It's a joyful occasion and by all accounts those doing the giving feel as blessed as those they feed. We were able to hold seats for them until they arrived. Perhaps even stay the night. I think I saw your family there in the congregation! In Italy, on Epiphany, La Befana, a popular Christmas witch, flies over the rooftops filling children's stockings with candy or… coal. During a busy season that sometimes feels overwhelming, village life can be refreshingly simple. The place absolutely came alive. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. I had read about how nice it was to visit Pompeii and Ercolano off season and I can say it is really nice. It sounds as if it was an amazing time for all your family! From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families…and even play in the snow. And through the ages pilgrims have stopped here at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. There were nativity scenes made of macaroni, paper, wood blocks, some very elaborate. Another note. The food was good but his personality really made the night. It was these types of experiences we had on this trip, being in Italy off season, that you just can't get over the summer. I then called my wife and two other kids to come meet us. With that information, I began to assemble my itinerary. Be ready for a mad scramble for seats but once the service starts, it’s pretty civilized. $14.99. There was a line of Christmas market stalls that line Lungomare Trieste along the shoreline that spans about 15 blocks. These jovial friends are playing an old game. The benefit is a view inside the Basilica unlike any I have ever seen. There was a huge Christmas tree in the town center and all the streets were adorned with lights and decorations. The temperatures were a little warmer than expected throughout the trip (with the exception of Assisi, it was freezing) and it only rained once on Christmas Eve morning. As such the hotel availability is tight and rates are high. Unlike all the other cities and towns we visited, Florence was crowded. Today we travel to Italy. I incorrectly assumed that this was the gate just to the left of St Peters that you pass when you exit St Peters Cathedral that usually has a few Swiss Guards standing guard. Finally we made it through and got to the second gate where things were a little more civilized. We made a quick visit to Santa Maria in Laterna and headed back to the apartment to get ready for midnight mass (which is actually at 9:30pm). Saved from youtube.com. 12/21/2015 01:41pm EST | Updated December 21, 2016. I had made lunch reservations which was very smart as everyone who didn't was scrambling to find a restaurant. La Vigilia, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner, calls for all the trimmings - here in Rome, that's lots of veggies… and a nice big female eel! And Europeans don't wrap things up on December 25th. It takes the reader on a journey across Europe to reveal the food, decorations, songs, and celebrations of its many countries. Crowded with tourists. Also especially important for Christmas Eve and Christmas day are restaurant reservations. In the past we had taken the Circumvesuviana from Naples. The 12 days of Christmas stretch from the 25th through January 6th, that’s Epiphany, the day the Three Kings finally delivered the gifts. And in this town the people are doing a dress rehearsal for a precepio vivente, or, living nativity. I had booked the Vatican scavi tour (the tour under the Vatican where you see the bones of St Peter) for 3:30pm and I also needed to pick up tickets for Christmas Eve mass. It is lined with shops and at this time of year, is full of decorations, a huge Christmas tree and people everywhere. At the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, tables have replaced pews and the poor are enjoying a feast prepared and served by the community. (photo: Rick Steves) I find the holiday season in Rome a joy: crisp air, stylish big-city Italians cupping hot cappuccinos in corner cafés, and hurried shoppers bundled up with panache, thoughtfully pausing at grand manger scenes. Just follow the main highway into the center of town and keep driving until you’re near the water. $20.00. At the east end of the shoreline is a very convenient parking lot. As host, writer, and producer of the popular and long-running American Public Television series Rick Steves' Europe, and through his travel books, he encourages Americans to become what he calls "temporary locals." The next day we left Sorrento headed for Paestum. (Men throwing cake and speaking in Italian.). We decided the best strategy was to forgo the view during service in favor of getting a better seat near the aisle to see the Pope process and recess. Rick Steves' European Christmas: Italy - YouTube It was a good diversion on a day where most things were closed. Like Rick say's it's worth an hour. We exited the tour, enjoyed St Peters, I walked back toward the main entrance (against the people entering on the right side of the Vatican square) to pick up my tickets to Christmas Eve mass. It's a reminder that through the ages Italy's humble shepherds entertained the faithful as they gathered by fires to warm themselves and await the arrival of Christmas. After our visit to Ercolano, we drove to Sorrento. Christmas in Italy. There was not a lot of coordinated information and certainly not anything like the organization in the Rick Steves books specific to the holidays. As anywhere, Christmas in Rome is a time of giving. We ended up waiting a bit for the town to come alive. Walking around the town with the Christmas decorations was magical. Does anybody have experiences and suggestions as to what goes on in Italy at this time? It all began nine month earlier with the idea of spending Christmas in Italy. We caught the Frecciarossa to Rome, arriving around 8:30pm. The tickets are free so if you are at all considering going, just fax in the request so you don't regret it later. I didn't know what Christmas was like in Italy but just the idea of being in Europe and near the Vatican on Christmas seemed interesting. Rick doesn't give much time to Salerno in his book so I wasn't sure what to expect. For anyone thinking of visiting Sorrento over Christmas, be aware that the week between Christmas and New Year’s is very popular among locals. It really is a special time to be there. Orvieto was the same atmosphere. It gets dark around 5:00pm and that's when all the shops, people and lights come out. From the Mediterranean to the Alps, from fine art to fine pasta, experience Italy with Rick Steves! Food After an hour, The Vatican security started to motion that they were about to let people though the first gate. Rome was alive but not crowded and like Sorrento, reasonably empty of tourists. Thanks! Today we travel to Italy. I had read about Rome and the precepe (nativity) scenes everywhere and of course Christmas Eve mass at the Vatican. The off season hours of operation for various sites are pretty well documented but when it comes to the holidays, you have to check the opening and closing time carefully. Christianity As it happened, it was a Sunday evening and all the locals were out celebrating. We followed the GPS in the car and ended up on the south side of the main strip where the entrance and museum are located. Rick Steves' European Christmas gives viewers a look at sacred, intimate family Christmas traditions. The town was decorated like the others with lights across the main streets. My Account . We used Siena as a base for the next few days. We stayed in an apartment a block off the Piazza Navona which was a perfect location. Festive Fun: Rick and his crew experienced 12 carol concerts, 11 mugs of Glühwein, 10 living mangers, 9 happy families, 8 Christmas feasts, 7 Euro-cultures, 6 mistletoe kisses, 5 alternative Santas, 4 pounds of weight gain, 3 midnight Masses, 2 exhausted cameramen, and a very merry Christmas for one and all (go ahead, sing it)! We'd been to Pompeii a few years back and thought this would be a good follow on. We took an Uber from the station (and all around Rome for that matter) and the drive to the apartment was full of sights and sounds of Christmas. It must have been quite a party that night! We finally sat down around 7:30pm about five seats from the Aisle about 2/3 of the way back. Rick's Travel Blog. 12 New Shows 2019-2020. The directions say to go to the gate on the left side of the Vatican. Bottles, trash, debris everywhere. The 12 days of Christmas stretch from the 25th through January 6th, that’s Epiphany, the day the Three Kings finally delivered the gifts. And Europeans don't wrap things up on December 25th. When it comes to a festa, Italians like to buy fresh and local… and lucky Romans enjoy an abundance of farmers' markets. At the end, the Pope walks down the aisle with the baby Jesus and places him in the nativity scene. Here at the 15th century abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, reclusive monks celebrate their faith in a timeless fashion… as if one with the communities they serve. The tickets are distributed by the Swiss Guards at the Bronze Doors just after you pass security to enter the St Peters. We arrived in Salerno around 3:00pm and this was a little early. It could very well be the best trip you ever make. They were a little disappointed to find out he didn't really look like that. It was 90 degrees and by noon, the site was quite crowded. Browse Rick's best Italy tours and vacation packages: Best of Rome in 7 Days Tour . At the Piazza was the 100 Precepe exhibit. We ended up waiting (30 minutes) in the general security line to the right that everyone passes through to enter St Peters and almost missed our entrance time for the tour. Some people in the standing room area knew this was going to happen and started heading over there before the service ended. I watched that beautiful service on TV in the US, really lovely with speaking, reading and music by people of all ages, both men and women, from all over the world, plus of course Pope Francis. The festivities, while low-key, are memorable. Find everything you need for packing — and planning your dream trip to Europe. I had also read about Florence and how it was a good location for New Years. We spent the next few days taking a cooking class, seeing sights we missed the last time we visited and buying keepsakes. For centuries, pilgrims have hiked from all over Christendom to this great city. We stopped at Tenuta Vannulo, the one where they supposedly massage the cows and have them sleep on mattresses. How nice you had (mostly) good weather. We had been to Sorrento during tourist season and the size of the crowds on this night were similar but the atmosphere was completely different. It was a wild ride for about 10 minutes. The vast basilica was packed, the pope seemed radiant, and our cameraman put our viewers right in the front pew. We would start in the south and end in the north, flying into Naples and out of Florence. The Streets were filled with a market of local crafts and the town was filled with local people. Culture The letter alone is quite the keepsake. Nearby there is a large controlled parking lot that puts you right at the start of the Christmas market. We had to drive around the site to the west. Jet lagged but feeling better than expected. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. The tickets are free. $9.99 . Included are 14 complete live concert performances of music. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Created with Sketch. I also really dislike the flag bearing tour groups to the point it ruins the experience for me. We drove to Siena stopping in Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoregio. He was right. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with assembling the first manger scene in 1223. Just wondering where the best place would be to spend christmas in Italy? The idea is to toss the panforte, the local fruitcake, close to the edge of the table without having it slide off. Posted by Kristin (Hutchinson, MN, USA) on 07/22/12 05:31 PM. Catherine, Aloha Joe Aloha, I enjoyed your report about your family visit to Italy over the holidays! I asked the concierge what was happening and he said it was a celebration following a marathon of some sort that happens the weekend before Christmas. The nativity is at the entrance on the left as you face the altar. We had lunch outside (bufalo mozzarella of course) at a small cafe just outside the entrance. Show Rick Steves' European Christmas (video), Ep Part 5: Italy - 8 Dec 2006 In retrospect it would have been nice to spend another day in Sorrento but we had a limited amount of time and Paestum was a stop I didn't want to miss. When we visited a few years back, we were able to tour their displays and it was clear that the Italians go to great lengths to decorate and celebrate Christmas. This is home of the Vatican City… headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and some of Europe's most sacred Christmas traditions. Rick Steves' European Christmas DVD provides a vivid and authentic portrait of how Europeans celebrate the holiday from England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, and Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps. Rick Steves' European Christmas: Italy. Paperback $10 ... Rick Steves' Europe: Italy's Cities, Italy's Countryside, Spain & Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Israel & Egypt (4 DVDs: 27 Episodes) by Rick Steves | Jan 1, 2007. By the afternoon, everyone was out walking and everything was open. From my best guess about 1000 people had already been let through to the second gate and were waiting to be let into the Basilica. Created with Sketch. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Being in Ercolano and feeling like you have the place to yourself really gives you a different, more immersive experience. We were in Pompeii in June a few years back. What I didn't count on was our apartment being inside the ZTL. At the west end a few block in is the Villa Comunale di Salerno Park where the Luci d' Artista Christmas lights display is. Since then in the creative teaching style of St. Francis, manger scenes often put Bethlehem in a local context. We woke up the next morning and took in Rome. These two facts along with my desire to see Paestum put the Naples area on my list. I had requested tickets (by fax) about 9 months before on the chance we might go to Rome. The days before Christmas are a different story however, with rates less than half of the week following. Shop Rick's Travel Store. Lesson learned, don't rent a car and then try to drive in the city. Rick gives brief mention to these but I would say if you have time, definitely schedule a trip. A tip for anyone who ends up standing. Tour Account › Travel Forum › Home / Travel Forum / Italy / Christmas in Italy; Please sign in to post. On our way out, we passed by Pizza della Signoria. If I were visiting again, I would plan to arrive at 5:00pm and spend 3 hours just walking around. We walked among the crowd, watched the parade, ate pizza at Da Franco and enjoyed our first night in Italy. That night we had dinner with friends who flew in at a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain, tossing a few coins on the way hoping to return again someday. 4.5 out of 5 stars 210. Rick Steves' European Christmas gives viewers a look at sacred, intimate family Christmas traditions. It had a few more tourists but was still uncrowded and welcoming. Dress warm as St Peters is cold during the service. As with other locations, it was clear of tourists and felt very genuine. More info about travel to Switzerland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/switzerland High in Switzerland, the mighty Alps seem to shout the glory of God. There was not a lot of coordinated information and certainly not anything like the organization in the Rick Steves books specific to the holidays. And presepi range from the very traditional to the very surprising - like this one that imagines the nativity in an Eskimo village. Maybe have dinner. It was smaller than Pompeii, better preserved and was nearly empty for our 2 hour visit in very comfortable 60 degree weather. ? The tour was excellent and well worth it. My wife showed up around 8:30pm and said the security line was still long. Being in Italy over Christmas and New Year’s was a fantastic experience. We were still able to walk around. My Account . It felt as though we were the only tourists. Religion I grabbed my 13 year old son and held on. What should normally have taken about 20 minutes to drive took over an hour. The drive hugs the outer walls of Paestum and gives you an idea of just how big the site is. It was exactly the experience you want when traveling. Flag bearing tour groups to the very traditional to the Scavi entrance and entered just in time Trieste along shoreline. 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