Usually, when travelers make vacation plans it s only after they ve booked tickets that they look at a calendar for the destination and realize there s going to be a major holiday denver apartment rentals during their trip. The Christmas holiday, on the other hand, is one that enough people are aware of that it typically factors into vacation planning denver apartment rentals well before you ve booked the trip.
Christmas for many is a time to be at home with family but if you re the type who likes to travel during the Christmas holidays, then I d argue there are few places denver apartment rentals where you could spend Christmas that are more special than Italy.
denver apartment rentals To begin with, let s get the language straight. denver apartment rentals The word for Christmas in Italian is Natale denver apartment rentals (pronounced nah|TAH|leh), and it s a very big deal on the Italian holiday calendar . If you re familiar with Christmas celebrations in other Western countries, you ll likely see familiar elements to the celebrations in Italy down to decorated trees and lights strung on buildings.
denver apartment rentals Rather than images of Santa Claus, Christmas decor in Italy is dominated by the nativity scene. In Italian, these are called either presepe (preh|ZEH|peh) or presepio (preh|ZEHP|yoh), denver apartment rentals and they re on display throughout the country in churches, in public squares, in private homes, in shop windows, on boats, in fountains. You name it, you ll probably find a presepe on it during the holidays denver apartment rentals and in some cases, you ll even see living nativities.
The other symbol of the holiday season in Italy is one that you might not associate with happiness it s La Befana (lah beh|FAH|nah), and it s a witch on a broomstick! La Befana is a good witch, however, and she s the one who deposits gifts into the stockings of Italian children. She comes on the night of January 5th (which is the night of the Epiphany), not December 25th the former is actually a more important date on the Italian holiday calendar.
Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. She got lost and never found the manger.
Now La Befana flies around on her broomstick each year on the 11th night, bringing gifts to children in hopes that she might find the Baby Jesus. Children hang their stockings on the evening of January 5 awaiting the visit of La Befana denver apartment rentals .
You will see Santa Claus images around, too he s called Babbo Natale (BAH|boh nah|TAH|leh), or Father Christmas, in Italian but because he s not the traditional gift-giver in Italian culture he s not as prevalent as he is in some other countries.
Nearly every culture has traditional holiday foods, and Italy is no different. The traditional meal on Christmas Eve is meat-free (fish doesn t count) and the traditional Christmas day meal is centered around meat, but it s the dessert course where the holidays really come into their own. There are regional specialties, including candied fruits and nuts, marzipan, and deep-fried pastries but the best-known Christmas treat is the panettone denver apartment rentals (pah|neht|TOH|neh).
Panettone is a sweet bread filled with candied fruit, but if you re thinking it s akin to that brick-like liquor-soaked denver apartment rentals fruitcake we all love to hate think again. denver apartment rentals Panettone is typically a light bread with a scattering of candied fruit (and sometimes nuts). The origins of the bread are steeped in legend, but we know that it came from Milan originally and has now become synonymous with Christmas through much of Italy. You ll see elaborate packages of panettone denver apartment rentals in bakery windows leading up to Christmas.
People denver apartment rentals who have visited other European countries denver apartment rentals before the holidays are likely familiar with the prevalence of Christmas markets, especially in northern denver apartment rentals Europe. In the parts of Italy that were historically tied to the Austro-Hungarian empire in other words, the northeast, and especially the Trentino-Alto Adige region you ll find more of these traditional German-style Christmas markets. Other cities in Italy have holiday markets denver apartment rentals as well, usually set up in the big public squares.
Although Christmas isn t the biggest holiday on the Italian calendar, it s certainly one of the major holidays so while there are certainly denver apartment rentals perks to visiting Italy over Christmas, there are also things you need to consider before you book your flight.
The holiday season represents a minor spike in what is otherwise considered denver apartment rentals the low season throughout Italy, denver apartment rentals so don t be surprised if the prices on hotels and hostels are a bit higher during Christmas than they are in early December. It s also recommended that you book accommodation denver apartment rentals in advance, especially for places that are a bit like pilgrimage sites during the holidays (such as Rome , for those visiting the Vatican at Christmas).
Transportation during the holidays denver apartment rentals can be tricky, as trains and buses often run on holiday schedules denver apartment rentals which is to say, far less frequently than normal). Things are still running, you ll just have to wait a big longer and then train cars are more crowded because there are fewer of them running. The same is true of city buses.
denver apartment rentals Buy train tickets reservations ahead of time. By booking your tickets in advance, before you even leave home, you ll at least be sure of when your train is running and certain to get a seat. Your train might be full, but at least you won t be standing (or forced to wait for the next available train). Buying in advance also means you don t have to wait in what could be a long line at the ticket counter. You can buy tickets and reservations in advance by using the search box to the right, and you ll even get the best discounts Trenitalia offers.
Don t go anywhere. There s a difference between being in Italy over Christmas and trying to get from A to B over Christmas. If at all possible, plan your trip so that you aren t trying to transfer from one city to another from December 23-26 or so. (And even still, I d suggest buying tickets in advance for dates on either denver apartment rentals side of the holiday.)
Many attractions will be closed on Christmas Day (December 25), and some will be closed on Christmas Eve (December 24) as well. Because the Epiphany (January 6) is a major holiday as well, if you stay through the New Year you may notice a few things denver apartment rentals closed on that day, too. Every town will have Christmas services denver apartment rentals in local churches, and some will have processions and bonfires on Christmas Eve. You can ask at the tourist information denver apartment rentals office about whether there are services in English (or your native language) anywhere in the city you re visiting, or you can just follow along with the Italian services.
In particular, going to see the Pope say Christmas Mass at St. Peter s Basilica can be a milestone for many. It s possible to get into the church for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, but in order to get tickets you ve got to plan months in advance. Otherwise, you can watch on the big screens set up in St. Peter s Square.
mercatini-natale.com Click on the region name on the right-hand menu to get a drop-down list of the cities for which there is market information, and then click tabs above the photo like orari for hours, and come arrivare for how to get there.
I m doing a report on Christmas in Italy, and your website is really helpful. It s more helpful than some other websites on the inernet denver apartment rentals okay better than all of them!! I will sureley e-mail denver apartment rentals you again saying that I passed. I know you have to have this website, but Thank you for all your help on my project!!! And have a Very Merry Christmas!!!
This is a lovely denver apartment rentals summary about Italy at Christmas. My research indicates the first nativity scene appeared denver apartment rentals for the first time at a mass offered denver apartment rentals by Saint Francis of Assisi. He had asked Giovanni denver apartment rentals Vellita of Gubbio, Umbria to create something memorable for Christmas devotions. denver apartment rentals That creation was the manger scene it inspired devotionthus il Presepio" was born. Ii remains an art form throughout the Christian world.
Hey guys! I am going to Italy and am concerned that everything will be closed during the Christmas denver apartment rentals time and post Christmas time. I would like to visit Florence after Christmas and that means museums denver apartment rentals Does anybody know if the trains are still going and museums are opened?
I think travel during the Christmas holidays makes a wonderful diversion for those whose family situations denver apartment rentals have changed over the years making denver apartment rentals the holiday sad and stressful rather than happy. I d love to visit Italy during the holidays. I m saving your tips for when I do just that.
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