New Year in Italy: everything you need to know before traveling

Italians are hot and expressive people. They do everything sincerely and on a grand scale. This is especially true when it comes to celebrating the New Year.

OBOZREVATEL tells you how Christmas weekends are spent in different cities of this amazing country.

When is the best time to go

From mid-November, Italy turns into a winter fairy tale. Numerous fashion boutique windows shine with garlands and New Year's paraphernalia, Christmas trees are set up on the streets and stages are set up for various shows. But the main events take place between Catholic Christmas (December 25) and Epiphany (January 6). During this time, concerts, festivals, open-air performances, and fairs take place every day in all parts of the country. This is the best time for a family vacation.

Which city to choose

It all depends on your preferences. For those who like outdoor activities, a weekend in the Italian Alps is suitable, a romantic vacation is better to be organized in Venice, and cultural tourism is best developed in Rome and Florence. To understand the peculiarities of different regions, you need to learn a little more about local traditions.

Rome

The capital traditionally offers the largest number of attractions on New Year's Eve. In recent years, Italians have been spending this holiday with their families and then going for a walk in the square. You can visit several interesting locations at once or choose one for yourself.

The main events take place in Piazza del Popolo. Music plays here all night long and fireworks are launched. Most people gather in this place. On the morning of January 1, children's circus and theater performances take place here.

The concert stage for pop and rock performers is traditionally located next to the Colosseum on Via dei Fori Imperiali. Classical music is performed in front of the Quirinal Palace.

Naples

It is in this city that you can see the best pyrotechnic show in the country. Get ready to look up for a long time. Sometimes it lasts for a very long time, but it is really an incredible sight.

Naples still preserves ancient Italian traditions. In some neighborhoods, people periodically throw clothes or furniture out of windows to "cleanse" their lives. And children go around the houses singing Christmas songs. For which, by the way, it is customary to repay with money or sweets.

Venice

If this New Year's Eve is supposed to be especially romantic, then go to the city on the water. In addition to festive concerts and performances, there is an interesting tradition here. At midnight, when the chimes strike, St. Mark's Square becomes the scene of thousands of kisses. All lovers can join a kind of flash mob, thus consolidating their feelings for the whole year.

Bologna

Here, the old year is seen off in a rather interesting way. An effigy of a grandfather is burned in Piazza Maggiore, and in leap years, a straw woman is installed to replace it. All this is accompanied by a festive concert and fireworks show.

Val di Fassa, Arabba, Cervino and other ski resorts

At the end of December, the Alps become the center of New Year's celebrations among tourists. Real Christmas extravaganzas are organized here, bringing everyone together in large restaurant halls, where concerts with national stars, contests, and raffles are held. At this time, the atmosphere of a real miracle reigns here.

Prices

The cost of a New Year's vacation in Italy is much higher than a similar vacation in any other period. But to calculate the exact price, you need to know the chosen destination, entertainment program, hotel class, and plans for the celebration. A 5-day trip to the country's tourist cities for two people will cost about $750-900. The expenses at a ski resort start from $1100 and higher.