10 Things to do in Verona at Christmas

Verona is the city of Shakespeare, of Romeo and Juliet, of Roman theatres, festivals and symphonic works in the Arena, but it also dresses up in December and offers a unique Christmas atmosphere that bathes the city in eve activities and unmissable decorations.

Some of the best things to see and do in Verona at Christmas include visiting the themed flea markets, taking part in the Father Christmas Race, attending the display of nativity scenes from around the world, experiencing the Christmas spirit of Lake Garda and visiting the Gardaland Magic Winter amusement park, which is one of the most outstanding in northern Italy.

The exhibition of cribs from around the world is one of the most popular events in Verona during Christmas and consists of a display of more than 400 cribs from museums and private collections from all over the world. This exhibition is organised every year in the Arena of Verona and lasts from the last days of November until Epiphany.

The exhibition, which attracts an increasing number of participants each year, awards prizes for the best nativity scenes and displays of Christmas-inspired works of art. The event also includes special effects with music, lights, sounds and projections that create a multi-sensory experience and guided tours of the main works in the exhibition.

The exhibition of nativity scenes from around the world also includes performances of living nativity scenes on stage at the Arena di Verona during the week leading up to Christmas Eve and offers discounted tickets for children under 12 and adults over 65.

Interesting details

• Price... Tickets start at approximately 8 euros for adults and 5 euros for children under 12 and seniors over 65.
• When... Every year from the end of November until Epiphany.
• Where... Verona Arena.

If you want to experience the Christmas spirit of Verona, you don't need to visit the exhibitions, museums or take part in the themed activities that the city offers in December. You can simply stroll through the streets decorated with large garlands, the lights of the houses, the tinsel windows and the decorations of the official buildings.

Verona is the Christmas capital of northern Italy and the snowy December weather usually adds to the magic of Christmas. As you walk around the city, you' ll come across street music shows, caroling events in the squares, the decorations of St Peter's Castle, which is guarded by two giant illuminated reindeer on Christmas Eve, and you'll also come across a Father Christmas on every street corner.

The squares are also decorated with giant Christmas trees, themed carousels and even Verona' s tourist buses are dressed up in Christmas motifs. And in December, hop-on-hop-off tours include stops at major events and sites where Christmas decorations and activities take place.

Piazza delle Erbe is one of the main squares in Verona and every year in December a giant Christmas tree is set up there, a must-see if you want to see the main sites of Christmas celebrations in the city. This tree, located in the heart of Verona, faces the shops in the square, so you can have a hot drink while you watch it through the window.

The Piazza delle Erbe's venues are usually included in the best food tours of Verona, so if you visit the giant tree on your own you can enjoy Veronese food there or choose one of the tours to enjoy the flavours of the city.

The tour of the tree in Piazza delle Erbe is short and centrally located, halfway to the Arena, the Roman Theatre, Juliet's House, Romeo's House and several tourist attractions in the city, so you can walk around it even if you are planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here is a list of things to do in Verona in 1 day.

Interesting details

• Price... The visit to the giant Christmas tree is free of charge.
• When... The tree is available throughout December.
• Where... Piazza delle Herbe, Verona.

Christmas formally begins in Verona with the opening of the themed markets, especially the one in Piazza dei Signori, which is inspired by the Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg and offers visitors over 100 wooden stalls with regional products, glass, wood and ceramic handicrafts with Christmas motifs, Christmas Eve sweets and gastronomy and gifts for the whole family.

At the flea market in Piazza dei Signori you can also try the traditional vin brulé, a spiced mulled wine that is traditional in Germany but is available for consumption at the flea markets every Christmas. You'll also find stalls on Ponte Scaligero, where you can buy the best decorations, and in Piazza Bra, where the Santa Lucia flea market is held.

At the Santa Lucia market you'll find the best Christmas desserts as well as children's games, such as a carousel, and stalls from vendors from all over the country. St Lucia's is Verona's traditional market and one of the oldest, as the Christkindlmarkt in Piazza dei Signori has become the most famous in the city but has been held for just over 20 years.

One of the most traditional Christmas events in Verona is the Father Christmas Run, a 5-10 km competition organised every year in which participants run dressed as Father Christmas. This event is held in different cities around the world but in Verona it has become an icon of the city.

The race changes its length and also its route every year, although it usually runs through the main streets of the centre, passing through Piazza Bra, the Roman Theatre and the Arena of Verona, so it is an ideal occasion if you want to visit some of the main sites of the city as well.

This race is not competitive, i.e. it is not considered official, nor does it award prizes to the winners, but it is a family activity used to promote the Christmas spirit of the city and the close relationship it has with Christmas, so it is also an ideal choice if you are planning to visit Verona with children.

Interesting details

• Price... Registration for the race is free of charge.
• When... Every year during the week leading up to 24 December.
• Where... The race runs through different parts of the centre of Verona.

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and one of the most important in the north of the country, even more so than Lake Como, which is located just outside Milan and is the best known of Italy's tributaries. At Christmas time, the lake and its surrounding villages dress up with Christmas decorations and create a magical atmosphere, combined with snow and Christmas lights.

Excursions around the lake, the scenery of the nearby mountains and the Christmas markets set up in the main sites of Garda create a unique spectacle and you can wander around in the days leading up to Christmas Eve. Be aware that temperatures can drop significantly during December, as it is winter in Italy, but the experience is well worth it.

Lake Garda is about 75 kilometres from the centre of Verona and can be reached on the 46 bus and private tourist transport services, but these are usually full-day visits, so consider this if you're planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here is a list of things you can do to discover Verona in 3 days.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the lake area is free.
• When... Christmas activities in the Lake Garda area start in November.
• Where... Lake Garda.

The gateway to the street decorations and the exhibition of the nativity scenes of the world in the Arena of Verona is the great shooting star that is installed every year at Christmas in Piazza Bra and that comes out from inside the Roman amphitheatre onto the pavement, forming an unmissable optical effect.

The ideal time of day to enjoy this star is at sunset, as it is possible to see it fully illuminated, with the arches of the Arena, also bathed in Christmas lights, in the background, making it one of the best things to do in Verona at night, at least at Christmas time.

The shooting star, which together with the Nativity Scene of the World exhibition has become the symbol of Verona during Christmas, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest decorative sculpture on record.

In addition, in recent years a tradition became popular in the city to take a photo with the sculpture and share it on social media and internet profiles, so it is common that during Christmas Eve Verona is flooded with photos of visitors in the shooting star.

Interesting details

• Price... The star can be visited free of charge.
• When... The star is installed from the last days of November until Epiphany.
• Where... Piazza Bar, Verona.

On the outskirts of the city and very close to Lake Garda is Gardaland Magic Winter, which is one of the most important amusement parks in Italy and also one of the best things to do from Verona. This park, in December, becomes a Christmas themed attraction, so it is the ideal time to visit.

At Gardaland Magic Winter you can find ice skating rinks, snow games, visit Santa's magical village, tour his gift factory guarded by elves and also enjoy the parades, Christmas decorations and themed shows that the park offers.

Gardaland Magic Winter also includes a hotel, where you can stay inside the park, and extra cost shows such as the Polar Express experience, the Ice Park tour and carol shows in Santa's village.

In addition, Gardaland Magic Winter also has an aquarium with over 5000 marine species that you can visit separately or as part of your amusement park tour. Please note that you can get discounts by booking your tickets in advance online.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the park costs approximately 25 euros initially, although some attractions cost extra.
• When... The park becomes Christmas themed during the last days of November.
• Where... Castelnuovo del Garda, Verona.

Verona is a city planned for children at Christmas so if you are travelling with your family you can enjoy one of the main attractions of the city, which is the Christmas passport. This document, which you can request at the tourist information centre on Via della Costa, includes recommendations of the main Christmas sites and can be stamped every time you visit one of these points.

The passport is ideal for discovering the Christmas markets with the family and for getting to know all that Verona has to offer on Christmas Eve. In addition, at some stops children will get gifts such as sweets or small souvenirs, which adds to the experience.

Once you complete the tour, you can exchange the fully stamped passport and receive gifts at the markets. This document also includes discounts at some Christmas stalls and on tickets to visit some of Verona's best museums.

Just outside Verona, in Bussolengo, you can visit the Villaggio di Natale Flover, a village that offers not only the typical stalls and markets of Christmas crafts and gifts, but also a complete experience that will be magical for children and adults alike.

Here you can tour Santa's House, enjoy an ice-skating rink, ride the Flover Express train through the enchanted forest in the snow, and ride the horse-drawn carousel in a family-friendly Christmas atmosphere. You can also attend carol shows, puppet shows and gift-giving in the public square of Bussolengo.

In Villaggio di Natale Flover you can also find restaurants, bars and food stalls offering different types of dishes, shops selling Christmas-themed articles and typical gastronomic products and a small theatre where you can enjoy Christmas plays.

Admission to the Bussolengo Christmas village is free, although some of the activities have an extra charge. Villaggio di Natale Flover is open from the first days of November to the first days of January and offers special shows during the weekends.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the Christmas village is free.
• When... The village is open from the first days of November to the first days of January.
• Where... Via Pastrengo 14, Bussolengo.