The market in the capital, Rome at the Piazza Navona  is well worth taking in. Santa or  Babbo Natale, as he is known in Italy is visible every day and there is a huge nativity scene set up in the piazza. The market starts on December 8th through to January 6, which is the day that the Italian character Befana arrives to dole out coal to any naughty children. More information is available at www.romaturismo.it.

One of the best region’s in Italy for Christmas is the Trentino-Alto Adige in the North. The markets in this area sell everything from local craft work to tacky trinkets and during the evening some put on a variety of activities beneath the glittering Christmas lights. The Trento Christmas market is one of the country’s best and is held at the Piazza Fiera from 22nd November until 24th December. It is open from 10 am until 7.30 pm everyday including Sundays, with late night shopping until 8.30 pm on Friday and Saturday.  There is also a beautiful nativity display on the Piazza Duomo. More information can be found at www.trentino.to.

Bolzano also in the Trentino-Alto Adige region also hosts a popular Christmas market on Walther Square with around 80 wooden stalls selling handcrafted nativity figures, mouth-watering Christmas food including Bolzano Zelten.  The town is illuminated by 1,000 Christmas lights in Walther Square and there is also an Enchanted Wood Christmas land display near to the Palais Campofranco. The market opens on 28th November until 23rd December from 10 am until 7 pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday from 9 am until 8 pm and Sunday from 9 am until 7 pm. More information can be found at www.bolzano.net.

Read also about the tradition of Christmas markets in England.