Christmas in Bergamo, from the market to Saint Lucia and the ice

Dates, address and costs

Bergamo’s Christmas Village in Piazzale degli Alpini runs from 14 November to 27 December 2026. The 25 chalets open at 9:30 am and close at 7:30 pm Monday to Thursday, 8 pm Friday and Sunday, and 10 pm Saturday. Bergamo on Ice and Star Garden are in the same square but have their own season, from 20 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. One hour’s skate hire costs €10 for people over ten and €7 for children aged ten and under. Bergamo railway station is close to the square. Allow about three hours for the market and ice rink together.

A market near the railway station

Piazzale degli Alpini is an easy first stop if you are coming by train. Take a lap of the chalets before joining a food queue. This gives you time to find a stall you might want to return to and work out what will fit in a small bag. Honey, a scarf or a light decoration can make a good gift when you still have a walk ahead. Leave fragile purchases until the end and ask for sturdy wrapping when you pay. It takes a little pressure off the rest of the visit when you can walk with one hand free.

If the market is one stop between other plans, choose a snack and a short walk. Alongside food from Bergamo you can find pizzoccheri, pretzels, churros, cannoli and taralli. A hot chocolate and something to share make a good pause between the chalets and the ice. If you are meeting friends, agree on a recognisable entrance before deciding where to eat. It is easy to cross the square, but food queues and gift stalls can separate a group when everyone has found something different to look at.

Saint Lucia, the choir and Christmas Eve

For the Saint Lucia celebrations, save 12 December. She arrives at 3 pm with helpers and bagpipes. Children can bring a letter and receive sweets. Come a little early if you want time to find your bearings and get the letter ready. On 19 and 20 December, children can meet Father Christmas in his chalet. There is a Christmas choir on 5 December. On 28 November, between 2 and 10 pm, a sculptor will work on a large wooden piece. Saturday also gives you the longest evening for the market lights, with the stalls open until 10 pm.

On Christmas Eve, the Christmas Mass is at 9 pm by the coach station, with Caritas taking part. If you want to see the chalets as well, do that earlier. The Mass and the market have separate schedules. Save the return station or bus stop before setting out, especially if you are meeting someone at the celebration. One way to spend the afternoon is to browse the chalets and go somewhere warm before returning for the service.

An hour on the ice

The rink opens from 1 to 8 pm Monday to Thursday, 1 to 11:30 pm on Friday and 10:30 am to 11:30 pm at weekends. On 7 and 8 December and from 23 December to 6 January, hours are 10:30 am to 11:30 pm. A penguin skating aid costs €5 and a keyed locker €1. Skate hire is for one hour. Leave some time outside that hour to change shoes, store bags and meet anyone who has chosen to watch. If someone has booked dinner as well, give yourself room between the two.

Students under 18 can hire skates for €7 from 2 pm Monday to Thursday until 21 December. School classes and student groups have different arrangements and must book. In a family group, plan around whoever is new to the ice. One hour can be plenty when some of it goes towards finding your balance. Give yourselves a break after taking the skates off. You can then decide if you want to go back to the chalets or stay for a hot meal in the square.

Come back for Star Garden

Star Garden pairs a light trail with food chalets and a programme of music and shows. Risotto is on the menu from 20 to 22 November. From 27 November to 9 December the food festival features gorgonzola, taleggio and boiled meats. From 10 to 20 December it turns to polenta and slow-cooked meats. Between 21 December and 7 January the focus is on cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatriciana. Those dates help you pick an evening if you would like to stay for dinner after skating.

Which date suits you?

For the market and ice in one outing, choose a day from 20 November to 27 December. After the 27th, you can still plan for skating and Star Garden through 10 January. On a weekday morning, start with the stalls. Saturdays give you more time to come later and see the lights. If you want to see the Upper Town too, keep the first part of the day for that walk and make the square near the station your stop on the way back. You can travel home without another crossing of the city.

With little time to spare, get off the train, take one turn through the chalets and choose somewhere for a break. With three hours, try skating and return to the stalls afterwards. For families, Saint Lucia’s visit on 12 December gives you a fixed time around which to build the day. Before setting out at the end of December, take one last look at which activity is open. The rink continues in January. The market’s last Sunday is 27 December.

A walk before the chalets

If you arrive early, the funicular links the city centre with Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe in the Upper Town. Take a short walk through the streets around the square and come back down before your time on the ice. You can also start at Piazzale degli Alpini and head uphill after a break, with the lighter gifts in your bag. On a rainy afternoon, consider a visit to Palazzo Moroni, at 12 Via Porta Dipinta, with its own ticket and hours. Allow for the journey between the two parts of town, especially if you want to be back for Saint Lucia or a skating session.