Updated on October 31, 2026 · Dates for 2026 are added as soon as the organizers confirm them.
Christmas in Rome runs from December 8 (the Immaculate Conception) to January 6 (the Epiphany). Expect the Piazza Navona Christmas market, the tree and nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square, lights along Via del Corso, Christmas Masses at the Vatican and a free New Year’s Eve concert at the Circus Maximus. Most museums close on December 25 and January 1, so plan those two days around walks and the city’s lights.
Christmas in Rome at a glance
| What | When (2026–27) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Piazza Navona Christmas market | Expected Dec 1, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027 (last year: Dec 1 – Jan 6) | Free; open until late in the evening |
| Christmas World, Villa Borghese | Usually late Nov – early/mid Jan (last year: Nov 29 – Jan 11) | Ticketed; check christmasworld.net |
| Via del Corso lights | Usually from Dec 8 to Jan 6 | From Piazza Venezia to Piazza del Popolo |
| Tree and nativity scene, St. Peter’s Square | Unveiled during Advent (last year: Dec 15) | Free; stays up until about mid-January |
| “100 Presepi” nativity exhibition | Usually Dec 8 – early Jan, under Bernini’s colonnade | Free; no booking needed |
| Christmas Eve Mass with the Pope | Dec 24, evening, St. Peter’s Basilica | Free tickets, requested in advance |
| Urbi et Orbi blessing | Dec 25, noon, St. Peter’s Square | No ticket needed |
| New Year’s Eve concert | Dec 31, Circus Maximus | Free; line-up announced in December |
| Befana (Epiphany) | Jan 6 | Last day of the Piazza Navona market |
Christmas markets in Rome
Piazza Navona is Rome’s classic Christmas market: stalls with sweets, toys and nativity figurines around Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. Over the last seasons it has run from December 1 to January 6, when the Befana, Italy’s Epiphany witch, closes the season. It is busiest in the evening and at weekends. Go in the late afternoon if you want to walk around without crowds, then stay for the lights.
Christmas World at Villa Borghese is a ticketed Christmas village inside Rome’s best-known park, with installations, food stalls and activities for children. The last edition ran from November 29, 2025 to January 11, 2026. Dates and prices for 2026 are published on the official site, christmasworld.net. Book ahead for weekends.
Nativity scenes (presepi) and Christmas trees
Rome takes its nativity scenes seriously. Three are easy to fit into a day in the center:
- St. Peter’s Square: the Vatican’s tree and life-size nativity scene are unveiled during Advent (in 2025 on December 15) and stay up until about mid-January.
- “100 Presepi in Vaticano”: more than a hundred nativity scenes from around the world, displayed under Bernini’s colonnade. Admission is free and no booking is needed. In past editions it opened daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and closed earlier on December 24 and 31.
- Piazza del Popolo: in 2025 Rome’s main city tree stood here, because Metro C works occupy Piazza Venezia, with a nativity scene beside it.
Many churches set up their own presepe too. If you walk past an open church in December, step inside.
Christmas lights: where to see them
The best-known lights run along Via del Corso, between Piazza Venezia and Piazza del Popolo, usually from December 8 to January 6. Nearby, the luxury streets around the Spanish Steps (Via Condotti, Via Frattina, Via Borgognona) are decorated by the fashion houses, and a designer tree usually stands at the top of the Steps.
The lights are at their best between 5 and 9 PM. In December the sun sets before 5 PM, so you get a long evening for seeing them. Walking from Piazza del Popolo to St. Peter’s and back takes several hours and many kilometers on cobblestones. That is why many visitors choose an evening tour on wheels (see below).
Christmas at the Vatican
- Christmas Eve Mass (December 24): celebrated by the Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica in the evening. The Vatican publishes the exact time in the weeks before. Tickets are free but limited: request them from the Prefecture of the Papal Household well in advance. Without a ticket, you can follow the Mass on the large screens in St. Peter’s Square.
- Christmas Day (December 25): a morning Mass, then at noon the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. No ticket is needed for the blessing, but the square fills up early: arrive by 10:30 AM.
- December 31 and January 1: a Te Deum of thanksgiving on New Year’s Eve afternoon, and a Mass on the morning of January 1.
What’s open and closed in Rome at Christmas
- Colosseum: closed on December 25 and January 1; open on the other days of the holidays.
- Vatican Museums: usually closed on December 8, 25 and 26 and on January 1 and 6. Check museivaticani.va for 2026.
- Catacombs of San Sebastiano: closed from December 7 to 27, 2026, on December 25 and on January 1 (official site catacombe.org). If the catacombs are on your list, visit before December 7 or after the 27th.
- Shops and restaurants: many close on December 25 and on the afternoon of December 24. Book Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals in advance.
- Public transport: buses and metro follow a holiday timetable on December 25 and January 1. Check atac.roma.it.
- December 8 (Immaculate Conception) and January 6 (Epiphany) are public holidays: most museums are open (the Vatican Museums are closed) and the center is very busy.
New Year’s Eve in Rome
The city’s free New Year’s Eve concert at the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo) has run for the last four years, and the 2026 line-up is usually announced in December. Last year, glass bottles, alcohol and fireworks were not allowed in the concert area, with security checks at the entrances. Metro line B (Circo Massimo and Colosseo stations) is the easiest way there. Taxis are hard to find after midnight, so arrange your ride back in advance.
Weather and what to pack
December in Rome is mild but damp: days are usually around 12–14°C (54–57°F), nights around 3–5°C (37–41°F), with some rainy days. Bring a warm layer, comfortable waterproof shoes for the cobblestones and a small umbrella.
See Rome’s Christmas lights without the long walk
If you want to see the lights, the nativity scenes and the lit-up monuments in one evening, let us drive:
- Private Golf Cart Tour of Rome at 6:00 PM: in December it is already dark at 6, so this 2-, 3- or 5-hour private tour becomes an evening among the lights. Hotel pickup in the historic center, and you choose the stops: Via del Corso, Piazza Navona and its market, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum. From €350 for 1–3 guests, or €115 per person for groups of 4 or more.
- Private Golf Cart Tour by Night: 2 hours, starting at 8:00, 9:00 or 10:00 PM, when the streets are quieter and the monuments are lit up. From €450 for 1–3 guests, or €150 per person for 4 or more (8:00 PM start; later starts cost a little more).
- Rome by Night in a Vintage Fiat 500: a private 2-hour evening ride in a restored Fiat 500 cabrio converted to fully electric, with a driver at the wheel. Dress warmly: we have blankets on board to keep you cozy. From €590 for up to 3 guests, €1,180 for 4 guests, then €240 per person from 5 guests (8:00 PM start; later starts cost more).
Our golf carts have rain covers, so they run on wet December evenings too. If it rains on the day of your Fiat 500 tour, we switch to a golf cart.
Prefer daylight? Our Dolce Vita tour in a vintage Fiat 500 also passes the decorated streets of the center. It is private, with a driver, and costs from €590 for up to 3 guests.
All the tours above are private: only your group takes part. Large groups are welcome on request, with advance notice. See all options on our Night Tours page.
Explore it with us
See the Christmas lights on our private golf cart tour of Rome at 6:00 PM, on the private golf cart tour by night or on Rome by Night in a vintage Fiat 500. All our evening options are on the Night Tours page.
FAQ
When do Christmas markets open in Rome?
The Piazza Navona market usually opens on December 1 and runs until January 6. Christmas World at Villa Borghese usually opens at the end of November and closes in mid-January. Check the official dates each year before you go.
Is Rome worth visiting at Christmas?
Yes, if you like festive lights, nativity scenes and fewer queues than in spring. The weeks between December 8 and January 6 are busy around the holidays, but early December is one of the quietest times of the year for the big sights.
Is the Colosseum open on Christmas Day?
No. The Colosseum closes on December 25 and January 1. It is open on the other days of the holidays, including December 24, 26 and 31.
Do I need tickets for Christmas Mass at the Vatican?
For the Christmas Eve Mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica, yes: tickets are free but must be requested in advance from the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The Urbi et Orbi blessing at noon on December 25 needs no ticket.
What is the best way to see the Christmas lights in Rome?
Walk Via del Corso and the streets around the Spanish Steps between 5 and 9 PM. To also see Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain and St. Peter’s in one evening without long walks, take a private golf cart tour at 6:00 PM, or a golf cart or Fiat 500 night tour, with hotel pickup.
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