Rome at Christmas: Memorable Holidays in the Eternal City
I have to be honest. Rome at Christmas is not my favorite. It was lovely, but I felt that it was lacking the magic that Venice or Paris held during the holidays. It was also way more crowded than both of those cities, which I think affected how I felt about it. I want to write about it, however, because it might be where you find yourself. And maybe we didn’t do it right. Maybe we missed something. But, if I were planning my Christmas trip to Italy again, I wouldn’t spend the holidays in Rome – and I love Rome. You might disagree. That’s okay! Leave your suggestions in the comments!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for tours and products I love at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Getting to Rome at Christmas
Rome Airport Transportation Options
We flew on from Paris to Rome (CDG-FCO). Believe it or not, I don’t mind . I’ve always had great experiences with this low-cost airline. The flight was quick, easy and on time. Baggage claim was quick and easy as well. Since we were staying on the opposite side of the city from the train station and had limited time in Rome, we opted to hop in a cab. It took about half an hour in the middle of the day on Christmas Eve and our cab driver was in great spirits. We tried to ask him where we should eat in Rome, but he assured us anything we found that was open would be good. (He wasn’t wrong, but I don’t think it’s an absolute or a given.)
You can read more about our previous experiences with the Leonardo Express train in my first timers guide to Rome! It can a great option depending on your luggage and where your hotel is located! For us, in this particular case, a cab made the most sense!
Rental Cars in Rome
In the past, we’ve picked up rental cars from FCO and driven to Tuscany and Umbria. We’ve returned the rental cars to the Hertz or Sixt (save 30% by using my link
) locations near our hotel or driven directly to the airport. We’ve rarely pick up a rental car desk at Termini at Termini station.
We picked up a rental car from Termini to drive from Rome to Ostuni on December 26. The car rental lines were out of control. It took us well over an hour to get to the rental desk and another thirty minutes to pick up the car from the parking garage. Our reservation was scheduled when the rental desk opened. If you are leaving Rome on December 26, give yourself plenty of time to get around. I kept thinking that we could have saved so much more time if we had flown to Bari or Brindisi. When we headed back north to Florence for New Year’s, we flew from Brindisi to Bologna via Rome (FCO). It was a shorter, smoother trip.
Always check the low cost airlines for long distances, even within Italy!
Things to Do in Rome at Christmastime
One of the best things about Rome in the winter is that the crowds *are* smaller. It absolutely wasn’t quiet, but it wasn’t frantic. (Easter in Rome and the Epiphany are a completely different story in Rome.) There are definitely lines for the major attractions, but it doesn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded. With a little bit of pre-planning, there are times when you can feel like you have the city to yourself. To that end, I recommend doing all the touristy things in Rome during Christmas. That way, when you go back to Rome, you can dive into the city’s delicious restaurant scene, take advantage of a Rome food tour (or two!), and explore off the beaten path. As always, go back to the places YOU love.
See the Nativity Scenes and Christmas Trees in Rome
Whatever you do, don’t miss heading over to Saint Peter’s Square, especially at night. This is one of the most beautiful nativity scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. I was actually surprised at how few nativity scenes there were scatted throughout Rome, especially when I consider how many I see in smaller Italian cities. Even if you aren’t religious, even if you’re not Catholic, I think St. Peter’s Square is a sight to behold at night. My favorite part are the fountains. I have photographed them many a time, and they are always at their most beautiful at night. We were there on Christmas night, and it was the most busy I’ve ever seen it, so you might try a different night, if you want to take your time and take everything in slowly. In retrospect, I wish we had gone back when it was a little quieter.
I thought the Christmas tree in front of Vittoriano (or the “wedding cake”) at Piazza Venezia was the most lovely Christmas tree in Rome. I was both disappointed and underwhelmed that the Colosseum wasn’t more decorated, but they are doing a lot of construction in the area for the new metro line. Regardless, it’s worth a visit – both as part of a tour and at night.
Early Access to the Vatican Museums
Because of the influx of visitors to Rome for the Christmas holidays, it is essential to book your visit to the Vatican in advance. If you want to spend your time in line, you can wait until you get there, but there is nothing like visiting the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the public. It is unlikely that you will be able to get tickets to midnight mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. (There was someone on our tour who had gotten married in the Catholic church and her priest was able to secure tickets for them, but it did not sound like it was an inexpensive endeavor.) Seeing the Vatican Museums in the stillness of the morning is a magical, meaningful experience that is worth getting up early for – trust me!
There are tours for the Papal Blessing on Christmas Day, but it will be a very crowded experience.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: After so many trip to Rome, I have a lot of tips for visiting the Vatican City! Make your life easier by doing a little bit of advance planning!
Most of the Christmas markets in Rome no longer exist, so I didn’t expect to run into many Christmas markets in Rome. The Piazza Navona Christmas market was a nice surprise. There were carnival games, a carrousel, and vendors selling local products. There are local specialties, but there are also kid-friendly options like cotton candy. (I got a lot of laughs over the Hot Donald’s vendor.) It felt more like a carnival than a Christmas market and is particularly lovely at blue hour. Blue hour in Piazza Navona is one of my favorite times to be there.
We ended up buying two Christmas ornaments at the market. I found blown-glass replicas of the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica. Both are items that I have not ever seen anywhere else in Rome, so if you’re looking for the perfect souvenir in Rome at Christmas, this might be a great place to start.
If you are looking for a Christmas ornament in Rome, I love Sempre Natale throughout the year. It’s a must visit when I’m in Rome
Take a Pizza Making Class in Rome
If you aren’t headed for the Amalfi Coast or Naples, I recommend taking a pizza making class in Rome. We took one that was paired with a walking tour of the old city center. Even though we’ve taken several walking tours in Rome – many traveling across the same popular routes of Rome – we always learn something new. The pizza making part of the class was definitely my favorite part, though the chef only spoke Italian. We were able to customize our own pizzas and they provided us a dessert pizza to share. This cooking class is actually held in a restaurant near Campo de’ Fiori, so that was a neat experience that we had not had with our other cooking classes in Italy!
Learn about the Ancient Romans and Tour the Capitoline Museum
Similar to the Vatican Museums, you’ll want to skip the line at the Colosseum. One way to do this is to book a tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Our guide, Igor, was endearing, funny, and incredibly knowledgable. We were able to see the Colosseum from different vantage points (but not the floor – so if that’s important to you, book another tour) before heading over to the Forum for a tour. (The tour ends in the Forum and you can stay as long as you like.)
I’ll be honest. If we had just visited the Capitoline Museum without a guide, I would not have gotten anything out of it. Tom loves the Romans though, so I booked a tour of the Capitoline Museum just for him. The sculptures are impressive, but my favorite part of the tour was the visit to the Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara Coeli with its many chandeliers.
While I don’t typically recommend day trips, I found this tour of Tivoli Gardens and Hadrian’s Villa form Rome to be a more interesting look at Roman daily life. The mosaic tile work is incredible! I didn’t even know I liked mosaics until I went on this tour. Tivoli is absolutely beautiful, but the wind can be cold. Make sure you take a jacket and an umbrella with you.
You can DIY an audio tour of the Pantheon, which happens to be one of Tom’s favorite buildings in Rome. Every time we go to Rome, the Pantheon is our first stop. I have to admit, I do love the oculus; it’s an engineering marvel.
Night Walking Tour of Rome
While I think you can DIY a tour of Rome at night, if it’s your first visit to Rome, consider booking a tour. I really enjoyed this night tour of Rome. It started at the Piazza del Popolo and ended at the Campo di Fiori so it almost covers the entirety of the old city center of Rome.
This is a shorter night walking tour that begins and ends at the Colosseum, but doesn’t include Campo di Fiori. If you are looking for a tour that crosses the Tiber and encompasses Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican City, consider booking this tour of Rome on Christmas Day. It starts earlier in the afternoon at the Spanish Steps but ends at the Vatican. We were in Piazza Navona for blue hour and St. Peter’s Square at night on Christmas Day. (It was still crowded, but certainly not as crowded as it was during the day.)
We also took a Hidden Secrets of Rome tour, and our guide provided a lot information that we had not heard on previous tours. It covered everything from the Spanish Steps to the Colosseum with a gelato stop at the Trevi Fountain!
Travel Tips for Spending Christmas in Rome
Plan your Christmas meals in advance.
Rome restaurants mostly close down for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We were able to find lunch fairly easily on Christmas Eve, but most things were closed from that point on. There was a COOP grocery store near the Le Meridien Visconti that was open until 6:00pm on Christmas Eve, so we stocked up on Italian salumi, olives, and wine, just in case. Our hotel offered free breakfast, so we took advantage of that on Christmas Day, too.
All back up plans aside, we ended up having a late Christmas Eve dinner at a lovely restaurant where we took a pizza cooking class on a previous trip. On Christmas Day, we used The Fork to secure a reservation at one of the few places that was open. It ended up being the most enjoyable surprise. The owner was so excited we were there that he kept bringing us local treats to try. (The food was delicious!) We loved it so much that we back on our 10 day trip to Italy in 2021. I’ll share more about restaurants in Rome below, but just be aware – you need a plan and a backup plan because Romans spend the holidays with their families.
Eataly is open until 8:00pm on Christmas Eve, but it is a trek from the centro storico to get there. Again, it’s doable – you just have to plan.
Bring Your Walking Shoes
The Eternal City survives because the ruins and main attractions are well-preserved. While you can use the metro system to get across large distances, the Metro stops aren’t convenient to the beautiful sites of Rome. Rome is best explored on your own two feet. We’ve stayed across the Tiber River at Le Meridien Visconti on our last three trips. We like the location because it’s close to the Vatican City but it’s also close to historic Rome. While it was easy to catch the metro to the train station when we needed to pick up our rental car, it is easier to walk to the sites.
You can walk from the Spanish Steps to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona pretty easily. Once you get to the Forum, it’s a pretty good walk to the Colosseum. It’s worth the walk, but it’s not for the faint of heart (or fancy shoes). Find a good pair of walking shoes that can handle cobblestones. My Stuart Weitzman 50/50 boots prove to continue to be a good option for me to feel functional and fashionable in winter. (It is Rome, after all!)
Book Your Rome Tours in Advance
Rome isn’t as quiet at Venice at Christmas. In fact, it is down right busy. I found that it was really challenging to plan things to do at the last minute. If there is a museum you are dying to see, a tour you really want to take, or a church you want to visit, you’ll want to plan everything ahead of time. The opening and closing hours are really sporadic and it’s impossible to plan on the fly. We ended up taking a walking tour of Rome on Christmas Day, which was a lovely way to see the entire city. I thought it would talk more about the Christmas traditions in Rome, but it was truly just a city tour. (If you’ve never been to Rome or are only in Rome for the day, it’s a great overview of Rome.)
If you need ideas on how to structure your days, I have a great 3-day itinerary for Rome.
Where to Find Christmas Ornaments in Rome
I collect Christmas ornaments as souvenirs. It’s one of the “things” that bring me the most joy when we’re at home. I’m pretty picky about my travel ornaments; I like things that are hand-painted, mouth-blown, and reminiscent of the destination. In November 2021, I headed over to Sempre Natale, which is between the Tiber and the Piazza Navona. This small shop has beautiful glass ornaments that are made and painted in Europe. It is open year round, so even if you don’t spend Christmas in Rome, you’ll still be able to find beautiful mementos from your trip.
I also recommend checking our Flake’s Design Studio in Trastevere. They have some beautiful hand-painted ceramic ornaments.
Where to Eat in Rome
I will preface this by saying that the majority of the disappointing meals we’ve had in Italy have been in Rome. You have to look really hard for good meals in Rome, especially if you aren’t willing to make the trip to Testaccio or Trastevere, which are lovely neighborhoods with delicious restaurants but aren’t very centrally located for sightseeing. I highly recommend doing a food tour of Trastevere or Testaccio to uncover the delicious food in those neighborhoods. We did several food tours in Rome in 2021 and they completely changed my perspective on Roman food, and they’ve opened us up to a lot more restaurants in Rome.
Most of the places that I am going to recommend are in the major tourist areas because that’s probably where you are going to find yourself! That said, if you are willing to travel to other areas of Rome for food, you will be treated to some delicious meals. My Rome restaurant list is so long, especially since Elise published her list of Rome restaurants!
Che Pasta – Cheap Pasta in Touristy Rome
I’ll admit it. I was dubious. It was Christmas Eve in Rome. I had been up since about 5:00am and Tom took me to a pasta bar behind the Piazza Navona. (I’ve generally had bad experiences at these types of places. Looking at you, Dal Moro.) However, buoyed by my positive fresh pasta at the Mercato Centrale in Florence, I decided to give it a try.
Che Pasta has a few places to sit, but it is not a restaurant. We arrived right before they closed, but fortunately, they took our pasta order seriously. I opted for the ravioli del papa. Tom ordered the tagliatelle di nonna pina. We were both happy with our choices and we were particularly impressed with the diligence the chef put into creating a perfectly (paper) plated pasta. We wanted to go back for seconds, but they were closed by the time we made our way back. These photos don’t even begin to do it justice. Just trust me when I say it was delicious.
Mastro Ciccia – Delicious Pizza in Touristy Rome
Mastro Ciccia was our Christmas Day dinner. We were dubious because all the restaurants nearby had lines out the door. Mastro Ciccia, despite its location in the shadow of Piazza Navona, was empty. To be fair, we were eating fairly early, but it didn’t look good and we were nervous. Good thing we decided to stay the course. From the moment we walked in, the staff was so warm and so kind. The owner was so delighted to see us that he kept offering us complimentary traditional treats to try, including Prosecco, apricot tart, and an after dinner drink. We ended up ordering a little bit of everything – fried stuffed olives, bruschetta, focaccia, pizza… everything was absolutely delicious.
I would try anything on the menu, but I really loved the rosemary focaccia and meat-stuffed olives for a delicious appetizer. When we finally pushed our stomachs out on to the streets, we were full and content. If I’m being totally honest, this is one of the restaurants I worried about most in the pandemic. When we went back in November 2021, we had an equally memorable experience, and we loved everything we ordered. It brought me so much joy to see them so busy because they truly made our Christmas dinner magical and memorable in 2019. I can’t wait to go back and see them again.
Origano – Tasty Pasta in Touristy Rome
After wandering through the old city of Rome, I was a little cold and hungry for a warm meal. Most restaurants in the city center were closed on Christmas Eve, but we lucked out that Origano was open and was on the walk back to our hotel. We had taken a pizza making class at the Campo de’ Fiori restaurant, so we knew that the pizza, at a minimum, would be good. I ordered the rigatoni all’amatriciana and Tom ordered the diavola pizza. Both were delicious, but I really loved my pasta. Service is really kind and very friendly. The ambiance is very trendy – so it would be a great place for a romantic meal. (We didn’t have any of those on our honeymoon in Rome, so I’m always looking out for you, lol.)
Da Remo – Best Pizza in Testaccio
The first time we ended up at Remo, we ended up there by mistake. Our cab driver had dropped us off at a restaurant that wasn’t open, and I consulted my trusty Rome Day-by-Day travel guide for ideas. Remo is cash only with no reservations, so you have to be committed to getting there when they open or being willing to wait. The second time, we took the bus to Testaccio and we were willing to wait. It’s cheap and delicious with great energy and a frantic ambiance (i.e. not a romantic meal).
Tonnarello – Delicious Pasta in Trastevere
One of the best things we did in Rome was take a Trastevere food tour. Through that tour, we found A LOT of good food in Rome. (Why did I wait so long to take a food tour in Rome?!) One of the stops served us fresh Amtriciana, and I was obsessed with trying it at other restaurants. Tonnarello is a great place to try pasta in Rome, especially if you find yourself without reservations. They are a large restaurant with a few sister restaurants, so chances are, you can get a table somewhere.
My favorite Amtriciana is the one with fresh, crispy guanciale and freshly grated cheese. We ordered the misto arancini and rosemary focaccia as appetizers. I ordered the polpetti (meatballs) as a second course. Tom ordered the diavola pizza – it looked incredible. (I had no room left whatsoever.) All of the food was freshly made and absolutely delicious.
Gelato in Rome
Believe it or not, gelato is one place where you can trust the hype. Gioliiti is fantastic gelato. You’ll buy a ticket first and then head back to the frozen case with your receipt. I really loved the orange (arancia) and the pear (pera), but you can’t go wrong with bacio or nocciola either. Service can be a little gruff when they are busy, so have your money and your receipt ready to go. You’ll need to be proactive and step up when you know what you want. Don’t waffle and don’t ask for recommendations if they are busy.
If you find yourself near the Vatican, I really love Old Bridge Gelateria. They don’t have tables, but there is a park with benches nearby. You can get up to three flavors in a small, and I recommend trying as many as possible. That said, I strongly recommend any of their fruit flavors. They are so refreshing and delicious.
I also really like Gelateria del Teatro. The neighorhood is full of art galleries and antique shops, so it makes for a lovely stroll.
Where to Stay in Rome for Christmas
As I mentioned above, we stayed at Le Meridien Visconti during Christmas. I chose this hotel because the price was right ($115/night). I am Marriott Titanium (so, benefits, supposedly) and the location is pretty central. It is not my favorite hotel in Rome, but it is a perfectly fine hotel. I find Le Meridien as a brand to be pretty stingy with the upgrades, which is surprising, given that we typically travel during off-peak times. Our stays at Palazzo Naiadi have been marginally more memorable, but the location is not as central. I LOVE everything about the Pantheon Iconic, but the price point is totally different.
Back to Le Meridien. On previous trips, we booked the Urban Suite (with no further upgrade), and it was a decently sized room with a good layout. The room was light and airy with a smaller bathroom but nice-sized closet. I had hoped to use my Suite Night Awards for a similar room on this stay, but I could only be confirmed into an executive room. This room was very small with an odd layout. The room and the bathroom are very tight. It is not worth a suite night award unless you are just trying to get rid of them. We have been able to use our Suite Night Awards for a Terrace Suite though and that was an incredible value.
Breakfast was included as a Titanium benefit, but we had to ask for it and it wasn’t particularly memorable. (It’s 15 euro if you don’t have status.) We have not received a welcome gift on our last two stays and housekeeping is terribly inconsistent. However, the concierge is very helpful.
Le Meridien Barcelona had a way better breakfast and a delicious welcome gift on both stays we’ve had there.
I do like that the hotel is in a quieter neighborhood and is within easy walking distance of the main attractions and the Vatican City. The location and the price make it a good buy for Rome, but it’s not a particularly memorable hotel. I’ve had better stays throughout Italy. It’s just this hotel.
What to Wear in Rome in December
One of the great things about Rome at Christmas is how temperate it is. December in Rome is quite lovely. Similar to our trip to the Tuscany Christmas markets, I didn’t feel like I needed my heavy coat during the day. Weather on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was mild and sunny. The December days are still pretty short, so you’ll want to take your jacket if you are going to be out in the evenings. It wasn’t terribly cold though. We didn’t encounter any gray skies or rain. I was perfectly comfortable with skinny jeans, suede leggings, boots, and cashmere sweaters. (No thermals required!) You’ll want good walking shoes though – the best part about Rome is exploring on foot.
Check out my Italy packing list if you need more ideas on what to wear in Rome during winter.
As with our trips in the last two years, Tom takes quite a bit of video. We’ve been able to compile those into highlight reels so you can get a sense of what a city looks and feels like. I know videos like this have been instrumental in helping us decide when and where to go, so I hope they help you, too. Feel free to follow along on our YouTube channel. All of this footage was shot on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Rome!
Listen, Learn & Read More
Tom likes the Rick Steves book, which is a great resource for DIY walking tours, along with the free audio tours, if you don’t want to follow along in the book. I tend to use the Rome Day by Day and the Top 10 Rome books to find new restaurant ideas. These books are broken down by neighborhood, which I find really useful. Beyond that, we both really love the Frommer’s Great Walks book to find new routes and places to see.
