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Rome in December is one of the popular tourist destinations, because it is here, in the heart of the Catholic world, the center of the celebration of Catholic Christmas and related holidays.
In December, your evening walks in the Eternal City will be filled with magic and a special “anticipatory” mood: the squares of the Eternal City are decorated with Christmas trees and creches (skits on the theme of the birth of Jesus Christ), the streets sparkle with hundreds of lights, and various historical palazzos and churches host concerts dedicated to Christmas.
Table of Contents:
1. What’s the Weather in Rome in December?
2. How to Dress in Rome in December?
3. Holidays in Rome in December
4. Concerts and Exhibitions in December
5. What to Do in Rome in December?
1. What’s the Weather in Rome in December?
Winter in southern Italy is quite mild, but with a lot of precipitation in the form of rain. December in Rome resembles late fall in countries with cooler climates. The weather is autumnal and changeable: the sun can shine brightly in the morning and rain in the afternoon, accompanied by a rather unpleasant chilly wind.
However, some days will still delight with really warm sunny weather, bringing you back to the carefree days of Indian summer. Snow falls in December in extremely rare cases (if it does, it’s in January-February), but it’s likely to melt rather quickly, so you won’t be able to see picturesque snowdrifts and make snowmen.
Average daily temperature in Rome in December +10°C/50°F
Maximum daytime temperature in Rome in December is +15°C/59°F
Minimum daytime temperature in Rome in December +4°C/39°F
In December, the daylight hours get shorter and shorter (winter solstice day, the shortest day of the year, is December 21). Don’t be disappointed that you’ll see fewer sights by daylight, as Rome’s streets and squares look more colorful in the run-up to Christmas, thanks to the festive illuminations. In December, your evening walks around the Eternal City will be filled with magic and a special pre-holiday mood.
Keep in mind that after dark the temperature drops significantly (sometimes dropping to zero or even lower), the nights are quite cold, so if you plan to walk in the dark, it is better to be properly insulated and periodically look in Roman bars.
2. How to Dress in Rome in December?
Imagine that you are traveling in a time machine from December back to early November. The grass is still green (and against its background, sometimes combined with palm trees, Christmas trees without any snow look quite strange), but the leaves on the trees have withered and fallen in some places.
Before your trip, dress and pack your suitcase accordingly for the fall weather: leave your fur coat at home (if you live much north of Rome), take a warm jacket or coat.
During your stay in Rome there can be both warm sunny weather and rain with a biting wind, which means that your suitcase should have room for an umbrella and a couple of sweaters.
A cap or hat, gloves and a scarf may also be necessary, as the weather in December is quite changeable, and you should be ready for any of its vagaries. Comfortable waterproof shoes are another must-have for tourists.
During the winter, Rome sells charcoal-roasted chestnuts. Chestnut sellers with their characteristic roasting pots and rolled-up paper cones can be seen everywhere in the historic center. The taste of chestnuts may not be to everyone’s taste (to be honest, it reminds me of potatoes!), but these hot fruits are great for warming up frozen hands!
3. Holidays in Rome in December
December 8, 25 and 26 are public holidays and official days off in Italy. Organizations and businesses that may be closed: post offices, banks, schools, offices of public services, museums and archaeological areas, many stores and restaurants. It is better to check the opening hours in advance on the official website of the museum or store. Also, most stores and museums have reduced opening hours on Christmas Eve (December 24).
December 8 – Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (L’Immacolata Concezione)
According to Catholic dogma, not supported by Orthodox and Protestants, the Virgin Mary was conceived by ordinary parents (not to be confused with the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ), but by the will of God she was freed from original sin.
The main celebrations take place in Piazza España in Rome, at the 12-meter-high column of the Immaculate Conception. According to tradition, which dates back to 1857, the first to praise the Virgin Mary are Roman firefighters. One member of this brave profession climbs on an extension ladder of a fire engine to the bronze statue at the top of the column and places a wreath of flowers on her hand. Later in the day, delegations from the Roman police, public transportation, medical institutions and various commercial companies arrive at the column. They all lay flowers and floral wreaths with their logos at the column of the Immaculate Conception.
The head of the Catholic Church also takes part in the celebration, delivering a message to the assembled delegations at the column and then going to the titular Basilica of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte to pray before the Madonna del Miracolo (Madonna of the Miracle).
December 25 is Catholic Christmas (Natale)
Dece,ber 25th is the birthday of Jesus Christ and the second most important holiday in Italy after Easter. Preparations for the holiday begin as early as November. The streets of Rome are decorated with festive illuminations, and Christmas trees and presepe (Christmas creches with three-dimensional figures reproducing the biblical scene of the birth of Jesus Christ) appear in squares and at the main attractions such as the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Square and Piazza Venezia.
On the night of Dec. 24-25, churches serve Christmas masses. The main Christmas Eve service is held with the Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica, which seats 15,000 people.
It is quite difficult to get to this event – you need to apply several months in advance. But if you want to be a part of it and feel the atmosphere of one of the main Christian holidays, it is quite possible: the mass is broadcast live on large screens installed in St. Peter’s Square, and the next day, December 25, from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope addresses all the faithful with the traditional Christmas message and blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”).
Christmas for Italians is a celebration in a close family circle, around a big table with a variety of tasty and nourishing food. Christmas holidays are usually celebrated at home, socializing with loved ones and attending church (while New Year’s Eve is celebrated in the format of outdoor festivities and parties or not celebrated at all – for Italians Christmas is more important).
On December 25, the whole of Italy is quiet and quiet, most institutions, stores and museums are closed. A tourist of any religion can spend this day in Rome, walking around the quiet and peaceful city and admiring the famous Roman sights without the usual crowds.
December 26 -(St. Stephen the Martyr Day
December 26 is Il giorno di Santo Stefano (St. Stephen the Martyr Day), the logical extension of Christmas and an opportunity for Italians to take another day off and spend time with family, walking and visiting Christmas markets. It is another public holiday and a day off in Italy, but many museums (like the Colosseum) are already open.
Pro Tip: December 26 is a great time to visit Rome’s museums. They will be practically empty.
December 13 – St. Lucia’s Day
St. Lucia’s Day is the feast day of St. Lucy, one of the most revered Christian martyrs, patron saint of the blind. The feast is celebrated most widely in Siracusa in Sicily, where the saint was born and where she ended her earthly journey, as well as in some cities in northern Italy, Sweden, Finland and other northern countries, where it is St. Lucia who gives gifts to children, not Babbo Natale (Italian Santa Claus).
During the festivities in honor of St. Lucia in Rome, with the help of the Swedish Embassy, festive processions and concerts are organized, where young girls and boys in white robes sing Swedish Christmas songs.
In the center of the choir is a girl with a wreath on her head decorated with burning candles, embodying the image of a saint. Visitors to the events will also be able to sample spicy Swedish alcoholic beverages and Christmas pastries, including lussekatt (a raisin-decorated bun in the shape of the letter S).
New Years Eve
On the night from December 31 to January 1, as in the rest of the world, Italy celebrates New Year’s Eve, although with a smaller scale than in post-Soviet countries. December 31 (St. Sylvester’s Day) is considered a working day, but January 1 (Capodanno – literally “head of the year”) is a day off.
Many Italians celebrate New Year’s Eve, unlike Christmas, outdoors and outside the house – they organize folk festivals, watch outdoor light and music performances, attend concerts and parties, launch fireworks.
The main venues for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Rome are the Colosseum (Via dei Fori Imperiali) and Piazza del Popolo, where an open-air light and music show with fireworks and performers takes place.
Most restaurants in Rome stay open on New Year’s Eve, offering a special menu for New Year’s Eve dinner, which Italians call cenone (big dinner). Traditionally, the festive dinner includes lentil dishes, which symbolizes material prosperity and wealth in the New Year.
4. Concerts and Exhibitions in Rome in December
Websites for ordering concert tickets:
Rome Opera House (Teatro dell’Opera di Roma)
The Nutcracker
A New Year’s ballet in two acts to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on Hoffmann’s fairy tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”. Familiar to everyone since childhood, “Waltz of the Flowers” and “Dance of the Dragee Fairy” will guarantee an instant New Year’s mood at any age!
Dates: December 21-24, 27-31, 2023.
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini’s immortal work, first performed in 1900. Set in Rome during the Napoleonic Wars, the opera is a dramatic story of love, betrayal and political intrigue.
The plot revolves around the passionate and turbulent relationship between the famous singer Floria Tosca and the painter Mario Cavaradossi.
The opera is known for its outstanding arias, including Tosca’s touching “Vissi d’arte” and Cavaradossi’s sublime “E lucevan le stelle,” making it a timeless classic in the opera repertoire.
Dates: December 9, 12, 14, 2023.
St. Paul’s Cathedral in the Walls (Chiesa di San Paolo dentro le Mura)
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi’s immortal masterpiece in the unique atmosphere of St. Paul’s Cathedral in the Walls (American Church in Rome). Singers perform accompanied by strings, wind instruments and piano.
Dates: December 1, 2023.
Concert of the Three Tenors
Accompanied by an orchestra of Neapolitan mandalines and piano, the three tenors will perform “Torna A Surriento”, “O’ sole mio” and “Funiculì funiculà” and other famous opera arias.
Dates: December 2, 2023 at 8:30 pm.
New Year’s Concert
A traditional New Year’s Eve concert performed by the I Virtuosi Dell’opera di Roma orchestra. For many years now the program of the event consists of a selection of the most famous opera arias, Viennese waltzes and Christmas songs. Guests: soprano S. Leone, mezzo-soprano I. Bottaro and tenor A. Gentili.
Dates: December 31, 2023 at 20:00.
Crypt of the Capuchin Church (Via Vittorio Veneto, 27)
Священная музыка в сердце Рима. Экскурсия на английском языке по одному из самых загадочных мест Рима в сочетании с завораживающим григорианским пением.
Baroque Music Concert
In the Capuchin Church on Via Veneto dolce vita, surrounded by magnificent sculptures and frescoes, you can enjoy the beautiful works of renowned Baroque composers such as Palestrina, Arcadelt, Moras and Pitoni, performed by the Schola Romana Ensemble. You will also visit the mysterious Capuchin crypt!
Dates: December 7, 14, 21, 2023.
Palazzo Pamphili in Piazza Navona
Dinner/Aperitif and Opera
This will be one of the most wonderful memories you will take back with you from Rome. You will be treated to an exquisite candlelit dinner accompanied by the finest works of Italian opera. This exclusive event takes place in the Innocent X Hall in the Palazzo Pamphili, with a magnificent view of Piazza Navona.
Dates: all of December.
St. Peter’s Square
Rome traditionally hosts the international exhibition “100 Presepi al Vaticano”, which showcases more than a hundred Christmas creches reproducing the biblical scenes of the birth of Jesus Christ using three-dimensional figures and made of the most varied and unexpected materials.
The exhibition was first held in 1976 as a tribute to the true Italian Christmas tradition (as opposed to the tradition of setting up and dressing up trees, historically common in northern European countries but not Italy).
Dates: December 8, 2023 – January 7, 2024.
5. What to Do in Rome in December?
There are plenty of options for things to do when visiting Rome in December, given the abundance of various holidays that are celebrated in Italy in the first winter month.
St. Peter’s Square, Colosseum, Piazza Venezia
The biggest and best-looking Christmas trees in the Italian capital are located in St. Peter’s Square and near the Colosseum, as well as on the Capitoline Hill. This year, contrary to a long-standing tradition, the main Christmas tree of the country will be installed not in Piazza Venezia, but in Piazza del Popolo. The reason for this is the work on the construction of the subway.
The tree decorating St. Peter’s Square is donated to the Vatican by a northern Italian region or by Catholics from other countries. The Christmas tree, as well as a life-size crèche with the baby Jesus, will remain in St. Peter’s Square until January 7, the Feast of the Epiphany.
Piazza Navona
Markets and festive trees are not traditional for Italy’s Christmas celebrations. They are traditions of countries such as Germany and Austria, and some northern Italian regions adjacent to Austria.
There are not many Christmas markets in Rome, the most famous being in Piazza Navona. Here they sell toys, jewelry, sweets, pastries and local craftsmen.
At the Christmas market you can have your picture taken with the witch Befana (a good witch who brings presents to children) and Babbo Natale (Italian Santa Claus), ride the carousel. The market will open on December 8 and will be open until January 6.
Christmas Markets in Rome
- Campo de’ Fiori: November 26, 2023 – January 6, 2024
- Piazza Mazzini: December 8 – December 24, 2023
- Giftland: Address: via Tuscolana 179 (December 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 2023)
- Christmas WorldAddress: villa BorgheseDates: December 1, 2023 – January 6, 2024
- Magia del NataleAddress: Cinecittà World amusement park, Via Irina AlbertiDates: November 11, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Christmas Stores in Rome
It is possible to buy really beautiful Christmas decorations in Rome for yourself and as a gift. Not far from Piazza Navona, there is a store called Sempre Natale (Via della Scrofa, 93) called Always Christmas.
“Sempre Natale” is the only store in Rome and in Italy open all year round and entirely dedicated to Christmas decorations.
Next to the Spanish Steps, there is another store that usually sells stationery and, at Christmas time, jewelry, decorations and creche figures: Vertecchi Stationery (Via della Croce, 70).
Near the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and Nero’s Golden House is the weekend market Mercato Monti (Via Leonina, 46), where you can buy handicrafts, designer clothes and shoes, antiques and jewelry. In December, the theme of the market is Christmas.
And of course, we recommend you to pass one of our quests – in the company of friends or together with your family, leisurely, fun and at your own pleasure, enjoying every moment spent in the Eternal City!
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