‹ Holidays · The Rome food guide
Thanksgiving to New Year's · 2026-27
The holidays in Rome
Rome does Christmas around the table: the Piazza Navona market to Befana on January 6, the nativity scenes in every church, panettone from the city's best bakers, the fish dinner on Christmas Eve, and lentils and cotechino at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Photo: Nicholas Gemini, CC BY-SA 3.0The dates to know
- Dec 1 to Jan 6Piazza Navona Christmas and Befana market (last season's dates; 2026 not yet posted by the city)Listed dates, check before you go · From Rome Christmas market guides
- Tue, Dec 8Immaculate Conception: the city's tree is lit (last year in Piazza del Popolo)Listed dates, check before you go · From Immobiliare
- Thu, Dec 24La Vigilia: the meatless fish dinner. Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's is in the evening, not at midnight, and needs tickets.From Romewise
- Fri, Dec 25Christmas lunch is the big meal; many restaurants close for dinner
- Thu, Dec 31Capodanno: lentils and cotechino after midnight, for money in the new yearFrom Tourist in Rome
- Wed, Jan 6La Befana: the Navona market's last day
The Christmas markets
Where to drink something hot and buy something you can eat on the walk.
1
Piazza Navona Christmas market
Get: Torrone, nativity figures and something from the sweet stalls.
Rome's one real Christmas market, in its most beautiful piazza, running to the Befana on January 6.
Go at dusk, then dinner in the lanes west of the piazza.
From Ultimate Christmas Markets, Radical Storage · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Nicholas Gemini, CC BY-SA 3.0
The lights
The lights worth leaving dinner for, in walking order.
The Christmas walk, Popolo to Navona
About 3 km down Via del Corso and across to Navona, an hour with stops.
Walk it in Google Maps2A photo like it
St. Peter's Square tree and nativity
Look for: The tree and the nativity scene, lit at night.
The Vatican's tree and a new nativity scene each year; 2025's was carved in wood by artisans from Friuli.
Free and open in the evening; the queue for the basilica is separate.
From Agenzia Nova, Turismo Roma · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Nicholas Gemini, CC BY-SA 3.0
3A photo like it
The city tree
Look for: The tree, then down Via del Corso into town.
It moved from Piazza Venezia because of the Metro C works.
Check where it stands this year.
From Romewise · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Nicholas Gemini, CC BY-SA 3.0
The holiday sweets
Where to buy the panettone and pandoro. Order ahead: the good ones sell out in the last week.
4A photo like it
Antico Forno Roscioli
Get: Panettone that is first of all bread, sold by weight.
Rome's most famous bakery treats panettone as dough, not decoration.
Morning, with a slice of pizza bianca.
From Romeing · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Codice1000 at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain
5A photo like it
Dolcemascolo
Get: The panettone Gambero Rosso has named among Italy's best artisan panettoni.
The one Romans cross town for.
Order ahead in December.
From Romeing, Rome Actually · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Codice1000 at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain
6A photo like it
Casa Manfredi
Get: The big leavened Christmas cakes.
They raise the bar every year.
Breakfast there, then buy the panettone.
From Romeing · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Codice1000 at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain
7A photo like it
Le Levain
Get: The signature panettone.
One of the key addresses for high-end leavened cakes.
Also does French pastry.
From Romeing · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Codice1000 at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain
8A photo like it
Cristalli di Zucchero
Get: Sourdough panettone in many versions.
The star of their Christmas season.
Pick two flavors.
From Rome Actually · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Codice1000 at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain
Christmas Eve and Day
The night that matters most here, and where to book it.
On Gambero Rosso's list of the ten best for the Vigilia in Rome.
The 2026 menu isn't out; book ahead.
From Gambero Rosso · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: GW Fins, CC BY 2.0
10A photo like it
Convivio Troiani
Get: The Vigilia tasting menu (€280 a person, with 4 or 6 glasses for €100 or €140 more, in Gambero Rosso's list).
A long-standing fine dining room for the big night.
Those are older prices; ask for 2026.
From Gambero Rosso · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
11A photo like it
Peppo al Cosimato
Get: Fried polenta with creamed salt cod on the Vigilia menu.
A neighborhood place doing the traditional dinner.
Book early.
From Gambero Rosso · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: GW Fins, CC BY 2.0
On Gambero Rosso's Vigilia list, with a view over the Villa Borghese.
Christmas lunch is the other big meal here.
From Gambero Rosso, PrimaPaginaNews · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Thomon, CC BY-SA 4.0
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve dinners worth booking now.
13A photo like it
Retrobottega
Get: The New Year's Eve dinner (€180 a person, as listed).
One of the city's most interesting kitchens, open on the night.
Book when the menu goes up.
From Devour Tours · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Jürgen Howaldt, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
14A photo like it
Osteria dell'Ingegno
Get: A cozy New Year's dinner by the Temple of Hadrian.
Easy walking to the piazzas at midnight.
Also open for lunch on New Year's Day.
From Devour Tours · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Thomon, CC BY-SA 4.0
The big party on a rooftop near the Spanish Steps.
Its 2026 page is already up.
From Zuma · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
On the map
Plan your holiday trip
Tell Chef your dates and where you're staying. He puts the markets, the lights and the dinners you save into your Trips and fills the days around them. Free, no password.
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The Christkindlmarkt in front of the Rathaus, Punsch at Spittelberg, the chandeliers over the Graben, Vanillekipferl from Demel, carp and a long dinner on the 24th, and the whole Innere Stadt out on the Silvesterpfad on the 31st..
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The Santa Llúcia fair in front of the cathedral, the lights up Passeig de Gràcia, turrón from the old shops on Portal de l'Àngel, a long Christmas lunch on the 25th, canelons on Sant Esteve, and grapes at midnight on the 31st..
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Good to know
What are the best Christmas markets in Rome?
Piazza Navona Christmas market (Navona, About December 1 to January 6 (last season's dates)).
Where are the best Christmas lights in Rome?
The Christmas walk, Popolo to Navona: The city tree, then Retrobottega, then Piazza Navona Christmas market. About 3 km down Via del Corso and across to Navona, an hour with stops.
Where can you buy the panettone and pandoro in Rome?
Antico Forno Roscioli: Panettone that is first of all bread, sold by weight. Dolcemascolo: The panettone Gambero Rosso has named among Italy's best artisan panettoni. Casa Manfredi: The big leavened Christmas cakes. Le Levain: The signature panettone. Cristalli di Zucchero: Sourdough panettone in many versions.
Where to eat on New Year's Eve in Rome?
Retrobottega (Via della Stelletta, near the Pantheon): The New Year's Eve dinner (€180 a person, as listed). Osteria dell'Ingegno (Piazza di Pietra): A cozy New Year's dinner by the Temple of Hadrian. Zuma Rome (Via della Fontanella di Borghese): The New Year's menu with fireworks and a party after (€495 a person).
Every pick was checked on November 8, 2026 and says where Chef found it. Market dates, holiday hours and menus change, and some places haven't posted 2026 yet (each card says which year it's from): check before you go. Photos marked "a photo like it" aren't of that place. Chef Amazing isn't paid by any place here. Something wrong or missing? hello@chefamazing.com.
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