Our curated shortlist of the best seasonal and Christmas events in Rome for kids this year: Christmas markets, theme parks, light festivals suitable for all ages to light up your holiday trip to Rome.
The Christmas holidays are an exciting time to be in Rome for kids. The city has plenty to offer kids at all times, but at Christmas, there is a real abundance of family friendly events that add a sprinkle of seasonal magic to your stay.
Christmas events in Rome for kids come in different guises: some are specifically for them (Christmas World), some are for the general public but kid-friendly (the Nativity exhibition), all are fun and easy to add to your itinerary, so you don’t have to choose between kids’ fun and quintessential Rome sightseeing!
The list of events changes every year.
This is the list as available at the time of writing: for all entries, I have added a link to the official / ticketing site so you can check availability and up to date access information directly.
Please note: all information about these events comes from the organizers and is subject to change at their discretion. Always check suitability for your family, opening hours for your dates of interest before purchasing.This post is updated on an ongoing basis.
Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission.
Christmas Market in Piazza Navona: 1 December 2026 -6th January 2027
Christmas markets in Rome are not a big thing in Rome but there is one that is very well established in the city and very much a local institution: the Christmas market at Piazza Navona.
The Navona Christmas market has been in existence for many years: I myself used to come here as a child (our family tradition was to come on the Day of the Epiphany) and while it has become smaller in recent years, it is still a very atmospheric and unique one to visit.
The Christmas market in Piazza Navona happens right in the square and brings to it food stalls, a carousel, balloon sellers, and a cheerful atmospheres. This is not an event you’d travel to Rome FOR, but a cute one to check out as you sightsee this beautiful neighborhood!
Kids usually love it, because the square is car free, the carousel is fun, there are stalls with sweets and many other kids. Parents usually enjoy it too because the backdrop of the piazza truly is magnificent: Piazza Navona is one of the most beautiful piazzas in Rome.
Since it is very central, this is also one of the easiest Christmas events in Rome for kids to attend. Entrance is free. From 1st December 2026 to to 6th January 2027. You can read here all the Rome Christmas markets happening this year.
Christmas World at Villa Borghese 28 November 2026 – 10 January 2027
Christmas World is the largest Christmas event in Rome city center and a festive extravaganza, taking place in the grounds of Villa Borghese, one of the best parks in Rome.
For the occasion, the park has acquired a custom built Christmas village spanning over 50,000 sq meters with an impressive festive offering that includes:
- 8 Pavilions with reproductions of cities form around the world
- Music shows and performances
- Ice skating rink
- Ice bumper cars
- Light installations
- Santa’s house
- Kids Playground and carousels
- Life size nativity scene
- Christmas food (including vegetarian and gluten free options)
The event is family friendly and stroller friendly: however, there is no stroller deposit, so make sure you only bring the stroller if happy to have it with you at all time.
The event is great fun for kids: make sure you bring change / card as individual rides come at additional cost.
- When: 28 November – 10 January
- Where: Borghese Gardens
Opening time vary depending on the day: Find info and get your ticket here
100 Presepi Exhibition / 100 Nativity scenes (8 December 2026 – 8 January 2027)
The 100 Presepi exhibition is a child friendly Christmas event in Piazza San Pietro, at the Vatican and, more precisely, under its beautiful colonnade.
The event is very different from the Christmas atmospheres of events that star Santa and the Elves and focuses on the spiritual side of Christmas, showcasing nativity scenes (presepi) made by artisans around the world.
The exhibition is free and enjoyable for kids regardless of religious background and is a chance to get a taste for the tradition of presepe (nativity scene / Christmas crib), which is big in Italy.
The exhibition is free and you access it from San Peter’s Square which is also where you find the Vatican’s Christmas tree and monumental nativity scene.
- When: 8 December 2026 – 6 January 2027
- Where: Under the Colonnade, Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City
Cinecitta’ World Christmas (7 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2026)
Cinecitta’ World is one of the best and most beloved theme parks in Rome and embraces the festive spirit with their Christmas event running from the 7th of November to the 6th of January.
The event brings to the park a decorated Main Street, Christmas market, light festival, Santa’s house (and the opportunity to meet him, of course), an ice park with ice rink, slides and winter playground, shows and seasonal performances.
The park is great for kids of all ages as it has themed areas to suit all ages: Christmas Village, Cinecitta’ (this is unique to this park as it inspired by the Cinecitta’ studios and movie sets), space land, far west, adventure land etc.
- Where: Cinecitta’ World, Via Irina Alberti, 00128, Rome
- When: 7 November 2026 – 8 January 2026
You can find tickets to the event on the official park website
Seasonal Ice skating rinks
For Christmas 2026 / 2027, ice skating rinks have been announced as coming to the city, as tradition demands. However, at present no dates have been confirmed an exact locations are yet to be decided. In previous years, Rome saw ice skating rinks in Christmas World (see above), Piazza Cavour, Piazza Testaccio, Foro Italico, Piazza Re di Roma.
The Christmas Garden at Rome Botanical Gardens
The Christmas Garden is a light festival that takes place in the beautiful Botanical Gardens of Rome, which for the occasion acquires light installations and light works by artists from Italy and beyond.
The event is an immersive journey though light and music and it a real full immersion in magical atmosphere: as you stroll around the garden paths, light installations appear on the path themselves, on the trees and in the sky as if they where visions form a magical world.
The event is suitable for kids of all ages, the earlier time slots being already sufficiently dark to be atmospheric. The garden is stroller friendly and there is a food stall at the end.
- Where: Orto Botanico di Roma, Largo Cristina di Svezia, 23 A – 24, 00165 Rome
- When: 19 November 2026 – 10 January 2027
- Tickets and official info here
Top tip! The Botanical Gardens are in Trastevere, a beautiful area famous for atmospheric cobbled streets and food. You can use this event as an opportunity to come to this area and explore. You can find here >>> our Trastevere scavenger hunt for kids to help little ones enjoy the stroll!
Magic Christmas at MagicLand (7 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027) – outside of the center
MagicLand is the biggest amusement park in the Rome area (it is in Valmontone, outside of the city) and a place loved by kids of all ages, including older tees who like more ‘adrenalin’ rides.
For the holidays, the park dresses up in Christmas magic and turns itself into a Christmassy world with decorations and Christmas lights on the Main Street, an eco friendly ice skating rink, Christmas food stalls, Christmas market, and seasonal shows.
It also hosts Santa’s Castle and of course the chance to meet the Man himself! Rainbow MagilcLand is in Valmontone and it is best reached by car. Magic Christmas Entry Ticket
Tips for visiting Rome with kids during the holiday season
Christmas festivities in Rome last from the 8th of December to the 6th of January, and while the usually mild weather doesn’t make for a white Christmas here, the city has several aces up its sleeve, to make sure children have a magical time.
If you visit Rome with kids during the festivities, you can mix and match traditional sightseeing with special seasonal events and have a lovely balance of tourism, kids’ fun and also a bit of an immersion in local life as many of the events attract local families more than tourists!
I am from Rome and these are all my tips to visit Rome with kids at Christmas.
Rome at Christmas with kids TL;DR (Summary)
The Christmas break is a lovely time to visit Rome with kids, a time when it is easy to mix traditional sightseeing with kids’ fun.
However, it is important to keep a few things in mind:
The heart of Christmas Holidays in Rome go from the 23rd of December to the 6th of January included.
Christmas is peak tourism season in Rome and crowds are intense up to the 6th of January included. Do not expect crowds and prices to drop until then (I see this error done over and over again: looking the first week in January thinking it is low season: it’s the highest!) It is paramount to book ahead accommodation, tours and activities or you may find they are sold out.
Christmas does affect opening hours of things. Specifically, Christmas Eve (24 December), Christmas Day (25 December), St Stephen’s Day (26 December), 1st of January and 6th of January may bring closures to museums and attractions: check the website of what you may wish to book on this day for exact opening hours for this holiday season
Christmas Day is a holiday and many operators give the day off to their staff – this may affect your ability to book tours and activities. You can find here >> how to visit Rome without tours should this be a concern
On Christmas Day and New Years’ Eve you may find many restaurants require reservation and may have a special menu: it is advisable to check ahead and secure a table. Find here >> my recommendations for family restaurants in Rome city center.
The festivities do affect the frequency of public transport: on Christmas Eve, Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Years Day there service is reduced
Christmas in Rome brings winter temperatures although on a bright day you may be able to take you coat off in the hottest hours. Find here >>> my packing list for Rome in December.
Where to stay in Rome with kids at Christmas
If budget allows, I recommend you stay in Rome city centre so you are immersed in the Christmas spirit and you don’t have to worry about public transport schedule.
Places I love specifically at Christmas are;
St Regis Hotel Rome, luxury, fabulous tree and decorations!
Hotel Martis Palace, 4 star hotel, in a spectacular central location just beside Piazza Navona Christmas market (but manages to stay quiet!)
Hotel Mozart, lovely and well located, in a wonderfully well served and beautiful area, easy to walk everywhere
Sightseeing in Rome with kids at Christmas: what to book when
Sightseeing in Rome at Christmas is easy and fun but due to the high number of visitors, it is paramount to secure tickets and tours in advance.
Colosseum: if you want a kids tour, I recommend you book as soon as possible and good ones are few and far between. My absolute favourite one is this one by LivTours which is fun, engaging and private, so that they can tailor it exactly to your kids’ age and interests. With them, you can book as early as 9 months ahead and more as they have special agreements for reserved slots. If you want to book tickets only, they come out for sale 30 days ahead only. The official site is https://ticketing.colosseo.it
Vatican Museums: just like for the Colosseum, if you want a kids tour, I recommend you book as soon as possible and good ones are few and far between. My absolute favourite one is this one by LivTours which is fun, engaging and private, so that they can tailor it exactly to your kids’ age and interests: unlike others, it includes a visit to the Egyptian wing which is fantastic for kids!. With them, you can book as early as 9 months ahead and more as they have special agreements with the museum. If you want to book tickets only, the official site is https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html
Best kids’ yours and activities in Rome for kids this Christmas: my top picks!
Golf cart tour to see city highlights with LivTours. A fin way to see a lot of Rome without having to walk much (or at all!). The cart has a roof and plastic sided so it is comfortable in all weather conditions.They can provide car seats for kids and adapt it to all ages: this is a private group and the guides are so good with kids – we had Brando and highly recommend him!
Rome vespa side car tour – almost all ages but not babies or toddlers. This is a super fun tour and usually December in Rome is mild enough that a coat and scarf if enough also with the breeze on a vespa. However, it is definitely not as fun in the rain so maybe, depending on the forecast, a golf cart can be better in this specific season. Definitely an option though!
TOP PICK Colosseum and Roman Forum tour for kids by LivTour with scavenger hunt (primary school and teens). Includes access to the area which is the old stage where gladiators actually fought!
TOP PICK Full Vatican Tour for Kids with LivTours A fantastic, game based tour that includes the highlights of the museums, of course the Sistine Chapel but also the Egyptian part of the museum which is among the most fun for kids
Alternative! Express Tour of the Vatican with Sistine Chapel Express sistine chapel, shorter and focussed on the Chapel more than the rest of the museum, perfect for families with babies/ toddlers/ older teens who don’t need games
Pasta Making Class and gelato demo in Trastevere FABULOUS cooking class in a fun cooking school in one of the most famous and charming foodies districts in Rome. We loved this one and it is a great indoor activity perfect in this colder season
Art class for kids with AJ Lovely artsy activity for kids and a great way to stay out of the cold for a while, while doing something fun and engaging
Mosaic making class in artisan shop in Trastevere: a fantastic art activity in a real artisan workshop (this is not a gimmicky thing for kids, it’s the real thing). Absolutely stunning activity and also a fun way to get a very special souvenir from Rome or handmake a gift for a loved one!
Christmas events in Rome for kids – pin this!
Yes! The Christmas holidays are a lovely time to visit Rome with kids as it is easy to mix sightseeing with kids’ activities and fun
Yes, in Rome there are some specific Christmas events for kids, some free and some ticketed. The Christmas market in Piazza Navona, the 100 nativity scenes exhibition at the Vatican and the Christmas trees lit up in Piazzas are all free to see. Themed days and the theme parks and ice skating rinks are ticketed
Yes, Rome is VERY busy at Christmas, especially from the 23rd December to 6th of January included
No. Rome never stops and Christmas is peak tourism season so you always find things open. However, since Christmas Day (25 December) is a family holiday, many places close on Christmas Day specifically and many tour operators give their staff the day off. The best approach is to plan free and unstructured activities for this day such as strolls end self exploration so you do not depends on other people’s schedules
The Colosseum is open most days during the Christmas holidays but not on Christmas Day. If in Rome at this time, it is paramount to check exact opening days and hours and the official site when planning your trip. The Colosseum is fun and easy to visit with kids and Christmas holidays are a lovely time as often the days are bright and sunny
The Vatican Museums are open most days during the Christmas Holiday but not all as they observed the religious holiday. I recommend to check their official website for exact opening days and hours. St Peter’s Basilica is only open to visitors where there are no Papal celebrations: place check the Pope’s official calendar to plan your visit around it. Vatican City as such (Piazza San Pietro) is always open
It is advisable to book restaurants from Christmas eve dinner, Christmas Day (lunch and dinner) and New Year’s Eve.
As soon as you have your dates, up to 9 months ahead if you are a planner. Of course, last minute plans are also possible but careful with prices as they go up significantly due to the high demand in this season