2024 Christmas market special
Every year Rome's Christmas markets grow. There are the daily ones, who set up their stalls throughout the month of December, like the historic one in Piazza Navona that all Romans are fond of and the delightful one in Piazza Mazzini with its wooden houses arranged around the spectacular fountain. There are also weekend-only Christmas markets scattered throughout Rome, very small semi-clandestine pop up markets in private homes and shops, hyper-specialised ones - from Japanese to green ones - and those where you can find everything. We don’t claim to know them all, and indeed we ask for your help if we have missed any important ones. Our traditional guide to the Christmas markets starts on December 1st like every Advent calendar and is a work in progress. Send us your reports to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Piazza Navona Befana Market is a Christmas market par excellence in Rome that embodies tradition. Every Roman has a memory linked to the Christmas themed stalls which for over a month enriches one of the most beautiful squares in the city, if not the most beautiful square. From December 1st, Christmas stalls return to the square offering many gift ideas, artisan products and sweets to fill our stockings. The market closes out the holiday season with a grand celebration and show on January 6th for the Epiphany. Experience the exciting performance dedicated for the littles ones about theBefana, the magical old lady with a broom who is the main character for Italian kids on this holiday. Among our favorite stalls are the ones with puppets and nativity scenes. This year the renovation work on the wonderful Four Rivers fountain is ruining the atmosphere a bit but the beautiful historic carousel, prize games and banquets will liven it up. Furthermore, the other fountain in the Piazza, Fountain of the Moor, has just emerged white and shining from the renovation so Romans and visitors can fully enjoy it.
Among the first to set up their stalls, as they have in recent years, is PIAZZA MAZZINI CHRISTMAS MARKET. It is a festive version of the antiques market which takes place on the first and third Sunday of the month throughout the rest of the year. It is a market that we have been following for a long time: the atmosphere is joyful and the setting is very beautiful, with a wide variety of options. In addition to Christmas objects (decorations, ceramics, music boxes), there are gift ideas (from pasheminas to herbalist's shop to regional gastronomic specialties and wooden artefacts). Some of the usual sellers even offer a Christmas version of their antique furniture. A few years ago, the market started using these beautiful recycled wood houses for the vendor stalls. From December 1st to 29th you will find historic craftsmen, such as Susanna who works all year round to create her wooden artefacts to decorate the house, Massimo alias Kosedautore with his embroidered gloves, sculptured shawls, embroidered wool hats made with the needle technique of punching, silk necklaces, shoulder bags and bags, and Daniela and her marvellous lamps.
GiftLand, organized by the Vintage Market, in a new location in the San Paolo District at the former Atac depot in San Paolo and only open for three weekends in December, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 from 10am to 8pm. The space is truly large and festive. With 200 exhibitors from all over Italy in an area of 6000 square meters it offers the largest assortment of gifts ever seen: local crafts, artists and illustrators, vintage, designers and stylists, vinyls and books, clothing, children's games, organic cosmetics , Christmas decorations, plants and flowers, artisan panettone and Christmas desserts. There is also a kids area (where kids will also be able to "see" with their own eyes how some products that are sold at the market are made), live sets and a refreshment corner. And lots of music: swing sounds, in the afternoon Vocal Odditi Christmas choir, Sweet Georgia Brown, Satin Dollz and The Swing Barriques will perform on stage. For children, free workshops and many entertainments such as Mr Rainbow's soap bubbles, the large wooden games (made with recycled materials) by Ludobus Edugioca or the large papier-mâché animals made by Perfareungioco. There are also workshops for adults to make the gift with your own hands: ceramics, illustration, botany, bead embroidery, crochet and much more. There are many artisans among those we have met that you will find at Giftland, we would like to point out a few: Virginia, with her wonderful puppets on Dec 7-8 and Dec 21-22; the florist Toni with her fabulous garlands (above in the photo); Barbara and her paper creations (below in photo); Daniele Amendola with the “nomeecognome” project; Massimo Junk Design with the wonderful lamps; Cinzia's papier-mâché creations; Lucio and his fabulous hats (for men and women); Daniele Valabrega with his poetic wrought iron; and the illustrator Giulia Belcastro.
At FusoLab for FRA' – Accessible Gift Fair, the fair dedicated to low-cost gifts is now in its ninth edition. Each item costs strictly less than or equal to 50 euros and everything is self-produced ,meaning everything on display is made and packaged by the vendors. Among the many vendors are Bibihatroppespese, which creates truly beautiful fabric costume jewelery with creative recycling and SaroRosa with natural cosmetics and body products. Located in the Fusolab at the Casilino Shopping Center and open for only two weekends : December14-15 & December 21-22. In addition to the 120 exhibitors and vendors there are workshops and entertainment for children organized by the SUPERS staff; “Santa's Little Helpers” including gift collection, virtual reality tour, collection of letters and wishes, and a photo corner. There is no shortage of Radio Last Christmas musical selections, the radio that broadcasts Wham's Last Christmas 24 hours a day. Lastly, there will be a special holiday menu created by the popular bistro inside the Fusolab, Fucina Alessandrina.
The Green market festival becomes the eco-sustainable Christmas village in Testaccio, inside La Città dell'altra economia which will be open for 3 weekends: December 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22, for unique and sustainable Christmas gifts. The market will have everything you are looking for, from artistic craftsmanship (about a hundred exhibitors per day), to workshops, shows, bars with cocktails and craft beer, plant-based food and chocolate shops. The workshops range from goldsmithing to papier-mâché, painting, sensory activities, creative theatre, yoga, kintsugi, gong baths, and making lucky amulets. There is also a dedicated baby parking area for the little ones. Various music performances, circus, and small theater performances. Every afternoon Santa Claus will collect the children's letters and distribute sweets and chocolates. Among the various artisans there is Susanna with her Papera di Latta project and SMUS with her fabric creations.
The Artists' market organized by Faenas factory accompanies you until Christmas Eve. Opening on Thursday 19th through Monday 23rd in the heart of Garbatella at Parco Desiderio Nobles (Piazza Sant'Eurosia) from 10am to 8pm. In addition to the various stands there are also various workshops. A magical place, around one of the most beautiful squares in Garbatella, where you can find many craftsmen and women. It is set up in the last days before Christmas to allow everyone to find a creative thought, for all budgets. Among the many artists there will be Laura, mother and artisan (above in the photo), who we have known for many years and who we appreciate for her fabric creations for the little ones, which are colourful, soft and very functional. All born from her direct experience.
The Japanese Christmas market - Japan days Xmas edition - can be found indoors at the Capannelle Hippodrome on December 14 and 15th. Here you will find lots of shopping with 120 vendors, traditional culture, and food & drinks made in Japan. You will find not only sushi but also the cornerstones of Japanese street cuisine including takoyaki, gyoza, ebifurai, korokke and karē, express onigiri, a refined variety of Sake, Whiskey and spirits and of course dorayaki, a typical Japanese snack. Traditional Japanese shows from martial arts to practical demonstrations on bonsai arts, concerts, the Samurai comic theatre, workshops and laboratories,and the tea ceremony. For children, there's a creative micro sewing workshop that will allow them to create their favorite rag doll anime themed or an origami course. Alessandra will also be there with her Nature pops project, she is our cover girl.
Hippie Market & Ficus becomes Ficus al Massimo Xmas Edition. You will have three weekends in front of the Circus Maximus to hunt for Christmas gifts with over 2,000 gift ideas and 160 vendors Two floors and a courtyard with many stalls dedicated to crafts, home decoration, fashion, illustrations, vintage, flowers and plants. In total there will be 160 vendors on the December 7-8 \ 14-15 \ 21-22 from 10.30 to 20.00. And while you are there you can take the opportunity to take a look at the Garum, Library and Museum of Cuisine and maybe find a very, very vintage accessory for your kitchen. Here among the many artisans you will find (in the second two weekends) Lavi & Sam who create gender free jewelry inspired by space and time with the possibility of customizing them (they are the nice guys above); Ilaria with her messages that mix irony and poetry (in the photo below).
