The Santa Maria Maggiore Christmas Market returns for in 2026, bringing 214 selected exhibitors to the historic Alpine village in Val Vigezzo, Piedmont. It is described as the largest Christmas market in the region and one of Italy’s most visited.
Santa Maria Maggiore offers a wintry village setting for a long weekend around the Immaculate Conception public holiday.
Santa Maria Maggiore Christmas Market 2026 dates and times
The market runs from Sunday 6 December to Tuesday 8 December 2026, opening daily from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm. Entry is free.
The programme begins on the evening before the market opens. At 6 pm, Piazza Risorgimento hosts Aspettando il Mercatino, an opening event organised by the municipality and the local Pro Loco association.
The 2026 preview programme includes Circus Angels performers, vocals by Cinzia Ricci, the Share the Light light show, aerial displays, fire performances and scenic effects on the roof of Villa Antonia.
Where the Christmas market takes place
The market fills Santa Maria Maggiore’s historic centre, with stalls spread through streets and small squares.
- Piazza Risorgimento is the focal point, with an illuminated Christmas tree, food-and-drink chalets and the preview show.
- Piazza Gennari houses Santa’s House, where children can meet Santa and leave a letter. The decorated Lavatoio is another stop on the route.
Stalls, local food and Christmas gifts
The event has 214 exhibitors in 2026. Vendors are chosen through an annual pre-selection process, with priority given to stalls recognised as Bancarelle di Qualità in the previous edition.
Handmade gifts and decorations include:
- Handcrafted nativity scenes and figurines
- Carved wooden objects and tree decorations
- Blown glass and hand-painted porcelain
- Candles, embroidery, textiles and woollen clothing
- Ceramics and small home accessories
Around 40 food vendors take part, with recent editions featuring 46. Market food includes mountain cheeses, cured meats, honey, craft beers, liqueurs, fresh pasta, preserves, fruit juices, panettone and seasonal sweets.
How to get to Santa Maria Maggiore
The market draws tens of thousands of people on its busiest days, and roads and car parks fill quickly.
Organisers recommend travelling on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway, which connects Domodossola in Italy with Locarno in Switzerland.
The train journey from Domodossola takes around 40 minutes, with the Vigezzina station a short walk from Domodossola’s main railway station. The route from Locarno crosses the Centovalli, passing through woodland and over viaducts.
Other nearby Christmas markets
Santa Maria Maggiore can be combined with other festive stops in the Ossola and Ticino area.
- Domodossola traditionally holds its Christmas market in the historic centre on the second weekend of December.
- At the Swiss end of the railway line, Locarno hosts Winterland in Piazza Grande, with a skating rink, chalets, music and events.
Staying in Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria Maggiore has just over 1,000 residents and serves as Val Vigezzo’s main local centre. It has received the Touring Club’s Bandiera Arancione award and has rail connections to Domodossola, where onward trains run towards Milan and Switzerland.
Locarno and Lake Maggiore are less than one hour away. In winter, the village’s Centro del Fondo is a local reference point for Nordic skiing, while the Piana di Vigezzo ski facilities, reached via Prestinone di Craveggia, cater for alpine skiing.
