Buone Feste From Vicenza

So December has just started and cities across Italy are still busy preparing Christmas lights and ornaments. Christmas is the most important holiday in Italy (as we all guessed of course), and in December you would see lots of Mercatini di Natale aka Christmas Markets. These markets exist to enliven The Christmas Celebration. You will find such high-quality kinds of stuff that most are hand-made by artisans. The most famous Christmas markets in Italy are probably the ones in Trentino Alto-Adige but if you can't afford to go there just yet (just like me) you can still explore other cities which have the same fun atmosphere as in Trentino. This December I'd like to post some of my favorite places that hold Special Christmas Markets. The first one I'd like to show you is the Christmas Market in Vicenza.

Vicenza is a city in Northeastern Italy that is 1,5 hours away from Venice by Car. This visit is the third time for us, as we have explored this Palladio City like 3 times, once in the summer and others times in Spring. Vicenza, as I remember, is not as big as cities like Venice, Milan or Verona but it is pretty much a vibrant metropolitan city.

We were always having a good time here, For our last 3 previous visits, we did a picnic in one of its parks. Nice fresh air, good people, and even good food. This time we came in Winter just to know how beautiful could be the Christmas atmosphere.
We arrived in Vicenza after lunch and that day the sun was shining so bright yet the temperature was super chilly. For me, it's such a good combination, with a good capottino, a hat, and gloves, you are doing fine.

The first thing you see when you arrived at the center of the city would be a red carpet that, of course, leads to the Mercatino di Natale in Piazza San Lorenzo.

Vicenza's Christmas Market

The Schedule

these street musicians need to be famous soon

Street musicians and an act of kindness

Everybody is so excited about Christmas Markets in Italy, it's one of the time you could find artisans' hand-made kinds of stuff or if you are lucky you would find typical food and wine but above all, Christmas Market is a place you can hang around with friends and family.

I have to be honest, I've never bought anything from a special market, at least maybe not yet. I found the prices are ridiculous and I could find something similar in the supermarkets. Italians know how to put price tags on everything.

I noticed, the stalls in this market are limited, I supposed it might be because it's a bit early. Usually, a week before Christmas, all will be full.

So, I saw many things: hand-made jewelry, Chrismas cards, hand-made soap, some typical food and wine (I don't exactly what) and some food stalls.

We looked around then realize we don't wanna buy anything but just want to do sightseeing. We then head to the center: Piazza Dei Signori and of course Renaissance Palladiana.

Ah yes, we saw a musical performance by a group of street musicians too, and they were awesome!

While in Piazza dei Signori

That Christmas tree is huge!

There was a performance by Cancer Foundation too

just so magical

Typical tourist pose

Renaissance Palladiana

At the time we arrived in the main piazza of Vicenza, Piazza dei Signori, it was dimmed-light, and it was the perfect time to see the beauty of Christmas lights and ornaments.

So beautiful and magical at the same time! Dario couldn't keep his eyes off the lights, he pointed here and there...

Christmas is coming, and buone feste da Vicenza!