fifteenth edition of “Nataleperfile”, a charity Christmas Market organized by the FILE Onlus foundation. The fund raised with the sales (of gifts for adults and children, of furniture for houses and gardens) will contribute to the activities of the foundation as palliative cares and support to the families of patients in Tuscany. |
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| Fucecchio, Natalia | Where: Piazza la Vergine |
| Dates: 3, 8, 10, 17 December 2017 + 6 January 2018 | Hours: form 4.30 pm |
| The cloister of the monastery “La Vergine”, dated back to seventeenth-century, hosts Natalia, the village of Santa Claus. Here you will find a food court, Christmas markets with Christmas gifts, a huge Nativity Scenario and the Santa Clause’s house where children could meet Santa. The Elf’s Lab is a good idea to let your children create the Christmas decorations for your Christmas tree. Don’t miss Santa Claus parade with 5 floats and more than 100 entertainers like dancers, elves, and fantasy characters. | |
| Palazzuolo sul Senio Christmas Market | Where: Downtown of Palazzuolo sul Senio |
| Dates: 3, 8, 10, 17 December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 7 pm (TBC) |
| The center of Palazzuolo, enlightened in occasion of Christmas festivity, hosts a lovely market with stands where buying gifts, a food court full of delicious Tuscan traditional delicacies, a chalet where kids could meet Santa and give him their Christmas letters. You can also enjoy an itinerary across the most beautiful nativity scenes of different size created by the citizen of Palazzuolo sul Senio. | |
Ponte Vecchio during Florence F-Light Festival
Massa Carrara
| Massa, Un Natale da Vivere | Where: Historical center of Massa |
| Dates: From 26 November 2017 to 6 January 2018 | Hours: from 10 am to 7 pm |
| The central Piazza Mercurio hosts a typical Christmas market with wooden houses where you can buy Christmas gifts and decorations for your tree and house. Walking around the historical center kids could explore the forest of elves, the toy factory, the kitchen of the Befana, an exhibit dedicated to Santa Claus, street artists as wizards, jugglers, music bands, and puppet shows. | |
| Fivizzano, Sapori di Natale | Where: downtown |
| Date: 8 + 9 + 10 December 2017 | Hours: from 3 pm to 9 pm |
| Food court (where you can taste local delicacies as cian, pattone, panigacci, corn mush), stands of local artisans, Santa’s Village with elves, tour with Santa’s coach, Gospel Choir, and show cooking. | |
| Equi Terme, the Living Nativity Scene | Where: hamlet of Equi Terme |
| Dates 23, 24, 25, 26, December 2017 | Hours: 23 + 24 from 8.30 pm to 11.30 pm
25 + 26 from 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm |
| The village in Lunigiana hosts the living nativity scene with characters dressed as shepherds, peasants and the typical characters of the nativity. It also includes the grotto with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. | |
Christmas Markets in Tuscany: Living Nativity scene in Equi Terme in Lunigiana
Lucca
| Lucca, The Little Kingdom of Santa Claus | Where: Casa del Boia |
| Dates: From 17 to 19 November 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 7 pm |
| The little Kingdom of Santa Claus is waiting for kids and their families to spend an entire day of joy and magic. Kids could help Santa’s elf to create toys to bring to the children of the entire world, attend to juggler and puppet shows, enjoy the baby dance, and much more.
Don’t forget to bring your letter to deliver to Santa Claus. A marvelous machine will deliver your letter directly to Santa’s post office. |
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| Lucca Ri-eco il Natale | Where: Villa Bottini |
| Dates: 15th, 16th, 17th December 2017 | Hours: from 3 pm to 8 pm on Friday
from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday and Sunday |
| Inside the beautiful scenery of Villa Bottini, the fair trade of Ri-eco il Natale comes back for its fifth edition. The uniqueness of this Christmas Markets in Tuscany is that it hosts more than 50 stands that sell recycled articles, nice objects made by local artisans, traditional food, seasonal vegetables and fruit by local producers.
You can even bring your own gift that will be donated by a charity association to the poor children. |
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| Forte dei Marmi, Christmas Markets | Where: Piazza Garibaldi of Forte dei Marmi |
| Dates: From 2nd to 20th December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 8 pm
The 9 December the market will be open until midnight. |
| The most glamorous downtown of Tuscany offers a very rich market where to find Christmas decorations for the house, toys for children and many other things to buy as gifts for your family and friends.
From 16 to 24 December another market takes place in Villa Bertelli of Forte dei Marmi. The park of the villa will be enlightened and decorated for Christmas, and will hosts more than 35 stands of artisans and merchants. |
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| Pietrasanta, Il Mondo di Babbo Natale | Where: Villa La Versiliana in Marina di Pietrasanta |
| Dates: 18th November 2017 to 1st January 2018 | Hours: from 10 am to 19 pm |
| The suggestive park of the Villa La Versiliana is waiting for you to discover Santa’s House, his bedroom, the living room, his postal office, the mysterious room of the throne, the kitchen, the workshop of wooden toys, his sled dragged by his sweet reindeers.
While kids enjoy the time exploring Santa Klaus world, adults can spend time doing some Christmas shopping in one of the best Christmas markets in Tuscany (Get ready, suddenly snow could fall down). |
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Christmas Markets in Tuscany: Forte dei Marmi in Versilia
Pistoia
| Montecatini Terme, Santa Claus House, and Christmas Markets | Where: Castle of Terme Tamerici |
| Dates: from 11th November 2017 to 21st December 2018 (every Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays).
From 22nd December 2017 to the 6th January 2018 (every day) |
Hours: from 10 am to 7 pm (some days it will be open until 5 pm or 6 pm) |
| The Terme del Tettuccio establishment hosts Santa’s house (a “grouchy” governess and a sweet butler welcome every kid in his house), the Elf Village, a toy factory, fairy tale workshops, and a food court. | |
Caro Gesù Bambino, Andrea Bocelli
Pisa
| Pisa, Santa Claus Express Train | Where: Stazione Leopolda |
| Dates: from 8th to 10th December 2017 | Hours: from 10 am to 8 pm |
| A special train loaded with games, dances, fairytales and colors is expected at the Stazione Leopolda in Pisa. Santa’s train is an educational event, in its third edition, with a list of non-commercial activities dedicated to kids, children and their families. the Christmas traditions. | |
(Last Updated of the list of Christmas Markets in Tuscany made on November 15.2017)
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Ciao Edoardo! Remember to share your blogs with the Conversational Italian! Facebook group! I just shared this one. We love to hear from you!
Thank you Kathryn, of course we’ll do 🙂 Thank you a lot and Merry Christmas 🙂
Ciao,
Do you guys recommend for the Forte dei Marmi one, the one in the Piazza or the one at the Villa? Is the villa one also free?
Hello Chandi, personally, I think both deserve a visit, in the Villa are scheduled also some piano concert. Honestly, we did not hear about any payment request for these events.
Hi, I went to both today. The one in the piazza was better. No cost to attend either.