Christmas lights in Rome 2025: top displays and festive highlights

As December settles in, Christmas lights in Rome 2025 bring a calm, steady glow to the city’s streets and piazzas. Admire the trees in landmark squares and nativity scenes tucked beside churches as you let the season’s small rituals do the talking.

Christmas lights in Rome 2025: dates and switch-on schedule

The much-anticipated citywide Christmas lights switch-on coincides with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8th December 2025. 

If you want a taste of innovation, head to EUR from 22nd November to 6th January to see its modern display “Natal Difuso”. It features a 50-metre “Rome Eye” Ferris wheel, immersive installations, and lively Christmas markets.

The real magic for traditionalists, though, arrives on 8th December between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm, when the city’s central squares light up with the season’s spirit. The Pope’s homage to the statue of the Immaculate Conception at Piazza di Spagna marks the start of the festivities for many Romans.

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Must-see Christmas light displays in Rome this year

Rome is blessed with truly spectacular Christmas trees and one of the best Christmas light displays in Italy. 

• The monumental fir in St. Peter’s Square, nearly 30 metres tall, is paired with a life-size nativity scene beneath the columns of Bernini.
• At Piazza Venezia, expect a 22-metre tree sparkling beside the iconic monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.
• Down the road in Piazza di Spagna, Bulgari sponsors a glamorous tree at the foot of the Trinità dei Monti staircase.
• Elsewhere, a 22-metre tree glows by the Colosseum, with the amphitheatre’s ancient arches as a dramatic backdrop.
• Smaller but atmospheric trees pop up in Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, Prati, and countless other neighbourhood squares.

Ernesto Ruscio Getty images

Other Christmas highlights in Rome 2025

Home to the administrative centre of the Catholic Church, it's no surprise that Rome is a top Christmas destination in Italy. Although for the non-religious, a winter city break in Italy may well take you to the capital, thanks to its wealth of culture, history and tasty food.

• “100 Presepi in Vaticano”- an exhibition of more than a hundred international nativity cribs set under Bernini’s colonnade beside the main Vatican tree. These imaginative works are free to visit every day from 8th December to 6th January.
• The Pope’s ‘Urbi et Orbi’ - an event on Christmas Day that draws thousands to St. Peter’s, with another brief Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace at midday on New Year’s.
• Rome Christmas bus tour -  hop on at sunset as the monuments come to life
• The Christmas Market - located on Piazza Navona, this is one of Italy's most magical Christmas markets, featuring exhibitions and a vintage carousel.
• Visit the Christmas village in EUR - artisanal stalls, food, and children’s events. There are night rides, international DJ sets and charity concerts.

David Silverman Getty images

Best routes to see Rome’s Christmas lights 2025

Aim for dusk, when the first glow slips across the stones and the streets feel their most inviting. Most Christmas displays shine from nightfall until around 11 pm or midnight, with later hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s.

• Start at Piazza Venezia for the city’s main tree, then drift up Via del Corso past garlands and festive window scenes.
• Cut into Via dei Condotti for the sparkle-and-fashion combo, roll on to Piazza di Spagna, and climb the Spanish Steps for that soft, postcard view.
• Around the Pantheon, the Piazza del Campidoglio, Prati, Trastevere and the Vatican, the mood shifts from hushed corners to lively shopping streets. Big-name façades—Dior, Chanel, Gucci—go all-in on creative displays that are worth a slow pass, even if you’re just window-browsing.
• If you love a skyline, pause at the Gianicolo hill, the Pincio Terrace above Piazza del Popolo, or at the top of the Spanish Steps.

Franco Origlia Getty images

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