Christmas Holidays in Tuscany :: Christmas Desserts, crib scenes and Christmas markets in Tuscany
Christmas Holidays in Tuscany
Casina di Rosa has several travel deals for your Christmas holidays in Tuscany.
Christmas is without a doubt the most important holiday in Italy. For decades it has presented an opportunity for families to gather together to go to church, to eat together and to exchange gifts.
Christmas is a time for celebration in Tuscany as well.
During the Christmas period in Tuscany, every city and village prepares for the holidays. Stores are dressed in blinking lights, streets are decorated and in the churches, Nativity scenes are prepared.
Lights
Nativity Scene
Tuscany is ideal place to discover the Christmas spirit and to do a bit of shopping.
In Florence, Siena, Pisa and the other cities, stores are filled with interesting items. But to really experience the Christmas season, we need to look to the Christmas markets.
Colours
Decorations
Christmas markets in Tuscany
Not to be missed:
- Florence - on December 16, "Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt", the German-style Christmas market in Florence (Piazza Santa Croce)
- Florence - from November 29 to December 8, "Florence Noel" at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence: Santa's house for the children!
- Florence - on December 24, "Babbo Natale in barca", Santa on a boat along the river Arno for the Christmas celebrations in Florence.
- Bagno a Ripoli - on December 15, 16 and 22, "A Tutto Natale" in Bagno a Ripoli
- Greve in Chianti - on December 14, 15, 21 and 22, Christmas market in Greve in Chianti
- Montepulciano - from the 5th of December to the 6th of January, Christmas market in Montepulciano.
- Buonconvento - on the 7th and 8th of December, "Mostra e Dimostra" in Buonconvento
- Torrita di Siena - on December 15 and 16 Christmas market in Torrita di Siena
- Arcidosso - from December 20 dicembre to January 6, "Natale Insieme" and "La strada dei presepi" in Arcidosso.
- Grosseto - on December 21 Christmas Concert (Corale Puccini) at the Duomo in Grosseto.
- Pisa - "Il mercatino di Natale di Pisa", under the arches at Logge dei Banchi
- Lucca - The "Fiera di San Michele di Natale" in Piazza San Michele and in Borgo Giannotti
- Siena - The "Mercato di Natale" in the streets with desserts and sweets and handcrafted items for sale, December 1-23.
- Siena - "la Festa di Santa Lucia" at Pian de' Mantellini, December 13th
- Arezzo - from November 29 to January 6, Christmas market in Arezzo
- Monte Amiata - "Inverno sull'Amiata (Winter on Monte Amiata)", featuring numerous events and activities organized for the Christmas period, including several "live" Nativity scenes.
These are just a few of the Christmas markets in Tuscay, but many other villages organize events as well.
Christmas Lunch
The main event on Christmas Day in Tuscany is the Christmas lunch. Appetizers are followed by pasta, meats, vegetables, cheese, fruit, and desserts all accompanied by good wine.
The tables are filled with everything you could ask for, and the more people present to share the meal the better!
Panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci
"Stella di Natale"
Typical dishes are broth and boiled meats, but fresh game is also common (it's hunting season after all!).
Christmas Desserts in Tuscany
Each region of Italy has its own typical Christmas sweets. In Civitella, halfway between Siena and Grosseto, the Sienese, Maremman and Amiata traditions meet.
On Christmas day you can find panforte, panpepato, ricciarelli and cavallucci from Siena alongside ciambellini con l'unto (a typical dessert from the village), pinolata (common in the Maremma, as well as the traditional Christmas desserts that all Italians know and love: Panettone, Pandoro and Torrone.
Other Tuscan delights not to be missed are the brigidini from the Pisa and Lucca area and, naturally, cantuccini and vinsanto.
Christmas Decorations
Each house in Tuscany decorates a Christmas tree. At one time, before the arrival of blinking lights and gold and silver garland, each house also had a Nativity scene. Many families keep that tradition even today.
Il presepe (Nativity scenes)
The Nativity scene (presepe in Italian) is a very old tradition said to date back to the time of Saint Francis, who helped to popularise the practice.
Christmas in Massa Marittima
A Nativity Scene in Massa Marittima
In every Christmas market there are stalls that specialize in the statues and objects that make up the Nativity scene. One can buy statues of the Virgin Mary and Joseph, Baby Jesus, the ox and ass, the three wise men, and even the shepherds and their flock, houses, mangers and everything else needed to complete the scene down to the last detail.
The Nativity scenes are quite charming. Almost every church in Tuscany has a small or large presepe, made of wood or maybe ceramics, built by professionals or even the children from the choir.
The variety is endless. You can find lifesize Nativity scenes or crèches built in a walnut shell. Some scenes are made up of real people!
In Siena, Florence and the province of Lucca, you can visit very old presepi built by some of the Italian Masters.
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Casina di Rosa has several travel deals for your Christmas holidays in Tuscany.
In the Links page a list of Christmas related links is available.
