Bolzano Celebrates 35 Years of Its Christmas Market: Lights, Traditions, and Lots of New Features

There is a moment every year when Bolzano holds its breath: the lights go out for an instant, then the large tree in Piazza Walther lights up, and with it, the entire city. It’s the sign that Advent has begun. On Thursday, November 26, at 5:00 p.m., the Christkindlmarkt—the traditional Christmas market and the oldest in Italy—celebrates its 35th edition with the lighting of the 1,300 lights on the 20-meter-tall Tree of Wishes. Among its carefully decorated branches are once again ornaments featuring artwork created by children and teenagers undergoing treatment in hospitals, made during the ceramic therapy workshops organized by the Lene Thun Foundation. These small symbols of dreams and hope make the celebration even more special.

Many surprises are in store for this important anniversary: from a special commemorative postage stamp marking the 35th anniversary to a new photo contest on the social media channels of the Bolzano Tourist Board, where a jury of experts will select and award prizes to the three best Christmas photos. This year, visitors will also be able to enjoy an evocative light show projected onto the walls of the cathedral, designed to highlight the cathedral and its architecture, showcasing its marvelous details.

In Bolzano, Christmas has always had a generous heart, which for years has been beating at the Solidarity Market in Piazza del Grano, dedicated to “gifts that do good”: handmade items created by local associations that support and empower people in vulnerable situations. In 2026, this commitment will also extend to the wooden stalls through the “Bolzano Mondo Comune” project. Participating vendors can purchase special stickers to apply to their products: for every marked item sold, one euro will be donated to the City of Bolzano.

A small gesture within everyone’s reach, which adds meaning to an already meaningful purchase and helps highlight and celebrate the work of local organizations and groups engaged in international development cooperation. Because a gift found amid the lights of Piazza Walther can reach much further than just home. All it takes is stepping inside one of the roughly 120 wooden stalls to be captivated. In Piazza Walther and on Viale della Stazione, South Tyrolean craftsmanship is showcased through items made of felt and boiled wool, blown glass, ceramics, wooden ornaments, music boxes, embroidered tablecloths, little angels, and nativity scenes.

The Artistic Crafts Market continues in Piazza Duomo and on Via Isarco, while in Piazza Municipio, the evocative sculptural nativity scene featuring the Holy Family pays homage to South Tyrolean craftsmanship and savoir-faire, as well as to the ability to preserve and reinterpret tradition. The air is fragrant with cinnamon and mulled wine, while among the stalls you can enjoy apple fritters and strudel, sample slices of speck and South Tyrolean cured meats, and taste traditional cookies and pastries. Glasses are filled with Santa Maddalena and Lagrein, while at the Wine Lounge you can discover local sparkling wines, grappas, and spirits. The Beer Lounge, on the other hand, features beers from Bolzano and South Tyrol. The soundtrack is provided by the sounds of alpine horns and Christmas carols.

On December 12, the awards ceremony for the “Birra Natalizia Artigianale – Christmas Beer” is also scheduled: now in its sixth edition, this competition is the only national contest specifically dedicated to beers for the holidays and the winter season. The market doesn’t stop at Piazza Walther but extends into the neighborhoods as well. This is the case with Piazza Mazzini, which will host its own market on weekends from November 27 to December 20. The city also offers a rich calendar of events throughout the city. “Advent in Music” fills the squares, streets, and churches of the city center with music, while the electric train allows visitors to explore Bolzano from Piazza Walther to Piazza Gries and back.

“Angelus Loci,” on the other hand, brings contemporary art to various locations throughout the city with site-specific installations included in the “Bolzano City of Angels” program. Also returning are “Find&Win,” the now-traditional cultural competition that invites participants to test their knowledge with quizzes and questions at the city’s museums, and “Auguri in punta di penna,” an initiative organized at the Rencio School Museum and the Civic Museum. Here, visitors can write and mail a postcard using old inkwells, reviving the atmosphere of a school from days gone by and bringing a moment of surprise and joy to the recipient.

For the little ones, a dedicated space will be set up on Viale della Stazione, featuring workshops, games, and fun educational activities, as well as magicians, storytellers, a carousel, a miniature train, and a puppet theater. Also on the calendar are events featuring St. Nicholas and his little angels on December 6, and the parade of the fearsome Krampus. Every year, the guided tours organized by the Bolzano Tourist Board also attract great interest, taking guests on a journey to discover the city’s many sites, which can surprise even the most attentive tourist.

For years, the Bolzano Christmas Market has placed special emphasis on environmental sustainability by using seasonal and local foods, reusable tableware, water exclusively in glass bottles, and brochures printed on recycled paper. We encourage you to travel to the city by train: the station is just a few minutes’ walk from Piazza Walther. For the market’s opening hours, from November 27, 2026, to January 6, 2027, please visit