The 15 Italy Christmas Tours That Earn Their Price

1.Rome: St. Paul’s Within the Walls New Year’s Concert Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 35 reviews · from $39Our pick

Spend two hours at Rome’s St. Paul’s Within the Walls hearing the Orchestra of I Virtuosi dell’opera di Roma, soprano Ms. Testa, tenor Mr. Gentili, and baritone Mr. Utzeri perform opera favorites, choruses, and waltzes. Choose a New Year’s Eve or January 1 concert, with several seating categories and Italian-language hosting.

“Excellent location to attend concerts. Very enjoyable. Singers were wonderful. The Bastogne could have used a microphone at times.”

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2.Celebrate Christmas in Rome – Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $66Top rated

Start at the Spanish Steps at 5:30pm and walk through Rome’s Christmas-lit center with a local guide. See Via dei Condotti, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant’Angelo, and St. Peter’s Square in 90 minutes. Guides have included Yash, Amber, Bryan, Sarah, Ariana, Max, Kat, and Dmitri. Expect a lively, fast-moving tour with no hotel pickup.

“Fantastic tour! Have your walking shoes on and be ready to move! Yosh was a great guide with more information than I could retain. He was super flexible and showed us some wonderful spaces I never would’ve found on my own. Completely worth it!”

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3.Capuchins Crypt: Christmas Baroque Concert

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 15 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $104

You’ll visit the Capuchins Museum and Crypt before hearing the Schola Romana Ensemble perform Christmas music by Palestrina, Victoria, Arcadelt, Lasso, Morales, and Anerio. Choose a self-guided audioguide visit or a VIP English tour with an art historian, limited to 10 people. The concert takes place in the Capuchin Convent on Via Veneto.

“la explicación de guía sobre las catacumbas de los capuchinos y el concierto fue excelente la soprano es lo máximo.”

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4.2h Xmas Lights Panoramic Vespa Sidecar Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $118

Ride through Rome after dark on a two-hour Vespa sidecar tour with a licensed English-speaking guide and professional driver. See the Spanish Steps, St. Peter’s Square, Janiculum Hill, the Jewish Ghetto, and Piazza Navona, with time for Christmas lights, fountains, viewpoints, and Rome’s narrow streets. You do not drive.

“wonderful thing to do, very friendly and kind people.. was a great tour through the city, cool way to see the city!”

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5.One day tour Christmas markets Innsbruck – Bressanone – Vipiteno

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $301

Join Matteo and the Concierge Dolomites team for a Christmas market day from Bolzano to Innsbruck, Vipiteno, and Bressanone. You get short guided walks, free time for markets and old-town streets, private transport, onboard WiFi, and pickup from your accommodation or a station or cable car. Snow can affect the route.

“The tour was not available on the given date, so I could have it one day after or one day before. I chose one day after and it was the day when it snowed 40 cm in the Alps. We could not make it to Innsbruck, but Matteo offered a memorable experience. First we were into the snow until the frontier, in Gries bei Brenner, then, besides Vipiteno (Sterzing) and Bressanone (Brixen) which we could see (the info point in the city has a booklet writing about the most important Christmas markets in South Tyrol which are Boze, Sterzing, Brixen, Bruneck and Meran), we went up the mountains to Ortisei…”

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6.Naples: the magic of Christmas and Nativity scenes

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9 reviews · 2 hours · from $29

Meet at Museodivino for a two-hour guided walk through Naples’ Nativity tradition. With guides such as Gianni or Silvir, you’ll see microscopic presepi in walnut shells and seeds, a 15th-century scene at Sant’Anna dei Lombardi, and the artisan workshops of Via San Gregorio Armeno.

“the tour was full of surprises. The beautiful museodivino, with its miniature sculptures in walnut shells, cherry stones, and even a hemp seed which was quite breath taking and exquisite. The little coffee house, to be shown how to make real neopolitian coffee These were the 2 surprises. My guide,Silvir, very experienced, shown me 3 very different Navitity scenes, all unique on their own way. In a church, in an area similar to a cellar. These scenes went further than just the normal stable scene that I am use to. I did not realise that the market was just the stalls in the street many selling wooden navitity scenes and…”

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7.Rome: Christmas Nativities and Angels Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 8 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Walk through Rome’s Christmas sights with a guide in a group of no more than eight. Begin at Piazza del Popolo, see the Twin Churches’ nativity, visit Santa Maria in Aracoeli and Piazza Navona, cross the Bridge of Angels, and finish at St. Peter’s Square. English and Italian tours last three hours.

“We enjoyed his passion and knowledge of Rome. Ysa was very patient with us and enjoyed wandering around the markets with us. The balance between the tour and having fun was great.”

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8.Rome: Christmas Lights Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $55

Start at Babingtons Tea Room by the Spanish Steps and follow an English-speaking local guide through Rome's Christmas-lit center. You’ll see Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo, and St Peter’s Square in a group of 15 or fewer. Guides JoAn and Yash have earned praise for their friendly, useful commentary.

“The guide JoAn was very helpful, nice, knowledgeable. The tour was great. Would do this one again!”

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9.Assisi Christmas Train Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $9Best value

You’ll ride Assisi’s Christmas train for 45 minutes with an Italian-speaking driver and onboard audio guide. The route links Piazza del Comune, Piazza Santa Chiara, the Basilica of San Francesco, and other central streets decorated with lights, music, and video mapping. It is wheelchair accessible, family-friendly, and costs $9 per person.

“Only in Italian. Could not even understand what might be of interest that we drove by. And could not exit early. Very disappointed. Waste of nearly an hour.”

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10.Explore the Naples Christmas Market Behind the Scenes

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $28

Meet at Piazza Bellini at 5pm for an English-guided look at Naples during the Christmas season. You’ll visit Greek walls, Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, Palazzo Pandola, Spaccanapoli, San Gregorio Armeno, and the Duomo area. Snacks are included, private transport and dinner are not, and the tour ends back at Piazza Bellini.

“Is this tour only at night? I only had one choice at 5pm. Would prefer a daytime morning tour. Like a longer city tour combo. Need more time to shop.”

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11.Bologna: 2-Hour Private Local’s Christmas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 2 hours · from $33

Meet an English or Italian-speaking Bolognese local for a private two-hour walk shaped around your interests. Your host contacts you before the tour, then plans a flexible route with local sights, Christmas traditions, culture, and food advice. Jon and Lorenza have both hosted especially personal introductions to Bologna.

“Excellent introduction to the wonderful city of Bologna. Perfect mix of history, culture and food tips. Saved us so much time over our short stay. Our guide Jon was lovely , accommodating and passionate about Bologna. Definitely recommend.”

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12.Rome: New Year’s Concert at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj with Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3 reviews

Enter Palazzo Doria Pamphilj through a private entrance for a one-hour English tour of the Princess’s secret apartment. A historian introduces the Bath of Diana and the princess’s story, then period-instrument musicians perform Roman Baroque music in the Fire Hall. The activity is wheelchair accessible.

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13.Christmas Lights Private Photo Tour in Florence

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $102

Meet photographer Eva at Piazza della Repubblica for a two-hour private evening walk through Florence. You will photograph the Christmas lights at Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, and the Duomo while learning useful camera or phone techniques. Bring your own equipment. This is a photo lesson, not an art-history tour.

“This is one of the best tour experiences!!! Eva was fabulous!! I learned how to use the camera on my phone!!! When I shared my design background with Eva she adjusted her usual teachings to include how to take great architectural pictures too!!!”

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14.Christmas Time in Milan Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $247

Walk through Milan’s Christmas season with a private guide, beginning at Banco di Garabombo and continuing to Piazza del Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and Villaggio delle Meraviglie. Expect local customs, Christmas legends, festive displays, Milanese snacks, and a mobile ticket. The route ends in Indro Montanelli Gardens.

“We especially liked the way the tour guide told us stories about legends of Milan that are related to Christmas. We also toured the opera house and a beautiful public square and also ate some delicious local food and snacks.”

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15.Arezzo and Montepulciano Christmas Markets tour from Florence

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $302

Travel from Florence in a small group of up to eight for a festive day in Montepulciano and Arezzo. Walk through decorated squares, browse Christmas stalls, visit Santa’s castle, and taste wine and local foods in a 14th-century underground cellar. The English-language tour lasts about nine hours, with lunch and purchases extra.

“Really but really beautiful Christmas markets, we visited those of Arezzo and Montepulciano. Beautiful wooden houses, plays of lights, sounds, perfumes, handicrafts and mulled wine. I found the magic of the Christmas markets that take place in northern Italy and Europe.Auto-translated”

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