Last Updated on November 26, 2024 by admin

Coming to Rome for Christmas and wondering what the vibes will be like? This guide is for you! I’ve outlined everything there is to do and see at Christmas in Rome!

Christmas in Rome

In all my years of living here, I’ve only spent one Christmas in Rome – and it was a COVID Christmas. As you can imagine, things were not celebrated in the typical way. We had a curfew, we could only have a certain number of people in the house (two), and lots of normal festivities weren’t allowed.

That said, I will be spending Christmas here in 2024, because I’ll be too pregnant to fly! I LOVE Christmas, so I’ve been doing some research about what goes on during a typical Christmas season in Rome so that I can ensure to fill my cup with holiday cheer. 

The Christmas season in Rome

The Christmas season kicks of as of December 8 in Italy, which is the feast of the immaculate conception. But don’t worry – lots of places get into the season and decorate before that. In fact, the Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier every year.

December 8 is a public holiday. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and December 26, Saint Stephen’s Day, are all public holidays as well.

The Christmas season officially wraps up in Italy on January 6, which is the Feast of the Epiphany, also widely known as “La Befana,” when a legendary witch flies through the sky on her broom and leaves gifts for children. 

How is Christmas celebrated in Rome?

Despite it not being particularly known for having overly Christmassy vibes like Bolzano, Gubbio, or some of Puglia’s small towns, Rome is still pretty magical at Christmastime.

Locals celebrate by exchanging gifts with loved ones and eating together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The faithful attend mass.

Generally, Italians eat fish dishes on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, people are likely to eat the traditional, multi-course meal consisting of antipasti, a primo piatto of pasta (often a filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini), a secondo of meat (often lamb – abbacchio allo scottadito or a roast), veggie sides, and, of course, dessert.

How cold is Christmas in Rome?

The average high temperature in Rome in December is 13 C/55 F, with lows dipping down to 4 C/ 40 F.

For more on visiting the Eternal City in December (and any other month of the year), check out my post on the best time to visit Rome.

Are restaurants open on Christmas Day in Rome?

The short answer is yes, but many will be closed. If you’re spending Christmas in Rome and want to go out to eat, you’re going to want to make a reservation.

A good place to start looking for places to eat in Rome on Christmas Eve or Day would be hotels with restaurants. They’ll be open to cater to their guests, and you might be able to get a booking to dine.

You can also scope out restaurants in the Jewish Ghetto, which may not be closed.

Here are some places that I have seen post on social media about being open at Christmastime in Rome.

1. Eggs 

Via Natale del Grande 52

Open December 24, 25, 26 for lunch and dinner – book here. 

2. Osteria Fratelli Mori

Via dei Conciatori 10

Book by phone: +39 331 3234399

Open for lunch on December 25 with a tasting menu for 60 per person, which includes an appetizer, pasta dish, main, side dish and dessert.

December 26, they’re open for lunch and dinner with their regular a la carte menu.

3. Hosteria Grappolo d’Oro

Piazza della Cancelleria 80

Book by phone: +39 06 6897080

Open for dinner Christmas Eve and lunch on Christmas Day, you can enjoy a fixed-price, multi-course menu. Check out the options here. 

4. Eufrosino Osteria

Via di Tor Pignattara 188

Book by phone: +39 348 588 3932

Open for lunch on December 25 with a special Christmas menu. Open regular hours on December 26. If I didn’t have plans on Christmas Day, I’d probably be here – I love this out-of-the-way restaurant in the Tor Pignattara neighborhood. 

5. Il Marchese

Via di Ripetta 162

Recently added to the Michelin Guide, Il Marchese will be serving Christmas lunch this year. Email festivita@ilmarcheseroma.it to book and check out the menu here (in Italian).

6. Roscioli – delivery or takeaway

If you’re staying in an apartment while you’re in Rome (or you’re live here and you don’t want to cook), you can order food to go from one of the city’s most well-loved restaurants: Roscioli Salumeria. Here’s the menu (in Italian) – note that you have to place your orders for Christmas by December 22. You can email your order to ordinazioni@salumeriaroscioli.com. 

Is anything open on Christmas Day in Rome?

Aside from churches, which will be holding masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, no major monuments or attractions will be open in Rome on Christmas Day. 

Is the Colosseum closed on Christmas Day?

Yes. And on New Year’s Day.

Are the Vatican Museums closed on Christmas Day?

Yes, and on December 26, January 1 and January 6.

Are there English masses on Christmas Day in Rome?

Yes – at the time of writing, the following churches had their mass times posted online. A bit closer to the date, you’ll find more information about other churches via a Google search.

Santo Spirito in Sassia

On December 25, you can attend mass in English at Santo Spirito in Sassia at 9am. The church is located near St. Peter’s, at Via dei Penitenzieri 12.

All Saints Anglican Church

On Christmas Eve, mass will be held at 5pm, and midnight mass starts at 11:30pm.

You can also attend mass at All Saints on December 25 at 10:30am.

St. Patrick’s Catholic American Parish

On Christmas Eve, there will be a children’s and family mass at 4:30 PM.

At 7 o’clock, there will be a Christmas concert and caroling, followed by a “midnight” mass at 7:30 PM, with a full choir. 

On Christmas Day, you have two chances to attend, at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM (with full choir).

For more on religious celebrations during the Christmas season in Rome, check out this website.

Top five things to do at Christmas in Rome

Here is my very subjective list of the top five things to do in Rome at Christmas – I’ll be doing them!

1. Take a sunset stroll and watch the trees and lights come on

Rome loves Christmas lights (same). I’m writing this in November, and they’re already up in a lot of neighborhoods, draped over streets, hugging buildings, and adding a general air of merriment to the Eternal City.

I recommend strolling through the heart of the city center, including Via dei Condotti, Piazza di Spagna and in the Tridente area (that’s Via di Ripetta, Via del Babuino, and Via del Corso), but I also recommend wandering down some of the cozier streets in the center, like Via Margutta and Via dei Banchi Vecchi. 

Trame di luce

If you’re super into lights, check out Trame di Luce at the Botanical Gardens. From November 30 to January 6, Rome’s Orto Botanico will be illuminated by a light-filled trail designed by several artists from all over the world. 

Click here for tickets.

Rome’s biggest Christmas trees

Normally, the city’s main Christmas tree is found in Piazza Venezia, but because the whole piazza is under construction for a new metro station, the big tree has been moved to Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo

A 22-meter-high fir tree will be lit up in Piazza del Popolo this year. It will be lit at the beginning of December.

Piazza di Spagna

The tree in Piazza di Spagna was already lit at the time of writing (late November). It’s a modern interpretation of the classic shape and is sponsored by Bulgari, the luxury jewelry designer.

St. Peter’s Square

Of course, the Vatican has a large Christmas tree near its famous Nativity scene. This year, Vatican City is expecting millions of pilgrims around Christmastime and throughout 2025, owing to the fact that it’s a Catholic Jubilee year. My guess is that the Christmas sights in the Vatican will be much more crowded than usual. 

Colosseo

There’s also a large Christmas tree near the Colosseum every year. I’m not exactly sure where it’ll be this year because there’s also metro construction there, but I’m sure it’ll be very noticeable once it’s up.

2. Check out some Christmas markets

While certainly not as famous for its Christmas markets as other towns in Italy, there are quite a few little markets here and there in Rome, and a couple of large ones too.

Mercatino di Natale – Piazza Navona

The best-known Christmas market in the Eternal City, the one in Piazza Navona offers gifts, foodstuffs, handmade products, and more. I haven’t been in years – mostly because it was closed throughout the COVID pandemic. I look forward to checking it out this year. 

The Christmas market in Piazza Navona will be open from December 1 to January 6. 

Christmas World at Villa Borghese

Up next is Villa Borghese, the heart-shaped park in the city center.

This year, the park will host Christmas World, a wintery village with rides, shows, and other attractions. 

Buy your tickets here. 

Christmas at Cinecittà World

If you’re looking for something to do as a family on Christmas Day itself, this might be just the thing. 

Cinecittà World is a cinema-themed amusement park in Rome, and they go all out at Christmas, with shows, skating, and snowballs. The park is open throughout the Christmas season – including all weekends and public holidays from 11am to 6pm.

Get your tickets here. 

Christmas Village in EUR

In piazza Luigi Sturzo, in Rome’s southern EUR district, you can visit a Christmas Village from December 1 to 26 from 10am to 9:30pm. Eat, drink and shop for handmade and vintage items, as well as Christmassy gifts.

Mercatino di Natale – Testaccio

Located in the Città dell’altra Economia, in the old slaughterhouse, you can find a pop-up Christmas market selling fair trade items on December 7, 8, 14 and 15.

Mercatino di Natale – Campo de’ Fiori

Christmas stalls are added to the daily market in Campo de’ Fiori for the Christmas season, between December 1 and January 6. Shop for handmade items, Christmas ornaments and decorations, and a variety of delicacies. 

Mercatino di Natale – Piazza Mazzini

I like this little market in Piazza Mazzini, in Rome’s Della Vittoria neighborhood. The stalls sell ornaments, vintage items, handicrafts, and more. 

Giftland – San Paolo District

Right near the San Paolo metro stop (B line), and, coincidentally, on the same street as one of my favorite restaurants in Rome, Trecca, is Giftland, a Christmas market with activities for kids, food, and of course, shopping.

This year, you’ll have three chances to attend: December 7 and 8, 14 and 15, and 21 and 22, from 10am to 8pm. 

Ficus al Massimo – Via dei Cerchi 87

Hosted at Garum, Rome’s museum and library dedicated to gastronomy, is the Ficus market: Christmas edition. Owing to its city center location and all the goodies on offer (including handicrafts, illustrations, clothing, home decor, plants and flowers, and vintage items), this is sure to be one of Rome’s most crowded Christmas markets.

You have three chances to go: December 7 and 8, 14 and 15, and 21 and 22 from 10:30 am to 8pm.

There are sure to be other little markets that pop up here and there. I will update when possible!

3. Visit the nativity scenes

I would be willing to bet that most of Rome’s 900+ churches have a Nativity scene, with some of them being more grand than others, of course.

Piazza San Pietro

It would make sense that Rome’s biggest and best-known church (actually, it’s the biggest church in the world), has one of the most beautiful nativity scenes in the city. 

I 100 Presepi del Vaticano

If you’re a big on nativities, continue walking around the square to visit the 100 nativity scenes designed by artists from multiple different countries.

Santa Maria Maggiore

One of Rome’s four papal basilicas, which is sure to get a lot of traffic over the coming months because of the Jubilee, this church has had a nativity since the year 1291.

La Chiesa dei Santi Cosma e Damiano

This church displays a Neapolitan nativity scene from from the 18th century.  

4. Try Italy’s two competing Christmas cakes (and other sweets like torrone and struffoli)

Food is, naturally, a big part of celebrating Christmas in Rome and Italy at large, and sweets are a big part of that.

In fact, the country has two special Christmas cakes that you’ll see everywhere at this time of year (and probably an uncountable number of lesser-known ones that are particular to their specific region). 

The two you need to try for your Christmas celebration in Rome are pandoro and panettone. You may have heard of panettone, or even had some, but you’ve probably not had access to the multiple different kinds that are available in Italy. 

Generally, panettone is a sweet cake dotted with candied fruit and nuts, but in Italy, you can find endless flavor combos. Eataly is a good place to find fancy panettone, whereas you can get mass-produced ones at any supermarket. Lots of Roman bakeries and cafes make their own Christmas cakes, too.

Its companion cake is pandoro, which I LOVE. It’s totally simple – just a yellow, bell-shaped cake sprinkled with powdered sugar – but I could eat fistfuls of it. Pandoro is not as widely exported, so by all means, go for it if you’ve never had it (or even if you have). 

A panettone/pandoro contest is mandatory if you’re spending Christmas in Rome. See how many people on your trip prefer one to the other!

Don’t miss out on the other Christmas sweets that are available in Rome – struffoli, for example, which come from Naples but are widely eaten during the holidays, are fried balls of dough dressed with honey and sprinkles.

Torrone, or nougat, is another popular Italian sweet at Christmastime. 

5. Shop where it’s Always Christmas

Still looking for Christmas cheer? Head to Sempre Natale on Via della Scrofa 93. With a name that means “Always Christmas,” you’re sure to end up in the spirit of the season after browsing their beautiful blown-glass ornaments (and maybe taking a few home for your tree).

I hope this guide to Christmas in Rome has helped you plan your holiday visit to the Eternal City. Still have questions or want to share a thought? Reach out in the comments!

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