There are some well-known Christmas markets dotted across Europe, but there’s one fairytale location that boasts more than 200 stalls and is just two hours from the UK
It’s that time of the year when many of us are turning our attention to booking that famed Christmas market trip for the ultimate yuletide to wander around charming chalets while hugging a warming cup of mulled wine. With thousands dotted across Europe, there’s a catalogue to choose from, but there’s one that offers something rather unique for some festive merriment.
Italy might not spring to mind when you think of Christmas markets, but in fact, it has one of the most magical, nestled in Verona. While the Italian city is famed as the setting for Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, with its Roman ruins and Renaissance buildings, it welcomes just as much jollity as any other European city, if not more.
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From November 21 to December 28, the Verona Christmas market, located in Piazza dei Signori, graces and dazzles the city with festive charm. More than 200 stalls adorn the square offering traditional gift inspiration, artisan products and seasonal treats in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities.
Christmas trees and glittering lights decorate the market, while the aromas of gingerbread and mulled wine fill the air. Unlike many other European Christmas markets, in Verona, you can even ride a horse-drawn carriage in a truly magnificent experience as you pass illuminated palaces.
Expected to return this year is the incredible star installation at Piazza Bra, which has previously been one of the most iconic sights in the city, and is perfect for a festive snap! The Verona Christmas market takes inspiration from one of the oldest and most famous German markets in Nuremberg, which is said to be the “birthplace of this cherished tradition”.
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It’s the ideal spot for some Christmas shopping, with the charming cabins filled with handmade souvenirs, ceramics, jewellery, soaps, liqueurs, and wooden and wool items. There’s also plenty of flavours to taste, from steaming-hot pearà , creamy sauce served with pork sausage and rustic bread, to sausage sandwiches and German-style bretzels and bratwurst.
There is also an abundance of sweet treats from luxury chocolate, a warming cup of mulled wine, known as vin brulè in Italy, or a refreshing boccale of a craft ale. And a visit here isn’t complete without sampling Verona’s famous Christmas cake, pandoro – a fluffy sweet bread similar to panettone, known as ‘golden bread’, that was created in 1894 by patissier Domenico Melegatti.
In addition to the market, festive celebrations will be spread far and wide in the city with Christmas concerts, theatre and ballet shows, along with an International Exhibition called ‘Nativities from the World’ taking place. There will also be Verona’s Christmas run, New Year’s Eve celebrations in Piazza Bra, and a New Year’s concert, along with fun-packed activities for children, including the House of Santa Claus, the Enchanted Forest, and ice-skating rinks in Piazza Sacco e Vanzetti.
Visitors have praised the Verona Christmas market, as one wrote on TripAdvisor: “I say well hidden because all the tourist maps say it’s there but I eventually found it, and there was a Christmas market going on, and the buildings around it are beautiful – well worth a visit.”
Direct flights from London to Verona start from £20, with the flight duration just under two hours for a festive winter getaway.
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