All you need to know to visit Rome at Christmas with kids and love it. What it’s really like (decorations, feel), best family tours, and activities for the holiday season, best Rome hotels for Christmas and more
The Christmas holidays are an exciting time to be in Rome with kids, but also a time that often brings traveling parents a bit of worry.
On one had, there is the excitement of being in one of the most beautiful cities in the world at a time of celebration and cheer; on the other, there is the worry of crowds, closures and, for many families, the pressure of making sure Christmas feels like Christmas for the kids.
The fear to be spending a lot of time, money and effort to then end up with kids that feel miserable in Rome, wishing they were back home meeting Santa, is real!
But I have good news for you: you don’t have to trade Christmas for a trip to Rome!
You can very much have Christmas atmspheres in Rome, you just need to know what to expect, how to plan your time well and a few tips from a local on how to create Christmas in Rome when here for a short vacation.
That local is of course me! I am a Rome mama of two, I love Rome AND Christmas, and these are all my tips for making the most of Christmas in Rome with kids.
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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.
Rome gets some luminaries and Christmas trees in the center and while it won’t transform itself in a Christmas Movie set, you will feel the seasonal atmosphere, especially after dark.
There are several nice Christmas events for kids that help making this time feel festive. Kids can meet Santa in Rome, he is a rather International fellow so he hang out here too 🙂
Christmas does affect opening hours of things. Dates that will require specific arrangements for tours and sightseeing are the 24th, 25th, 26th December and the 1st of January
On Christmas Day and New Years’ Eve you may find many restaurants require reservation
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.
Is Rome Christmassy?
Rome does get luminaries and Christmas trees and does feel fairly Chirstmassy BUT I feel it is important to keep expectations in check. Rome is a massive city, it tends to have blue skies in December, often pretty mild winter weather and doesn’t have the Christmas traditions of let’s say Germany.
So, when we talk about Rome getting Chrismassy, we talk about some luminaries, decorated shops but please do not expect a Christmas wonderland of horse carriage rides, snowy atmosphere or Christmas markets taking over the center. It is more a spring of Christmas magic than a full diving it!
Lovely places for Christmas decorations in Rome are Via del Corso, Via dei Condotti, Largo Goldoni, Piazza di Spagna etc.
When is Christmas in Rome – dates of notice and how they affect you
Christmas atmospheres start in Rome from early December, when the first luminaries go up and Christmas trees start appearing in city center piazzas.
Things rump up steadily from then and peak right before Christmas Day and then up to the 6th of December, the Day of the Epiphany.
Important dates to keep in mind that may affect your plans are:
8th December – The Immaculate Conception: this is a national holiday and traditionally the day when locals put the tree up and the cities light up theirs. Expect intense crowds as locals travel a lot at this time.
24th December – Christmas Eve: a massive celebration day marked by big family dinners. This evening is as big a Christmas Day if not bigger for many: everyone starts to get ready for the meal and you will feel the shift in atmosphere starting in the afternoon, with crowds doing last minute shopping and rushing home.
Evening tours are not normally available at this time as people stay with family, restaurants tend to close and those that are open tend to have set celebratory menus. If planning on did out, researching and booking ahead is paramount
25th December – Christmas Day: Massive celebration day and a family day. Most ticketed attractions are closed and tours do not run on this day. But have no fear, there is lots to do in Rome without tour! See below for ideas! Please note: the Colosseum is closed on this day. The Vatican is open for religious celebrations only.
26th December – St Stephen’s Day: another massive day of celebration in Rome and Italy in general. Many things open up again, some tours are available, but smaller operators and family run ones may still observe the holiday to stay with family. Planning around closures is paramount. The Colosseum is open on this day. The Vatican is closed to visitors on this day.
31st December: New Years even: the is a rather big celebration in Rome, with a big public event in the city center. Expect large crowds, businesses and attractions to close easily and restaurant s to close / have set menus for the celebration night. Booking ahed is paramount
1st January: New Years Day. This is very much the day after the night before. Many attractions and tours will not be operational on this day. The Colosseum is closed on this day. The Vatican Museums are closed on this day.
6th of January, the Epiphany: the Epiphany is another lovely day of holiday in Rome, traditionally the last one before schools reopen. Due to the religious nature of the day, the Vatican Museums are closed on this day. Many tour operators (not all) offer tours on this day.
As you can see, for obvious reasons, the Vatican goes though a very special time during these weeks and tourism visits are vasty affected by the celebrations. I recommend you read here >> my guide to the Vatican at Christmas
Rome at Christmas: crowds forecast
So, as you can see, the heart of Christmas Holidays in Rome go from the 23rd of December to the 6th of January included.
It is paramount to be aware of this, not to be under the false impression January will bring quit to the city. This in not the case!
While later in January things do calm down, Christmas is not over until the 6th of January and Rome will be intensely crowded 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!
Key take away: It is paramount to book ahead accommodation, tours and activities or you may find they are sold out all the way up the first of January included.
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! This is a high budget option and it is ideal for people who want to have full Christmas feel, twinkling lights, a luxury hotel to call home and the option to eat in their upscale restaurant. I do recommend asking if they are offering Christmas Eve Dinner and/ Christmas Day lunch for a real celebratory meal.
Hotel Martis Palace, 4 star hotel, in a spectacular central location just beside Piazza Navona Christmas market. This is a fantastic hotel that manages to stay quiet despite the super central location: the Piazza Navona Christmas market is less than a minute away on foot, so it’s a particularly Christmas friendly location this hotel has!
You can also decide to stay in apartments: I like this option as it means you can bring some of your home traditions with you. For instance, you get the kids to decorate the place with cheap decorations from Rome (there are several shops in the city center), make a Christmas corner so that Babbo Natale (Santa) can bring present, load up on cocoa from the shop and make hot chocolate and so on.
Nice apartments I recommend for families are:
Pantheon Rondanini, near the Pantheon 9 guests – please look at the photos for the staircase inside if you have toddlersÂ
Marco Aurelio Celio, up 8 guests very typical roman home, close to the Colosseum in lovely local area very convenient
Apartment Urbana, 3-bedroom, beautiful in Monti, super central and atmpsheric, close to the Colosseum
Beautiful flat in Parione, in super central location
Sightseeing in Rome with kids at Christmas: when to book tours to Rome top sites at Christmas time
I recommend booking all your must see as soon as possible.
If you want tours, I recommend you book several months ahead. If you are panning on just entrance tickets, then each attraction has a different schedule, for instance the Colosseum only releases tickes 30 days ahead.
My favorite Christmas tours in Rome for families are:
Colosseum: 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.
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.
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!
This is particularly nice at Christmas as days are short so you may not feel like walking much after dark – the golf cart solved this as you can sit and enjoy the lights and make the day a little longer!
This is a lovely option at all hours, at Christmas I particularly like the after dark, late afternoon slots.
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. A good daytime option.
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
Rome has several fun events for kids this seasons, including Christmas World theme park, Christmas Garden Light Show, Piazza Navona Christmas market and more. You can find here >>> current Christmas events in Rome for kids.
What to do in Rome with kids when everything is closed at Christmas
What to do in Rome when everything is closed is probably THE main worry parents bring to me for this season but I have excellent news for you: there is no such thing as everything being closed in Rome!
Of course, the holidays affect opening on attractions as workers take their leave for the holiday, but first of all, not all attractions close and second, Rome is an open air museum do you don’t need ticketed things to enjoy it!
Fun things to do with kids that are open on Christmas Day are Christmas World, Christmas Garden light show, the nativity scene at Piazza San Pietro, infinite churches you can pop into to see nativity scenes at, Borghese Gardens (playgrounds), the Lego Exhibition. then you can just stroll the city center, for instance making it fun for kids with our scavenger hunt printables that mean they can find things as you explore at leisure.
How to make Christmas at home in Rome if you are in a rental
One of the things my kids love the most about Christmas is the ability to take it easy, stay home with hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies and enjoying their presents and, to a large extent, you an absolutely give this to your kids also if you are in Rome.
If your kids are like mine and you are staying in a rental, there ar several things you can do. For instance, what work for us is:
Ask your host if they have or can put some Christmas decorations in the apartment. If they can’t, you can make a small ‘Christmas mission’ for the family to go and get some decorations in Rome. The city center is full of shops and you can find cheap ones you can then donate to the house for very little money – Flying Tiger for instance is a great place, but you’ll be spoilt for choice, really. Even small things like themed napkins, table settings, paper decoration and similar will go a long way to make the house feel festive.
Consider bringing some small presents with you for them to find on Christmas morning and maybe a small message from Santa, saying he is also in Rome at Christmas, that he loves it and comes every year, he hopes they love it too and that he is leaving some portable gifts here but more will be at home.
Load up on local food: in Rome, you will find a lot of amazing food, a lot of it also already cooked so you can make a massive feast with hardly any work! You can even decide to make a special table of local delicacies to taste as a special activity: panettone (sweet brioche type cake with raisins, candied fruit or chocolate), pandoro (plain, brioche like cake), torrone (nougat), biscuits of all sorts, walnuts, clementines, cured meats, salmon, cheese, lasagne, roast chicken are all Italian Christmas staples
Where to eat out in Rome at Christmas
During the Christmas seasons restaurants will be open and at full speed but on specific dates, I recommend you make plans as the celebrations do impact what you find. It is never the case that you will find nothing, but if you are hoping for a nice sit down meal in a place of your chose, I would book.
Some restaurants usually open at Christmas (please check as some have not released their schedule for then yet): Grappolo d’Oro, Aroma Roma (upscale, minimum age requirements, this is a Michelin Starred restaurant), Romane’, Il Tempio di Iside, Antico Forno Roscioli, Many international restaurants are also open, especially Indian, Japanese and Chinese, which are among the most common non Italian restaurants in Rome.
What if you don’t celebrate Christmas?
Christmas is a very big celebration in Rome and Italy so you will feel it in the air and it will affect your stay.
However, you can fully enjoy this time without parking into any of the celebrations and without sharing this background: Christmas is as commercial as it is religious now, so many locals do not celebrate it for religious reasons either, it is a lot about eating, drinking and gift giving!
From a cultural perspective, I do anyway recommend you tap into some of the traditions, for instance looking at the nativity scenes and going to the Vatican to see the crib, tree and feel the atmosphere. You need to religious belief let alone a Catholic or even Christian background to enjoy this or anyway find it interesting.