© iStock / Crisfotolux
© iStock / Crisfotolux

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Discover the magic of Tyrolean Christmas in Arezzo

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As you know, Advent and Christmas are something special in Tyrol. In fact, in the period preceding Christmas, all the towns that are part of this beautiful region, both in the Austrian and Italian parts, experience the Advent and Christmas period in full respect of tradition. But there is another place which, albeit further away, tries to recreate the magical Tyrolean atmosphere. So come with me and discover the magic of Tyrolean Christmas in Arezzo. From mid-November until after the Epiphany, Arezzo, an attractive Tuscan town, becomes the City of Christmas and is transformed into the largest Tyrolean village in Italy, where Christmas traditions are revived. Markets, light shows, the Ferris wheel, and events for adults and children await you in the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in Italy.

The Tyrolean Village

The Tyrolean Village is located in the heart of Arezzo, in Piazza Grande, where you can breathe the unique atmosphere of the Tyrolean Christmas markets, with exhibitors coming from Tyrol, Germany and Austria, offering typical handcrafted products: wood carvers, sculptors, potters and creators of hand-painted blown Christmas balls, but also objects, fabrics, artefacts, nativity scene figurines and a thousand gift ideas for all budgets. For the gastronomic part, in the "Baite del Gusto", small wooden huts, you can taste the best beers and traditional dishes of Tyrol, such as pretzels, raclette, and the famous roasted shin.

© iStock / sansa55
© iStock / sansa55
Piazza Grande, Arezzo
Piazza Grande, Arezzo
Piazza Grande, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

Arezzo Christmas Light

Original light installations and plays of light will be the Christmas decorations of Piazza Grande and the main monuments of Arezzo. Light shows explicitly created for this event, together with the traditional Christmas lights, connect the main streets of the city, bathing the entire historic centre in light. Starting at 5 pm, a magical show appears on the facades of the buildings, which are coloured and decorated in the Christmas atmosphere.

© Arezzo Municipality / unknown autor
© Arezzo Municipality / unknown autor

The Christmas market

Il Prato, the large green area overlooking the city, is home to many wooden houses offering local street food, handicrafts and typical products. Walking in the enchanted atmosphere of Christmas, here you can find magnificent ideas for your Christmas gifts and lots of good things to taste.

© iStock / ViewApart
© iStock / ViewApart
Il Prato Park, Arezzo
Il Prato Park, Arezzo
Passeggio del Prato, Viale Bruno Buozzi, 1, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

Santa's House

In the footsteps of the House of Santa Claus in Agropoli, also in Arezzo, inside the Palazzo di Fraternita in Piazza Grande, we can find the House of Santa Claus with a Christmas itinerary for adults and children, games, entertainment, the post office for sending the letter to Santa Claus, and then the meeting with Santa Claus in the house and the souvenir photo. There will also be workshops, creativity games, fairy tales and tales with the Elves.

© iStock / LightFieldStudios
© iStock / LightFieldStudios
Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, Arezzo
Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, Arezzo
Piazza Grande, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

Full Dome Cinema & Planetarium & Ferris Wheel

Also in the Prato, in the large green area, is the Planetarium, a structure made up of an inflatable dome about 8 meters in diameter, with 50 seats for spectators. Here, from Friday to Sunday, animation film screenings, documentaries and conferences for stars and planets enthusiasts take place throughout the Christmas period.

Treat yourself to a breathtaking show: get on the Ferris wheel set up in the "Prato delle Meraviglie" overlooking the city and enjoy a panoramic view of Arezzo dressed up for the party. An unforgettable emotion for adults and children.

© iStock / sansa55
© iStock / sansa55

Brick House Art

In Piazza San Francesco, the Contemporary Art Gallery hosts the Brick House Art exhibition: a path that winds over three floors and exhibits works made with Lego bricks. More than two million bricks are used by artists and enthusiasts of this genre: Christmas landscapes, castles, spaceships, and racing cars. In the workshops set up for the occasion, it is possible to build works of art that can be purchased and taken home. The entrance ticket includes free access to the Gold Museum in Piazza Grande.

© iStock / Ekaterina79
© iStock / Ekaterina79
Contemporary Art Gallery, Arezzo
Contemporary Art Gallery, Arezzo
Piazza S. Francesco, 4, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

The Fortress of Wonders

Inside the ancient Medici Fortress, located at the highest point of the Prato, a real Elf village is set up. A magical place where it is possible to visit themed rooms and taste the typical dishes of the area. Do not miss the enchanted forest, the laboratory of gifts, the throne with the Ice Queen, the animated village, and the balloon of the Elves.

© iStock / Chau Nguyen
© iStock / Chau Nguyen
Fortezza Medicea, Arezzo
Fortezza Medicea, Arezzo
Fortezza Medicea, Viale Bruno Buozzi, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

The Cloister of Wonders

The Cloister of the Library, in via dei Pileati, becomes the Cloister of Wonders, which hosts an exhibition market of gold and jewels, a craft market and an antique market, waiting for the Great Antiques Fair, which takes place in the historic centre of Arezzo on December 31st and January 1st.

© iStock / Kwangmoozaa
© iStock / Kwangmoozaa
Cloister of the Library, Arezzo
Cloister of the Library, Arezzo
Via dei Pileati, 8, 52100 Arezzo AR, Italia

Handmade arts

An artisan market is set up in Piazza Guido Monaco with products made entirely by hand: from objects to costume jewellery and accessories. Here you will find gift ideas, paintings, and decorations for the tree and the crib.

© iStock / Davi Correa
© iStock / Davi Correa

The city tour

As part of the Christmas period events, there is also the possibility of taking a guided tour of Arezzo. The duration varies from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the itinerary chosen. You will thus be able to visit the Cathedral, the Cimabue crucifix, the Gothic Cathedral of San Donato, the Palazzo della Fraternita, the Palazzo dei Priori, the Palazzo Pretorio and the Pieve di Santa Maria with the beautiful polyptych by Pietro Lorenzetti.

Arezzo is an interesting city from a historical point of view, but even more when it dresses in the Christmas mood, with the lights decorating the city and the typical houses of the Tyrolean markets that enchant with melodies and Christmas Carrolls, with delicious scents and handcrafted products. An experience full of emotions awaits you to discover the magic of Tyrolean Christmas in Arezzo!

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The author

Mara Noveni

Mara Noveni

My name is Mara, I am Italian, born in Rome and raised in the wonderful Tuscany. Always in love with reading and writing, I completed this way of expressing myself through photography, especially street and travel photography. Thanks to my many and long travel experiences, I have enriched my mind and my inner life.

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