Christmas Markets in Rome

By Go City Expert

There’s no better time to visit the Eternal City than during the festive, winter months. As the city is lit up from the decorative street lights and shop windows, there’s an unbeatable sense of festive cheer throughout the city. Although not famous for its Christmas Markets as a tradition, you can still celebrate in the streets of Rome, find those last minute gifts and stuff yourself full of seasonal delicacies. The best places to go to get in the Christmas spirit when in Rome are; 1) Piazza Navona Piazza Navona is the only dedicated Christmas Market in Rome and pops up annually at the beginning of December and runs until the 6th January, the Epiphany. Attracting thousands of locals and tourists alike, the Navona market is family friendly with games and rides, including a carousel for children. You can walk through the stalls admiring handcrafted goods and savour roasted chestnuts and porchetta sandwiches for a true taste of an Italian Christmas. Other activities include fortune telling and the traditional La Befana, who arrives on the final day of the market to hand out gifts for the children. Piazza Navona, 00186 Rome 2) Campo dei Fiori This market isn’t entirely Christmas-themed, as it runs throughout the year, but it is Rome’s oldest serving market – founded in 1861. Open every morning except Sundays, Campo dei Fiori market is famed for its local produce, artisanal knick-knacks and funny shaped pasta. At Christmas you can find festive-inspired gifts and goods and it’s the perfect place to shop for foodies. Nestled in the heart of the historic centre, and only a short walk from the Coliseum, you can walk through the cobbled streets and get a true sense of Rome in all its festive celebrations. Piazza Campo Dei Fiori, 00186 Rome 3) Porta Portese If you’re after a real bargain-hunting Christmas market and bartered down Christmas gifts, head to Porta Portese in the Trastevere district to sort through the stalls of vintage clothing, handbags and novelty items. Best for the practiced shopper, this flea market is extensive and stretches through the old gate walls that date back to 1644. It’s the only market in Rome open on a Sunday and is a great place for any last minute gifts. With an undeniable Christmas feeling, you’ll be sure to snap up a discount and have fun in the process! While you’re near, why not stop off at the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum and queue jump to the front with free entry. Via di Porta Portese, 00153 Roma Make the most of your trip to Rome over Christmas with an OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card. Not only can you tick some of the most iconic historic monuments off your bucket list, but you can travel around Rome for free making all these things to do that bit easier!

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Rome Itineraries - 3 and 4 days

Planning an itinerary is the best way to make the most out of your visit – especially to a city that has so much to see and do, like Rome. With your 3-day OMNIA Rome and Vatican Pass, here is a suggestion of what you could do over 3 days in Rome and if you’re staying a bit longer, what to do during day 4 in Rome, too. From the iconic historic attractions to must-do bus tours, here are some suggested itineraries for your trip to Rome. 3 Day Itinerary Day 1: MORNING Attraction: St Peter’s Basilica Make St Peter’s Basilica the first stop on your itinerary and get one ticked off the bucket list. Any visit to St Peter’s Basilica will start your holiday on the right foot. With its huge impressive dome, marble façade and beautiful interior you can’t help but be awed by this Roman landmark. Don’t miss Bernini’s baroque baldachin, the papal throne and crypt underneath. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano Metro: Ottaviano-S.Pietro-Musei Vaticano (Metro A line) MIDDAY Attraction: Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums Around the corner from St Peter’s Basilica you’ll find the Vatican City, home to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Made world-famous by Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement, visit this chapel to admire the skill for yourself. There are also 9 miles of art, sculpture and tapestries to admire in the museums too – so make sure you have enough stamina! Visit duration: 4 hours Address: Viale Vaticano, 00165 Roma Metro: Ottaviano-S.Pietro-Musei Vaticano (Metro A line) AFTERNOON Attraction: Castel Sant’Angelo Castel Sant’Angelo is also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian and has stood on the bank of the River Tiber for over 2,000 years. It was once Rome’s fortress, then papal refuge, now it’s a historic attraction that showcases a range of ancient Roman artefacts from pottery to paintings, military weapons and the bronze angel right on top. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Lungotevere Castello, 50 - 00186 Rome Metro: Lepanto or Ottaviano (Metro line A) Day 2: MORNING Attraction: Colosseum The Colosseum is one of the most iconic historic buildings in Rome and dates back over 2,000 years so its walls are bursting with history and tales of Ancient Rome. The Colosseum is the world’s most famous amphitheatre, once used for entertaining and brutal gladiator contests – you can learn about these and the lives of a gladiator and the hierarchy of the Empire at the fascinating exhibits in the Colosseum. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Piazza del Colosseo, 00184 Rome Metro: Colosseo (Metro line B) MIDDAY Attraction: Roman Forum & Palatine Hill If you’re into your history and archaeology, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are two of Rome’s most iconic sites to visit and will give you a great insight into what life was like in Ancient Rome. Walk through the cobbled streets of the forum to imagine what life was like in the busy market place, and walk up the Palatine Hill for views across the city of Rome and the ruins of the Forum below. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Via di San Gregorio, 30 - 00184 Rome Metro: Colosseo (Metro line B) AFTERNOON Attraction: Capitoline Museums The Capitoline Museums are considered the world’s oldest national museums, founded in 1471 by Pope Sixtus IV who donated bronze statues to the museum, set within three historic buildings and piazza designed by Michelangelo. Within you can see the iconic She-Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, as well as sculptures and statues thousands of years old. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Piazza del Campidoglio, 1 - 00186 Rome Metro: Colosseo (Metro B) Day 3: MORNING Attraction: Borghese Gallery The Borghese Gallery is one of the most impressive art galleries in Rome and certainly in one of the most picturesque of locations. Housed in the old Villa Borghese Pinciana, once home to Scipione Borghese who commissioned works off Caravaggio and Botticelli for his private collection, has since become one of the most esteemed art galleries for paintings and classical antiquities in all of Rome. Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Piazzale del Museo, Borghese, 5 - 00197 Rome Bus: Pinciana- Museo Borghese MIDDAY Attraction: Hop on Hop off Bus Tour There’s no better way to see the sights of Rome than aboard a hop on hop off Rome Christiana bus tour. Take the stress off and just sit back and admire the landmarks and monuments of Rome, passing the iconic sites; Castel Sant’Angelo, St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican City, River Tiber, Colosseum – and more! Plug into live commentary as you drive through the streets and learn about the city’s history as you go. Whenever takes your fancy, just hop off to explore! Visit duration: 3 hours AFTERNOON Attraction: St John in the Lateran Did you know St John in the Lateran is the official seat of the Pope? Take in the stunning Cosmatesque architecture, sculpture and 14th-century Gothic Baldacchino, and don’t forget to visit the Scala Sancta – the Holy Steps – to which hundreds make pilgrimage to every month. It’s also one of the oldest basilicas in Europe, dating back to 324 AD! Visit duration: 2 hours Address: Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, 00184 Rome Metro: San Giovanni (Metro A) 4 Day Itinerary Day 4: MORNING Attraction: Pantheon The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient buildings in Rome, dating back to 118 AD. It’s a place of worship and working church to this day, and its name, in fact, means “house of gods”. It’s famous for its large pillared façade – upon which the Pantheon in Paris was modelled – as well as its huge oculus in the ceiling which provides the only source light in the building. Visit duration: 1 hour Address: Piazza Della Rotonda, 00186 Roma Tram/Bus: Largo di Torre Argentina MIDDAY Attraction: Trevi Fountain The Trevi fountain is not to be missed on your trip to Rome; it’s the perfect place to go around lunch as all around the piazza are restaurants so you might be lucky to get a table with a view. The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world thanks to its stunning Baroque sculptures – so make sure you throw a coin in for good luck to make sure you’ll return to Rome! Visit duration: 1-hour Address: Piazza di Trevi, 00187 Roma Metro: Barberini (Metro line A) AFTERNOON Attraction: Spanish Steps There are 135 steps which make up the Spanish Steps that date back to the early 1720s, linking the Piazza di Spagna to the elevated church in the Piazza Trinità dei Monti at the top. You might recognise the steps in some classic films, such as Audrey Hepburn’s Roman Holiday, otherwise, it’s a lovely spot to buy a coffee or a picnic and sit and watch the world go by. Visit duration: 1 hour Address: Piazza di Spagna, 00187 Roma Metro: Spagna (Metro line A) It’s important to plan out an itinerary or rough agenda so you can make the most out of your days in Rome. There are so many historic sites, it makes more sense to group them by location, as above. Rome is small enough you can walk between many attractions during the day – but with the OMNIA Rome and Vatican Pass you get a free travelcard for the Metro, Trams and Buses which also makes getting from A to B easier.
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St Peter’s Basilica; a brief history

With such an iconic silhouette, St Peter’s Basilica is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Italy – not only for its breath-taking skyline, but for the huge role it played in supporting the Roman Catholic Church and inspiring art and architecture for centuries. As a visitor to Rome it would be a crime not to visit the Basilica so before you do, here’s a brief history of the impressive building and its patrons to help you get ahead. Saint Peter and the original Basilica St Peter was believed to have been the first Pope, chief apostle and a martyr. Legend has it he died on the Vatican Hill where he was entombed – so it makes sense that this Basilica was dedicated to him as a sort of shrine. The early basilica was constructed by Emperor Constantine and was completed around 349 AD. Much smaller than how it stands now, it was a mere 85m in length with four aisles, a central fountain and bell tower. To put that into perspective, its nave now measures 211.5m alone – that’s over four Olympic swimming pools. St Peter’s Basilica gets a revamp The Basilica was falling into ruin in the middle of the fifteenth century but it wasn’t until the early 1500s that work began to restore it. Pope Julius II commissioned Bramante as chief architect who designed the high dome. After Bramante’s death in 1514 he was succeeded by a number of other architects; including Michelangelo Buonarroti, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno, all of whom altered and personalised the design. In 1626 it was finally re-venerated and was on its way to becoming the centre of Christianity; attracting pilgrims and visitors from around the world. Bernini’s Square St Peter’s square was created in the mid seventeenth century by Lorenzo Bernini, in front of the Basilica. Surrounded by imposing colonnades, the square itself is almost as impressive as the building it leads up to. 140 hand-sculpted statues look down onto the paved square with its two fountains and tall Egyptian Obelisk, which was brought to Rome in 37 AD. If you look up to St Peter’s Basilica from the square, you can admire Maderno’s 45.5m façade, lined with religious statues of the apostles, crafted by Giuseppe Valadier. The wealth of the Catholic Church in the 1500s The interior of the Basilica is a testament to the wealth of the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century and Bernini was commissioned to create many of the statues and monuments that adorn its vast 15,160 square metres. The Baroque bronze Baldachin is perhaps one of the most notable monuments, standing at 26m high, made from bronze taken from the roof of the Pantheon. You can also admire the intricate detail of the painted dome ceiling, the statues of St Peter and Michelangelo’s famous marble Pietà. The Dome The Romans aren’t ones to do things in half; the dome at St Peter’s Basilica is also one of the world’s largest, measuring 42 meters in diameter, with a height of 132.5 meters. Winding up the dome is a slanted narrow staircase that leads up to a spectacular viewpoint where you can walk all the way round for stunning panoramic views of Rome. As you can see, nothing was left unplanned or without years of intricate design. From the supportive outer structure of the façade and square, to even the most minute of decorations within the church itself, St Peter’s is a true example of the wealth of the Catholic Church, the brilliance of the esteemed Italian Renaissance artists and sculptors of the fifteenth and sixteenth century, and the underlying belief in creating a centre for Christianity. What Emperor Constantine set out to achieve over 1600 years ago is so far from what he must have envisaged. St Peter’s is now regarded as one of the most famous landmarks in the world and receives over 4 million visitors a year – it has even starred in films and books! So from its humble beginnings as a martyr’s shrine, to the iconic religious monument as it stands today – we’d recommend a quick visit; at least pop your head through the door. NB: You have to adhere to a strict dress code and women need to cover their shoulders and legs. Make your trip to Rome that extra bit easier and invest in a OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass. Not only can you visit the top attractions and monumental landmarks for free and with discounted entry, but you can travel round the city with a Travelcard and experience the sites from the comfort of a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.
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Festival of the Epiphany

If you want to spend the Christmas period in Rome and do it the Italian way, forget about Santa Claus and a roast turkey with trimmings on the 25th December. Hold out until the 6th January when the Italians celebrate their traditions on The Festival of the Epiphany. The Epiphany, translated from Ancient Greek to mean ‘manifestation of the divinity’, celebrates the three wise men who brought gifts for Baby Jesus. Nowadays, it’s more a reason for children to put on their best behaviour in the hope that ‘La Befana’ rewards them with presents and treats on the evening of the 5th January. La Befana is a fairytale character, believed to be an old woman with a broomstick who visits children’s homes on the eve of the Epiphany. She is said to reward them with treats if they’ve been good, or a lump of coal if they have behaved badly. Much like the tradition of Santa Claus in many ways, Italian families will also leave this festive character a small glass of wine and a plate of food to help her on her journey. The Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated throughout Italy and in Rome with a bank holiday, where organised festivities and parades march down the street in celebration of the season and where some people even dress up as La Befana herself. If you’ve got a Santa outfit hidden away, bring yours along as well and join in; Father Christmas is still very much part of the celebrations! We suggest you head to the Vatican City to watch the medieval parade down the avenue up to St Peter’s Basilica, where you can admire the over-the-top antique costumes and symbolic gifts. If you’re after something a little more edifying, however, just arrive a bit earlier for the morning mass delivered by The Pope himself. If you’re planning on visiting Rome during this period, you will be immersed in the rich culture and vibrant celebrations of this longstanding tradition. We can promise you’ll leave feeling a little more festive and perhaps with even happier children!
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