THE CHIARA! CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

What a lovely Christmas!

Markets, little towns and lovely discoveries

An afternoon under the lights. Hot chocolate to share. A gift chosen with love. Your next Christmas memory starts here.

135 guides to choose from

Browse the guides ↓

Photo credits

What kind of Christmas?

Choose where to go. Let Christmas bring the magic.

Today I feel like…Every idea ↗

Find a city or date

Every guide A–Z

A family nativity
A handmade Christmas gift, with a story to keep
AachenNorth Rhine-Westphalia · Germany
Acireale — Santa Maria della NeveMetropolitan City of Catania · Sicily · Italy
AlberobelloMetropolitan City of Bari · Apulia · Italy
An Advent wreath at home
AnnecyAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France
AostaAosta Valley · Italy
ArezzoProvince of Arezzo · Tuscany · Italy
Assisi · Franciscan placesProvince of Perugia · Umbria · Italy
AstiProvince of Asti · Piedmont · Italy
Avio CastleAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Bacoli — Miseno e FusaroMetropolitan City of Napoli · Campania · Italy
BaselBasel-Stadt · Switzerland
BergamoProvince of Bergamo · Lombardy · Italy
BernCanton of Bern · Switzerland
Bologna, Santa Lucia FairMetropolitan City of Bologna · Emilia-Romagna · Italy
BolzanoAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
BormioProvince of Sondrio · Lombardy · Italy
BressanoneAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
BrunicoAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
BrusselsBrussels-Capital · Belgium
BudapestBudapest · Hungary
Bussolengo – FloverProvince of Verona · Veneto · Italy
Cagliari, SardiniaMetropolitan City of Cagliari · Sardinia · Italy
Caltagirone, SicilyMetropolitan City of Catania · Sicily · Italy
Canale di TennoAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Candelara, PesaroProvince of Pesaro e Urbino · Marche · Italy
Caserta · Royal PalaceProvince of Caserta · Campania · Italy
Castelsardo, SardiniaMetropolitan City of Sassari · Sardinia · Italy
Castiglione del LagoProvince of Perugia · Umbria · Italy
CataniaMetropolitan City of Catania · Sicily · Italy
Christmas carols and listening
Christmas lights for everyone: free markets and a thoughtful budget
Christmas markets: bring home the light
Christmas markets: rosy cheeks, comfortable feet
Christmas wrapping that deserves a second life
Cimego · QuartinagoAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Cinecittà World, Castel Romano, Rome, LazioMetropolitan City of Roma Capitale · Lazio · Italy
ColicoProvince of Lecco · Lombardy · Italy
ColmarGrand Est · France
CologneNorth Rhine-Westphalia · Germany
Copenhagen – TivoliHovedstaden · Denmark
Craft and work in the crib
DresdenSaxony · Germany
EinsiedelnSchwyz · Switzerland
EmpoliMetropolitan City of Firenze · Tuscany · Italy
Erice, SicilyProvince of Trapani · Sicily · Italy
European Christmas flavours
FanoProvince of Pesaro e Urbino · Marche · Italy
Firenze · Santa CroceMetropolitan City of Firenze · Tuscany · Italy
Gaeta, Latina, LazioProvince of Latina · Lazio · Italy
GovoneProvince of Cuneo · Piedmont · Italy
Grandparents and grandchildren
Grazzano ViscontiProvince of Piacenza · Emilia-Romagna · Italy
GreccioProvince of Rieti · Lazio · Italy
GubbioProvince of Perugia · Umbria · Italy
HelsinkiUusimaa · Finland
InnsbruckTyrol · Austria
KrakówLesser Poland · Poland
LanaAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Levico TermeAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
LilleNord · Hauts-de-France · France
Limatola, Benevento, northern CampaniaProvince of Benevento · Campania · Italy
LivignoProvince of Sondrio · Lombardy · Italy
LocorotondoMetropolitan City of Bari · Apulia · Italy
LondonGreater London · United Kingdom
Los AngelesCalifornia · United States
LuganoTicino · Switzerland
MaastrichtLimburg · Netherlands
MantuaProvince of Mantua · Lombardy · Italy
Matera · Sasso CaveosoProvince of Matera · Basilicata · Italy
MeranoAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Milan · Oh Bej! Oh Bej!Metropolitan City of Milan · Lombardy · Italy
Milan · RhoMetropolitan City of Milano · Lombardy · Italy
MombaroccioProvince of Pesaro e Urbino · Marche · Italy
MontbéliardBourgogne-Franche-Comté · France
Montecatini TermeProvince of Pistoia · Tuscany · Italy
MontreuxVaud · Switzerland
MoscowMoscow · Russia
MunichBavaria · Germany
Naples — San MartinoMetropolitan City of Napoli · Campania · Italy
Naples · San Gregorio ArmenoMetropolitan City of Napoli · Campania · Italy
Neapolitan Christmas sweets
New YorkManhattan · New York · United States
Nordic decorations
Nordic Lucia
NurembergBavaria · Germany
One day, so many lights: Christmas market trips from Milan
OrtiseiAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
OssanaAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
ParisÎle-de-France · France
Pergine ValsuganaAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
PerugiaProvince of Perugia · Umbria · Italy
PesaroProvince of Pesaro e Urbino · Marche · Italy
Pietrarsa — Napoli e PorticiMetropolitan City of Napoli · Campania · Italy
PordenoneProvince of Pordenone · Friuli-Venezia Giulia · Italy
PraguePrague · Czechia
RangoAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
RigaRiga Region · Latvia
Riva del GardaAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Rothenburg ob der TauberBavaria · Germany
RoveretoAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Saint Nicholas in Europe
SalernoProvince of Salerno · Campania · Italy
SalzburgState of Salzburg · Austria
San CandidoAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
Sant’Agata FeltriaProvince of Rimini · Emilia-Romagna · Italy
Santa Maria MaggioreProvince of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola · Piedmont · Italy
SarnicoProvince of Bergamo · Lombardy · Italy
Sauris di SopraProvince of Udine · Friuli-Venezia Giulia · Italy
SirorAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
St PetersburgSt Petersburg · Russia
Step off the train and into Christmas: market trips without a car
Still in the mood for Christmas lights? Where to go after the big day
StockholmStockholm County · Sweden
StrasbourgGrand Est · France
Stresa · Lake MaggioreProvince of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola · Piedmont · Italy
StuttgartBaden-Württemberg · Germany
TallinnHarju · Estonia
TerniProvince of Terni · Umbria · Italy
This gift has a heart: Milan’s Christmas markets that support good causes
TrentoAutonomous Province of Trento · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
TurinMetropolitan City of Turin · Piedmont · Italy
ValkenburgLimburg · Netherlands
VancouverBritish Columbia · Canada
VeronaProvince of Verona · Veneto · Italy
Vetralla, Tuscia, LazioProvince of Viterbo · Lazio · Italy
ViennaState of Vienna · Austria
VilniusVilnius County · Lithuania
VipitenoAutonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy
What a lovely Christmas! Find the market that feels right for you
What can I do too? Choosing Christmas markets with children
ZagrebCity of Zagreb · Croatia
ZurichCanton of Zurich · Switzerland

Compare up to three destinations

Put admission, arrival, visiting time and an indoor alternative side by side.

Destination 1Destination 2Destination 3Clear comparison

Bergamo

Province of Bergamo · Lombardy · Italy

Admission and costs: One hour’s skate hire €10, or €7 for ages ten and under.
Getting there: Train to Bergamo railway station, then walk.
Time to allow: Around three hours for the market and rink.
If it rains: Palazzo Moroni in the Upper Town, separate ticket.

Read the guide →− Remove from comparison

Sarnico

Province of Bergamo · Lombardy · Italy

Admission and costs: The lakeside market has free entry. Refreshments and shopping are paid to individual exhibitors; the bus fare covers transport and does not include spending at the chalets or any separately organized activities.
Getting there: From Bergamo railway station reach the bus station and take Arriva line E towards Sarnico, alighting at “Sarnico Municipio”. Continue on foot to the lakefront and Viale Garibaldi, where the chalets stand. Line E does not operate on 25 December.
Time to allow: Allow around 3 hours at the destination, excluding travel.
If it rains: The Gianni Bellini gallery at Palazzo Gervasoni in the old town is the indoor art alternative. It operates its own opening arrangements, rather than extending the market or automatically opening throughout the chalet hours.

Read the guide →− Remove from comparison

28 guides to explore

Browse the guides

Turin

Metropolitan City of Turin · Piedmont · Italy

Lights and walks

Christmas in Turin, a walk through Luci d’Artista

Luci d’Artista · 23 Oct 2026 – 10 Jan 2027

A two-hour walk from the Flying Carpet to the Mole. Find new installations, a sheltered stop and the light that moves across town.

Free admissionAbout 2 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Bergamo

Province of Bergamo · Lombardy · Italy

Christmas market

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

Christmas Village · 14 Nov 2026 – 27 Dec 2026

Market hours for Piazzale degli Alpini, events for children and an ice rink that stays open into January.

Different admission for each stopAbout 3 hours at the destination

Read the guide →− Remove from comparison

Catania

Metropolitan City of Catania · Sicily · Italy

Traditions

Christmas Town in Catania, from ice skating to the circus

Christmas Town at Le Ciminiere · 5 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027

Tickets, holiday hours and ideas for a family visit to Le Ciminiere, even in the rain.

About 4 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Mantua

Province of Mantua · Lombardy · Italy

Christmas market

Christmas in Mantua, from the stalls to the ice rink

Piazza Virgiliana · 7 Nov 2026 – 27 Dec 2026 · Selected opening days only

Mantua Christmas markets 2026: opening days for Piazza Virgiliana and the three central squares, ice-rink prices and a walking route.

Free admissionAbout 4 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Colico

Province of Lecco · Lombardy · Italy

Christmas market

Colico at Christmas, from the chalets to the lake

Piazza Garibaldi Christmas market · 21 Nov 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 · Selected opening days only

Colico’s Christmas market opens on twenty selected days in Piazza Garibaldi, 21 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. Find the walking route and indoor rink hours.

About 4 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Sforza Castle from Piazza Castello, Milan, in a 2019 photograph.

Milan · Oh Bej! Oh Bej!

Metropolitan City of Milan · Lombardy · Italy

Christmas market

Oh Bej! Oh Bej! Meet me at Milan’s castle

Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair · 5 Dec 2026 – 8 Dec 2026

From 5 to 8 December, Milan celebrates St Ambrose with the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair around Sforza Castle. Free entry and a three-stop walk.

Free admissionAbout 2 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

A pond in the Tuileries Garden with the Louvre behind it

Paris

Île-de-France · France

Christmas market

Christmas markets in Paris, from the Tuileries to La Défense

Tuileries Christmas market · 14 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

Two markets, Monet’s Water Lilies and an ice rink framed by skyscrapers. Plan a Paris Christmas outing with dates, Métro stops and three places to visit.

Free admissionAbout 5 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

London

Greater London · United Kingdom

Christmas market

Christmas markets in London, from Hyde Park to the Thames

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland · 19 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

Skate in Hyde Park and browse the chalets by the Thames. Dates, tickets and a route linking Winter Wonderland with South Bank.

About 5 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Lille

Nord · Hauts-de-France · France

Christmas market

Christmas in Lille, from Rihour’s chalets to books and the big wheel

Village de Noël at Rihour · 18 Nov 2026 – 30 Dec 2026

About ninety chalets, two nearby stations and a big wheel into January. Dates, prices and a walk through central Lille.

Free admissionAbout 3 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Aachen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Christmas market

Christmas in Aachen, three squares, the cathedral and spiced Printen

Aachen Christmas Market · 20 Nov 2026 – 23 Dec 2026

More than 120 stalls in the old town. Find the holiday hours, a cathedral stop and a route from Markt to Münsterplatz.

Free admissionAbout 3 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

San Candido

Autonomous Province of Bolzano · Trentino-South Tyrol · Italy

Christmas market

San Candido: Christmas between churches and Dolomites

Christmas in the Dolomites · 27 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027 · Selected opening days only

Christmas in the Dolomites returns from 27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with selected Advent days and a Christmas Day closure.

About 3 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Pesaro

Province of Pesaro e Urbino · Marche · Italy

Christmas market

Pesaro: Christmas with a tune of its own

Piazza del Popolo market · 5 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027

Market huts in Piazza del Popolo, Rossini and a pause with Bellini and ceramics: a Christmas to look at and listen to.

Free admissionAbout 4 hours at the destination

Read the guide →+ Compare this destination

Dates for your diary!

Open the destination calendar (40)

Dates refer to the particular event named. Some markets open only on selected days: read the guide before planning your journey.

Turin · Luci d’Artista23 Oct 2026 – 10 Jan 2027

Luci d’Artista

Scheduled

31 light installations across the city, free to see.

What kind of Christmas?

Bergamo

Sarnico

Browse the guides

Dates for your diary!

Christmas in everyday life

In Zurich the Christmas tree really sings. And you want to leave!

CHRISTMAS: THERE IS MORE THAN ONE STORY IN THE NATIVITY SCENE!