Christmas Market in Verona

It’s been some time now that the Christmas Market in Verona has established itself as a real tradition, with new initiatives and themed events every year. This year in particular there are so many news!

First of all, there are more market stalls dedicated areas. In Piazza dei Signori and in Cortile Mercato Vecchio you’ll find the Casa di Babbo Natale (Santa’s House) and the classical wood stalls in collaboration with the Nuremberg “Christkindlmarkt”. The themed initiatives will also be extended to Via della Costa, Piazza Indipendenza—where a family area will also be set up— and Piazza Viviani.

In Lungadige San Giorgio you can find the Posta di Babbo Natale (Santa’s mail) and a concert area with more than 100 initiatives for children, like the carousel l’Albero della Felicità (the Tree of Happiness). On Ponte Pietra and Ponte di Castelvecchio there will be arts and crafts stalls during the weekends and in Piazza San Zeno a great ice rink will be set up for young and old, where you can also enjoy shows. Read the full programme here.

This year you can also enjoy Christmas top view as there will be a series of events, aperitivi, hot chocolate, mulled wine, pandoro and tastings of desserts on the top of Torre dei Lamberti, with a view of the Christmas Market and of Castel San Pietro funicular. Here’s the programme of the events.

Finally, there will be Nativity scenes exhibitions inside the Loggia di Frà Giocondo in Piazza dei Signori and near the Basilica di San Zeno inside the Galleria Giustizia Vecchia. All Nativity scenes are made out of recycled materials.

Christmas Markets will be open from 16th November to 26th December 2018, from 10 am to 9.30 pm Sunday-Thursday, while on Friday, Saturday and pre-festives they will close at 11 pm. On the 24th they will close at 5 pm, at Christmas at 3 pm and on the 26th at 6 pm.

To make the tour easier for you we made an interactive map with the places we mentioned and the car parks. Click here to surf in it.

If the markets are not enough for you, from 10th to 13th December the “banchéti di Santa Lussia” (Santa Lucia Markets) will arrive in the magnificent Piazza Bra right in front of the Arena together with the beautiful comet star, realized by the architect Rinaldo Olivieri more than 30 years ago. The banchéti are a tradition that is always awaited and welcomed with affection by all the people from Verona. If you also want to wait for the arrival of Santa Lucia, who brings gifts and sweets to children on the night between 12 and 13 December, you cannot miss this traditional market.

From Sunday 25th November 2018 to Sunday 20th January 2019, at the Palazzo della Gran Guardia close to the Arena it will be possible to visit the 35th edition of the Rassegna internazionale del Presepio nell’arte e nella tradizione “Presepi dal mondo” with over 400 artistic Nativity scenes.

These are the suggestions of the Municipal Police of Verona for visitors:

1. Remember that Verona downtown is a restricted traffic area (“ZTL”). Circulation of unauthorized cars is forbidden.
2. It’s easier to park in the suburban parkings—Parcheggio Centro, Cittadella, Arena, Tribunale—, only a few minutes on foot from the historic centre.
3. Preferably use public transportation and shuttle buses to get to the city centre.
4. During the weekend it will be possible to park inside the Expo area in P3 parking (entrance in Viale del Lavoro). A shuttle bus will take you to downtown Verona every 10 minutes.

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