Rome at Christmas: all you need to know for a perfect Christmas in Rome [2025 Update]
All you need to know about visiting Rome at Christmas? Best things to do in Rome at Christmas, top tours, closures and festive days you need to know about
Rome is always stunning, but Rome at Christmas is magical.
When the festive season dusts its ancient walls with lights and cheer, the often prickly personality of this multifaceted city softens and acquires an air of joyful elegance that lifts the spirits of inhabitants and tourists alike.
Growing up in Rome I witnessed often the transition from a dull winter day to the light-filled days of Christmas and even now that I am very much not a kid anymore, I still love when festive cheer comes to town.
The first big day for Christmas festivities in Rome is the 8th of December, when trees are traditionally decorated, and celebrations carry through all the way to the 6th of December, when the epiphany ‘takes away’ the holiday (L’Epifania, tutte le feste porta via).
During these weeks, you can enjoy Rome in several guises: sightseeing is of course always in the cards in Rome (careful with closures, see below) and you can also mix time spent experiencing Rome top sites with quintessential Christmas activities and winter ready ones, to make the most of this specific time of year.
In this post, I gathered all I believe you need to know doubt Christmas in Rome. I hope you enjoy it!
Visiting Rome soon? Check also our FAVOURITE ROME ITINERARY, OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST THINGS TO SEE IN ROME FOR FREE AND OUR SELECTION OF ROME HOTELS
10 best things to do in Rome at Christmas
Visit the Colosseum (but careful about closures)
A list of the top things to do in Rome must include the Colosseum and this is true also for a list of things to do in Rome at Christmas since the Colosseum is open most days during the holiday season.
Visiting the Colosseum is easy and you can go self guides or with a guide. If going self guided, the the official website for tickets is this one.
If you want to go with a tour, which is a lovely way to learn about the place and navigate the crowds, my favorite tour of the Colosseum is this one. I love it because the guides are exceptional and manage to make the tour fun and comprehensive in a limited amount of time.
Need to know! The festivities do affect opening days / opening hours of the Colosseum. The schedule is set by the Colosseum management and can change depending on specific needs of the attrraction. Always check the official website before committing to any plans.
Treat yourself for a Keymaster tour of the Vatican Museums (but careful about closures)
The Vatican Museums are one of the great museums of the world and, as you can imagine, at Christmas, they become even busier than usual, to the point of becoming unpleasant.
However, there is one way to escape the crowds that it very much a Christmas present to yourself, as the price is high, but also one of the most incredible things you can do in Rome at Christmas or, truly, one of the most incredible think too can do full stop: a visit with the Vatican Keymaster as they open the museum for the day.
I treated myself to this tour this year and it is nothing short of magical. You get to the museum when it is still dark outside, at about 6.30 in the morning: at the entrance, you meet a specialised guides who lets you into the museum before opening hours and gets you to walk around the halls with the Keymaster as they open the doors and turn on the lights for the day.
You even get to open the Sistine Chapel and walk on before anyone else! I was literally the first one in, and was alone in it! An indescribable emotion (and I am not Catholic, so I can only imagine what it must be like for the faithful)!
This is a unique experience and one I cannot recommend enough. You can get it here.
Of course, should this be out of budget, you can also visit with a quality tour like this one, or even by yourself, getting tickets from the official site. As you can imagine, the festivities do affect opening days of the Vatican Museums: make sure you check the official site before committing to plans.
Visit the Piazza Navona Christmas market
Christmas markets are, originally, not an Italian tradition but we have one in Piazza Navona that has been running for so long, it is now very much a tradition in itself!
The market is small but cute mostly due to its incredible setting in one of the most beautiful piazzas in Rome and it is free to visit. Here, you find some food stalls, souvenirs/ gift stalls, a nativity scene, a carousel and balloon sellers for kids. I would not come to Rome FOR this market, but it is lovely to see if you are in Rome at Christmas anyway.
Fun fact! Italy celebrates the epiphany (6th of January) with a very special character, la befana (abroad, it is often referred to as Italy’s Christmas which), an old witch-like lady who on the night of the 5/6th of January flies around Italy on a broomstick to deliver sweet to the good kids and coal (sugar in the shape of coal, nowadays) to the naughty ones. The Piazza Navona Christmas market is a populate family hang out on that day!
Look up at the Christmas tree Rome’s main squares
Many of Rome’s main piazzas get tall Christmas trees during the holiday season and they are a cool sight for kids and adults alike.
Among the most impressive, there are the new Bulgari tree in Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and the one in St Peter’s square, the most impressive of all.
I can think of many reasons why you should visit St Peter’s square and basilica at Christmas, but the one I cherish most of all and is always a great hit with the kids is the big tree that graces the centre of this peculiar yet important State.
The tree reaches the square each year from a different destination but it is always immensely tall, sustainably grown and meaningful: its wood, once the festivities are over, is donated to charity.
The tree arrives in the Piazza at the end of November and gets lit around the 8th of December (the exact date changes every year).
Top tip for families visiting with young children: the tree is always a great sight but especially if you have a toddler or anyway a young boy the real fun moment is when the tree arrives. Because of its size, the tree is usually carried by big cranes and machines, effortlessly maneuvering it around as it if was a piece of lego! It is not the most cultural of events in Rome, but I can guarantee it will be one little kids will remember fondly.
Marvel at the elaborate nativity scenes
Italy has a strong tradition of nativity scenes, or Presepi, as we call them.
Nativity scenes are common in churches in Rome, so I recommend to spontaneously peek into churches you pass to look for one (a great one is in Sant’Eustachio) or you can go to the fascinating ‘100 nativity scenes’ exhibition in St Peter’s square, free to visit.
Like the name suggests, the exhibition has over 100 variations on the theme of the Bethlehem crib and it is interesting because it hosts creations not jut from several Italian regions but also from foreign countries – Belgium, el Salvador, China, Korea, Panama, Indonesia and Peru, just to name a few!
The exhibition takes place in Piazza San Pietro and is free, you can just walk in (it’s under the colonnade, you cannot miss it once you’re in the square, you’ll see it)
Take an evening golf cart tour to see the city all lit up
Rome city center is lovely at Christmas, with all the pretty lights decorating it and a fun way to explore it is by golf cart. Golf carts are tour vehicles (so you do not drive them yourself, you book a tour with them) and they are great as they allow to cover a lot of ground without having to walk.
At Christmas, I love to take one in the evening as, at the end of a long day, it carts your around to see pretty corners of Rome without any effort on your side and they also stop for drinks. A lovely treat! Find info here.
Celebrate Christmas mass at the Vatican
On Christmas, the eyes of the catholic world turn to St Peter’s square and if you are spending Christmas in Rome, you may want to participate to this event and see the Pope in person.
This is possible however, it does take some planning and a good bit of luck as tickets for the mass in the Vatican are limited and hard to get.
However, should you not be one of the chosen few who can participate to the even from inside the church, there is an alternative.
On Christmas even, you can head to St Peter’s square and join the many visitors who follow the mass from the big screens in the square or, on Christmas day, you can participate to the mass held in the square at noon.
This one does not require tickets (but does get super busy).
You can find here >>> all you need to know about visiting the Vatican at Christmas.
Bring the kids to Christmas World
Christmas World is a lovely and family friendly Christmas event which comes to Rome Borghese Gardens during the festive season.
The event it ticketed and is a short of Christmas themes amusement park for kids: here, you have food stalls, family shows, a small ice skating rink and carousels, all in Christmas theme. The event is lovely for kids and easy to enjoy both during daytime and in the evening (evening is more atmospheric as you can enjoy the lights more). Official sire with times and tickets is here.
Celebrate Christmas eve eating fish
Christmas eve is a big festivity in Rome and much more than just a warm-up for the big day.
Families gather on Christmas eve and celebrate the occasion with glorious meals with, usually, a fish menu.
This tradition has roots in the Christian habit of fasting or at least to eat light on the day preceding a big religious event, but over the course of the centuries it has changed and has become a gourmand extravaganza.
Salmon, oily fish and shrimps are the most popular starters and shellfish pasta and roast fillets of fish are traditional mains.
If you are renting an apartment in Rome for the festivities, which I highly recommend, you can join this tradition.
Just be aware that shops do close early on Christmas eve so any stock must be bought in the morning at the very latest.
Take a food tour to taste the best the city has to offer
Rome has a wonderful food tradition made of warming, filling foods that are perfect for a cold winter morning.
Traditional foods you will try on a food tour in Rome are pizza (several types, not just what you think!), suppli’, artichokes, of course gelato and several types of pasta. Food tours are wonderful to get to experience several establishments that you know are good and may want to experience again with more time during your stay. A lovely one I believe you will like is this one.
Bonus! Join the panettone vs pandoro debate
Italy has many Christmas dessert and the two most famous are panettone and pandoro.
To the non-initiated, they may look similar, but Italians have very strong opinions about them and are divided into what I can only call two factions: panettone vs pandoro lovers.
Both desserts are not homemade but rather bought (in supermarkets or in their craft version in some deli shops and bakeries) and their appearance is somehow reminiscent of the one of a brioche, soft and sweet to the bite.
Italians are evangelical about preferring one of the other and while they will not hold it against you if you don’t agree with their choice, they are likely to take note of which side of the debate you are on.
So, taste aways and pick a favourite!
How cold does it get in Rome in December?
December is one of the coldest months in Rome and while temperatures stay well above freezing, especially on a wet day it is wise to wrap up.
The average temperature is around 10 degrees and showers of rain are possible while, usually, short lived.
What to pack for visiting Rome at Christmas
If visiting Rome in December you will need good, warm, walking shoes, a coat (ideally waterproof) a scarf and an umbrella.
Heating is not as full on in Italy as you may be used to in other countries, so don’t expect to have to take off many layers once entering museums or restaurants.
You will find yourself keeping warm sweaters on at all times!
YOU CAN FIND MY FULL PACKING LIST FOR ROME IN WINTER HERE
Where to stay in Rome at Christmas
Christmas festivities make the already chaotic Rome public transport system unreliable, with fewer services available.
If you can, stay in the city centre, in the area around Piazza Navona or the Pantheon. The extra cost for such a location will be offset by the ease of movement.
A good alternative are the roads between the Colosseum and Rione Monti or Trastevere, which is separated from the centre by the river Tiber, but is atmospheric and very well served with local shops and restaurants.
Find here >>> my recommended hotels in the Pantheon/ Navona area
Closing hours of main Rome attraction at Christmas
Most tours and attractions will be open over Christmas and will follow standard opening hours and schedule.
However, there are some notable exceptions on Christmas eve, Christmas day, St Stephen’s day (the 26th of December), New year’s day and January the 6th.
Sites that close during Christmas in Rome
The colosseum, the forum and the Borghese gallery are closed on Christmas day and new years day
The Vatican museums are closed on all the above mentioned days, but the main square stays open, and so does the basilica
Are shops open in Rome during Christmas week?
Shops have prolonged opening hours during the Christmas weeks but do close early on the 24th of December and tend to reopen on the 27th.
While you will always find some form of food in Rome, it is best to check your local supermarket opening hours so you know don’t get stuck.
If you are really stuck for supplies, your best bet is to head to Termini station where shops are usually open even after hours and during festivities
Important note for shopping lovers: in Rome, sales do not start immediately after Christmas, you have to wait January for bargains!
Are Rome restaurants open at Christmas?
Eating out in Rome on Christmas eve and Christmas day is not always easy: many restaurants close on the 24th and the ones that are open tend to have special Christmas menu with equally ‘special’ price tags.
The same happens for new year’s eve when restaurants tend to be booked for events or offer special festive menus.
Book in advance to make sure you are happy with the deal you are offered or to do as the Romans do: stock up on food at home and join the celebrations after dinner!
I hope you enjoyed reading about Rome at Christmas. Safe travels!
Visitors’ Guide to Rome at Christmas: pin this!
