Italy: the cities and countries of Christmas shopping

Santa Maria Maggiore (VB – Piedmont) – The Piedmontese Orange Flag village of the Italian Touring Club is located in the heart of the Alps and has been home to one of the largest markets in Italy for years. More than 200 exhibitors, high quality artisans, will fill the streets of the village with handmade nativity scenes, stone and wooden houses, splendid ceramics, well-kept blown glass artefacts, original decorations, Christmas decorations and many more from 6 to 8 December products made entirely by hand. A delicious break from shopping will be possible at the chalets of the Artisan Excellence, with the gastronomic specialties of these lands, such as the tasty stincheet, accompanied by a fragrant mulled wine or by the invigorating Vigezzino coffee. Music and shows will liven up the atmosphere even more. For more information: mercatininatale.santamariamaggiore.info

Verona – The UNESCO heritage city at Christmas is dressed in lights. The food markets are hosted in Piazza Bra, where the huge and spectacular comet star is located, passing through the Arena and reaching the ground. The Piazza dei Signori hosts Nuremberg Christmas markets in the famous wooden houses of Christkindlesmarkt, where you can find wooden or glass artefacts, handmade toys and hand-woven garments. There are also typical local products, such as traditional chocolate or cinnamon sweets, the Stollen and the Bratwrust. Numerous markets and initiatives are also present in the other squares of the city until December 26th, such as the ice skating rink in Piazza San Zeno, the crib housed in the Basilica's garden, or the Family Area with a little train and the home of Santa Claus in the Piazza Viviani and Piazza Indipendenza. For more information: www.nataleinpiazza.it

Florence – The large and evocative Piazza Santa Croce, dominated by the basilica of the same name, is illuminated and colorfully decorated, with the setting up of the Christmas village, which animates it until December 22nd. The typical wooden chalets of the German tradition, enriched with decorations, offer a variety of objects and figurines for the crib, precious decorations and ideal artifacts to give as gifts. There are many gastronomic temptations among the houses, while for the children there is the Casa si Babbo Natale with a post office for letters. Among the other shows to admire, in Piazza Duomo on December 8th the big Christmas tree is lit and the Nativity of the Opera of Santa Maria del Fiore is set up in the cathedral square. For more information: www.visitflorence.com

Siena – The historic center of the city of the Palio is dressed in a magical mantle: from Piazza Matteotti to Lizza a rich Christmas market offers excellent products from various parts of the world, until December 24th. From street food to gift items, around 50 exhibitors pay particular attention to the international Christmas table, with food and wine specialties from countries such as Poland and Greece. Among the excellences of this year there are also the artisans of the Nativity of San Gregorio Armeno, the famous street of Naples, who make a nativity scene dedicated to Siena. The Lizza gardens welcome the Kingdom of Santa Claus, with everything that really concerns the world and the work of the friendly old man: from the Christmas Factory to the world of toys, from the post office to the reindeer stable. Finally Santa Claus in person sitting on his throne welcomes children. Info on Siena Christmas Village

Arezzo – City of Christmas until 6 January 2020, Arezzo dedicates spectacular installations with real light installations on the buildings and monuments symbol of the city. The Prato will be dominated by the Christmas Village with the fairytale-like Christmas atmosphere that will be the backdrop for about twenty wooden houses, with gastronomic products and typical handicrafts. The Piazza Grande (until December 26th) will be the kingdom of Tyrolean Christmas markets, with many gastronomic houses, while Piazza San Jacopo and Piazza Risorgimento will host a flea market with high quality artisans from all over Italy. Info on www.arezzocittadelnatale.it

Umbria: Gubbio, Perugia, Assisi – In the green heart of Italy, Christmas, the alleys of cities and villages light up with lights and decorations. The Christmas markets, which offer high quality craftsmanship, are animated by great music concerts, from gospel to Gregorian chants, until 6 January. In Gubbio there are markets, concerts, entertainment for the little ones and the Nativity in the medieval quarter of San Martino. In the Rocca di Perugia, among the spaces and alleys of the underground city, there are craft productions, Christmas decorations and gastronomic delicacies. Finally in Assisi are scheduled, among the various events, many music events and shows. Info on www.umbriatourism.it

Abruzzo: Campo di Giove and Roccaraso – The historic trains of the Christmas markets on the Trans-Siberian route of Italy, the Sulmona Carpinone line, are back. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December 22nd, with two consecutive departures (the first at 8.30am, the second at 10.30am) from the station of Sulmona, you go along, on board the wonderful Centoporte and Corbellini carriages of the FS Foundation, going back respectively to the years '30 and '50s, the fascinating tourist railway between unspoiled breathtaking landscapes, to get to the characteristic Christmas markets in the squares of Campo di Giove, a wonderful village at the foot of Majella, and Roccaraso, a famous tourist destination. For more information: abruzzoturismo.it