For 2026, we confirmed 10 Christmas events for kids in Verona, running from November 7 to January 6. Of these, 3 are free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Italy.
The short version
- Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Verona, Bussolengo and Castelnuovo del Garda: 10
- First: Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa), Bussolengo, November 7
- Free events: Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa), Il segreto del tempo, cerimonia del Grande Albero (The Secret of Time, Great Tree Ceremony) and Christmas Dance degli Elfi (Elves' Christmas Dance)
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by town, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (registration, ages, what is included).
At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Verona
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 10 confirmed for 2026
- Towns
- Verona, Bussolengo and Castelnuovo del Garda
- Season
- November 7 to January 6
- Free events
- 3
- Last checked
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Free Christmas events for kids in Verona
Christmas events for kids in Bussolengo
Visit with SantaFree
Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa) (Bussolengo)
- When: Every day, Nov 7 to Jan 6, 9 am to 7:30 pm
- Where: Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free admission
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Flover Christmas Village in Bussolengo celebrates its 30th edition and is open every day from Nov 7 to Jan 6, 9 am to 7:30 pm, with free admission. At the heart of the village is Santa's house: kids can meet Santa Claus (Babbo Natale) in person, talk to him and hand him their letter. Santa is there Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 pm, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm; on Dec 24 and 31 he is away.
The visit is not booked, but on busy days the line can be long and is closed even before the stated time. On Saturdays, Sundays, Dec 7 and 8 and Jan 6 the line is virtual and you have to use the MyFlover app once you arrive at the village. There are photo spots, entertainment and food stops.
Parent tip: On weekends, download the MyFlover app first: the virtual line for Santa only turns on once you are already at the village. The village is closed Dec 25 and Jan 1.
- Host
- Flover, Il Villaggio di Natale (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 9 more Verona events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Verona.
- Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Verona.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
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- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 8 Shows
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- 3 Lights
- 2 Santa
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Tree lightingFree
Il segreto del tempo, cerimonia del Grande Albero (The Secret of Time, Great Tree Ceremony) (Bussolengo)
- When: Fri, Sat and Sun at 6:30 pm, Nov 7 to Dec 27
- Where: Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free (free village admission)
- Ages: The whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
Among the entertainment at the Flover Christmas Village is Il segreto del tempo, the lighting ceremony of the Great Tree. Santa Claus and the Snow Elf (Elfa delle Nevi) act as conductors of a moment of songs, dancing, light games and a touch of magic, made to create the holiday atmosphere together with the audience.
The ceremony takes place at the ice rink every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 pm, including Dec 7 and 8, from Nov 7 to Dec 27. Village admission is free. The same afternoon you can pair it with the other shows on the calendar, like Ti dedico una canzone (I Dedicate a Song to You) and La sartoria del Villaggio (The Village Tailor Shop), and a visit to Santa's house.
Parent tip: Arrive a little before 6:30 pm to find a spot near the rink; on weekends the listed parking is the Garden Flover lot on Via Pastrengo. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Flover, Il Villaggio di Natale (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas showFree
Christmas Dance degli Elfi (Elves' Christmas Dance) (Bussolengo)
- When: Jan 2, 3 and 6, at 11 am, 12 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm
- Where: Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free (free village admission)
- Ages: The whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
To say goodbye to the holidays, the Flover Christmas Village schedules the Christmas Dance degli Elfi on Jan 2, 3 and 6, 2027. The elves liven up the holiday restaurant with dancing and music, in a moment made to get kids moving as the vacation is about to end.
There are five sessions a day, at 11 am, 12 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, so it is easy to find the right time even with little ones. Village admission is free and the village stays open through Jan 6, 9 am to 7:30 pm. Jan 6 is also the last day to meet Santa Claus in his house, with the virtual line active on the MyFlover app.
Parent tip: Jan 6 is the last day of the village: expect a big crowd and use the MyFlover app for the Santa line.
- Host
- Flover, Il Villaggio di Natale (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Verona
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
The #1 spot Event hosts: free events are listed first. One featured spot puts your event at the very top of this page.Ask about the #1 spot
Christmas show
La Regina delle Nevi (The Snow Queen)
- When: Sun, Dec 20, 4:30 pm
- Where: Teatro Stimate, Via Carlo Montanari 1, 37122 Verona (opens in maps)
- Cost: €7 full price, €6 reduced (ages 3 to 12); free under 3 with reservation
- Ages 4 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
For the 44th edition of Famiglie a Teatro, Fondazione Aida brings La Regina delle Nevi by the company La Contrada to the Teatro Stimate, written by Livia Amabilino and directed by Enza De Rose. It is a dance theater show with video mapping sets and a soundtrack between classical and contemporary music: the Queen wants to erase art and kidnaps the sprites who guard it, until the music sprite sets off to free them and melt her heart of ice.
The show is on Sun, Dec 20 at 4:30 pm, a few days before Christmas. The full ticket costs €7, the reduced €6 for kids ages 3 to 12; kids under 3 get in free, but the seat must be reserved by phone or email. Online presale adds €1.
Parent tip: For kids under 3 the free seat must be reserved at 045 8001471 (ext. 1) or fondazione@fondazioneaida.it. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Fondazione Aida, Famiglie a Teatro (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Teatro Stimate, Via Carlo Montanari 1, 37122 Verona (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
Pimpa. Il Musical a Pois (Pimpa: The Polka-Dot Musical)
- When: Wed, Dec 30, 4 pm
- Where: Teatro Nuovo, Piazza Francesco Viviani 10, 37121 Verona (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets at the Teatro Nuovo box office
- Ages 3 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
During the Christmas break Fondazione Aida brings Pimpa, the polka-dot musical, to the Teatro Nuovo, a show celebrating the 50th anniversary of the little red-spotted dog created by Altan. Directed by Enzo D'Alò, with a script written together with Altan and music by Eleonora Beddini, it sends Pimpa into Shakespeare's world, among Veronese atmospheres and musical theater.
The show is recommended from age 3 and is scheduled for Wed, Dec 30 at 4 pm, a time that is easy for the youngest too. Tickets are bought at the Teatro Nuovo box office. On stage are Gloria Zamprogno, Jacopo Violi, Matteo Fresch and Arianna Cervo, in an adventure made for the whole family, bridging childhood imagination and big universal themes.
Parent tip: For tickets the page points to the Teatro Nuovo box office; it is best to move early during the holidays. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Fondazione Aida, Famiglie a Teatro (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Teatro Nuovo, Piazza Francesco Viviani 10, 37121 Verona (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
A Christmas Carol: Il Musical (The Musical)
- When: Fri, Jan 1, 5 pm and 9 pm
- Where: Teatro Nuovo, Piazza Francesco Viviani 10, 37121 Verona (opens in maps)
- Cost: Prices and information from Teatro Nuovo
- Ages: For the whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
On the first day of the year, Teatro Nuovo hosts A Christmas Carol, Il Musical, Melina Pellicano's adaptation of Dickens's famous tale, produced by Compagnia BIT and Italiashow. On stage are 20 performers, special effects, 150 costumes and imposing sets to tell the story of the miser Scrooge, the visit of the three Spirits and his first true Christmas of love and joy.
There are two shows, Friday, Jan 1 at 5 pm and 9 pm, and for families the afternoon one is the more convenient choice. It is one of the family offerings in the city. For prices and tickets, it is best to ask Teatro Nuovo (045 8006100) or write to segreteria@teatrostabileverona.it.
Parent tip: For children, choose the 5 pm show. Information and tickets at Teatro Nuovo, tel. 045 8006100. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Teatro Stabile di Verona, Teatro Nuovo (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Teatro Nuovo, Piazza Francesco Viviani 10, 37121 Verona (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
La freccia azzurra (The Blue Arrow)
- When: Sun, Jan 3, 4:30 pm
- Where: Teatro Stimate, Via Carlo Montanari 1, 37122 Verona (opens in maps)
- Cost: €7 full price, €6 reduced (ages 3 to 12); free under 3 with a reservation
- Ages 4 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
A few days before Epiphany (the Epifania, January 6), Famiglie a Teatro presents La freccia azzurra, inspired by the tale by Gianni Rodari that is also known from Enzo D'Alò's film. On the night of the Befana, little Francesco risks going without the toy train of his dreams because his parents don't have the money to pay the Befana. The toys rebel and decide to reach him on their own, on a journey full of magic.
It is a modern Christmas story, suited to children ages 4 and up, directed by Catia Pongiluppi. The show is on Sunday, Jan 3 at 4:30 pm at Teatro Stimate. A full-price ticket costs €7 and the reduced ticket is €6 for children ages 3 to 12, with €1 extra for online advance sales. Children under 3 get in free with a reservation.
Parent tip: You can use the Aida Family Card, which is drawn down with each purchase. For children under 3, the free seat has to be reserved. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Fondazione Aida, Famiglie a Teatro (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Teatro Stimate, Via Carlo Montanari 1, 37122 Verona (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas events for kids in Bussolengo
Visit with Santa
Una serata con Babbo Natale (An Evening with Santa) (Bussolengo)
- When: Nov 27 and 28; Dec 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 18 and 19, 7:45 to 10 pm
- Where: Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Cost: €65 adults, €40 kids (ages 2 to 12); under 2 free, no menu
- Ages: For families; kids' rate for ages 2 to 12
Expand to see the parent tip
For the 30 years of the Flover Christmas Village the evening with Santa Claus (Babbo Natale) returns: a dinner show made for the whole family, with live music, entertainment and elves who take the kids on a journey full of surprises. Little ones can hand in their letter, dance with the elves and take a souvenir photo with Santa while dinner is served.
The dates are Nov 27 and 28 and Dec 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 18 and 19, with entry from 7:45 pm and an expected end around 10 pm. Dinner costs €65 for adults and €40 for kids ages 2 to 12; for kids under 2 it is free, without a menu, and high chairs are available. There is also a VIP spot with a table in the front rows and priority meeting with Santa for kids. Seats are limited.
Parent tip: Booking is required and seats are limited; the kids' VIP spot includes a priority meeting with Santa.
- Host
- Flover, Il Villaggio di Natale (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Villaggio di Natale Flover, Via Pastrengo 16, 37012 Bussolengo (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas events for kids in Castelnuovo del Garda
Christmas lights
Gardaland Magic Winter (Castelnuovo del Garda)
- When: Dec 5 to Jan 6 (calendar on the website)
- Where: Gardaland Park, Via Derna 4, 37014 Castelnuovo del Garda (opens in maps)
- Cost: From €27 online (launch offer through Dec 5); standard online price €34
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
From Dec 5 to Jan 6 Gardaland opens for Magic Winter, the park's winter season on Lake Garda. The park fills with sparkling lights, enchanted sets, shows and lots of surprises to enjoy the holiday atmosphere as a family. With the Magic Winter ticket you visit the park and, depending on the option you choose, you can also add Miniland of LEGOLAND Water Park and the SEA LIFE Aquarium.
With the launch offer, valid for online purchases through Dec 5, the open-date ticket costs €27 per adult instead of €34; the fixed-date ticket starts at €29 online. Not every day in the period is necessarily an open day: check the calendar on the website before planning the trip.
Parent tip: Buying online by Dec 5 saves €7 on the open-date ticket; check the opening calendar before you go.
- Host
- Gardaland Resort (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Gardaland Park, Via Derna 4, 37014 Castelnuovo del Garda (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
La freccia azzurra (The Blue Arrow) (Castelnuovo del Garda)
- When: Sun, Dec 13, 4 pm
- Where: DIM Teatro Comunale, Via San Martino 4, Sandrà, 37014 Castelnuovo del Garda (opens in maps)
- Cost: €7, reduced €6; free ages 0 to 3
- Ages 4 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
The DIM Teatro Comunale in Sandrà, in Castelnuovo del Garda, also hosts La freccia azzurra by Fondazione Aida, with Rossella Terragnoli and Annachiara Zanoli, directed by Catia Pongiluppi. On the night of Epiphany, Francesco risks not getting the toy train La freccia azzurra because his parents can't pay the Befana. The toys rebel and set off on their own to reach him, making his wait special.
The show is on Sunday, Dec 13 at 4 pm and is recommended for ages 4 and up. Tickets cost €7, reduced €6, and are free for children ages 0 to 3 and for people with disabilities. Tickets can be bought online or at the theater box office on show days from one hour before the start, and on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm.
Parent tip: The box office is open Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm and from one hour before the show. Expect it to be in Italian.
- Host
- Fondazione Aida, Famiglie a Teatro (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- DIM Teatro Comunale, Via San Martino 4, Sandrà, 37014 Castelnuovo del Garda (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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More Christmas events for kids in Italy
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- Christmas events for kids in Italy
A story for the trip home
Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cozy story to share on the way home after a big day out.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. Ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon.it (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Verona: questions parents ask
What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Verona?
For 2026, we confirmed 10 Christmas events for kids in Verona, each on its host’s own page: La freccia azzurra (The Blue Arrow) (Fondazione Aida, Famiglie a Teatro), Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa) (Bussolengo), Una serata con Babbo Natale (An Evening with Santa) (Bussolengo) and 6 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Verona?
Yes, 3 of the 10 events here are free: Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa) (Bussolengo), Il segreto del tempo, cerimonia del Grande Albero (The Secret of Time, Great Tree Ceremony) (Bussolengo) and Christmas Dance degli Elfi (Elves' Christmas Dance) (Bussolengo). Some free events still ask you to register, so check each listing.
Where can kids see Santa this year in Verona?
Where to see Santa: Il Villaggio di Natale Flover: Incontra Babbo Natale (Flover Christmas Village: Meet Santa) (Bussolengo) and Una serata con Babbo Natale (An Evening with Santa) (Bussolengo). Check the listings above for times and booking.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 9, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.
The story of Christmas in Verona
In Verona, children wait above all for the night of December 12, when Santa Lucia passes by with her little donkey. In Piazza Bra, in front of the Arena, the stalls of her fair go up, and since 1984 nativity scenes have filled the arches of the Roman amphitheater. For a visiting family, the season combines a free Santa village outside the city, a theme park winter season and a handful of family theater shows.
How Verona celebrates Christmas, and what makes it different
In much of the world Santa Claus brings the gifts. In Verona, it is Santa Lucia, who arrives on the night of December 12 on a little donkey, helped by an assistant called the Gastaldo. Kids wake up on the morning of December 13 to find her plate full of sweets and their presents beside it.
The story goes back to the 1200s. An eye epidemic struck the children of the city, and parents took them barefoot in a procession to the church of Saint Lucy and Saint Agnes, which then stood in Piazza Bra. Children who did not want to walk were promised gifts in their shoes. Merchants opened stalls of toys and sweets around the church, and that is how the banchéti de Santa Lùssia, Saint Lucy's little stalls, were born.
For a visiting family, that makes early to mid December the special time: the gifts arrive then, not on December 25.
What a child will meet: a giant star, nativity scenes and a sweet that was born here
In 1984 Alfredo Troisi brought an international nativity exhibition to the arches of the Arena. To go with it, the architect Rinaldo Olivieri designed a great steel comet star that rises from the square up to the amphitheater. The star in Piazza Bra is 70 meters tall and 82 meters long, weighs about 80 tons and is held together by 2,500 bolts. It is in the Guinness book as the largest architectural star in the world, and the nativity exhibition, with more than 400 works from around the world, has also made the Guinness book.
On the evening of December 12, children leave milk and cookies for the saint, carrots for the donkey and a flask of wine for the Gastaldo. In the shop windows in December you also find frolline, short pastry cookies for Saint Lucy.
And the pandoro was born here. On October 14, 1894, Domenico Melegatti received a patent for a soft cake shaped like a truncated pyramid with eight ribs, and the eight-pointed star was drawn by the Veronese painter Angelo Dall'Oca Bianca. Before it came the nadalin, a star-shaped cake from the days of the Scaligeri.
Planning a Christmas visit to Verona with kids
This page lists the confirmed events from early November to early January. The big one is the Flover Christmas Village in Bussolengo, near Verona, which opens on November 7, runs every day until January 6 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and has free entry. Children can meet Santa in his house and hand him their letters. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. until December 27 there is a free tree ceremony led by Santa and the Snow Elf, and on January 2, 3 and 6 there are free elf dance shows, five times a day.
There is also a paid dinner show with Santa on selected evenings from November 27 to December 19, and Gardaland Magic Winter at the park in Castelnuovo del Garda from December 5 to January 6.
The other events are family theater. The Snow Queen is on December 20 at Teatro Stimate, The Blue Arrow on December 13 in Castelnuovo del Garda and on January 3 at Teatro Stimate, and at Teatro Nuovo there are the Pimpa musical on December 30 and A Christmas Carol on January 1. Most are in Italian, so check with the host.
A fun story: the star that took two years off
The star in Piazza Bra is a symbol of Verona's Christmas, and architect Rinaldo Olivieri got the idea from a city map in which the Arena and the square in front of it looked like two empty spaces. He built a steel arch with lights to connect them. When the star returned to the square in 2024, after two years off, its tail was made of mirrors and lights.
Traditions today
- Santa Lucia, the night of December 12: Children leave milk and cookies for the saint, carrots for the donkey and a flask of wine for the Gastaldo. The next morning they find the plate full of sweets and the gifts.
- The banchéti de Santa Lùssia in Piazza Bra: In the days before December 13 the square in front of the Arena fills with stalls of toys, sweets and small gifts, more than 300 in 2025.
- The comet star of Piazza Bra: The steel and light arch designed by Rinaldo Olivieri in 1984 connects the square to the Arena.
- Nativity scenes in the arches of the Arena: An international exhibition born in 1984, with nativity scenes from museums, collectors and craftspeople around the world.
- The market with Nuremberg in Piazza dei Signori: Wooden huts modeled on the German Christkindlmarkt, organized together with the city of Nuremberg.
- Pandoro, nadalin and Saint Lucy cookies: The pandoro patented by Melegatti in 1894, the nadalin star cake and the short pastry cookies that appear in bakeries in December.
A fact for kids
The comet star in Piazza Bra weighs about 80 tons and is held together by 2,500 bolts. It is the largest architectural star in the world.
Questions about Christmas in Verona
Is Verona worth visiting at Christmas with kids?
Yes. Verona has a gift bringer of its own, Santa Lucia, a giant steel star at the Arena and an international nativity exhibition. Just outside the city there is a free Santa village, and the season runs from early November to early January.
When does the Flover Christmas Village in Bussolengo open?
On Saturday, November 7. It is open every day until January 6 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with free entry. Children can meet Santa in his house and hand him their letters. This is the village's 30th edition.
Where can kids meet Santa near Verona?
At the Flover Christmas Village in Bussolengo, where children can meet Santa in his house and hand him their letters. Entry to the village is free. On selected evenings from November 27 to December 19 there is also a paid dinner show with Santa, elves and live music, which needs booking.
How much is the dinner with Santa at the Flover village?
It costs 65 euros for adults and 40 euros for children aged 2 to 12, and children under 2 are free without a menu. It runs from 7:45 p.m. to 10 p.m. on selected evenings: November 27 and 28, and December 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 18 and 19. Booking is required.
Are there free Christmas events near Verona?
Yes, three at the Flover Christmas Village in Bussolengo. Entry to the village is free, the weekend tree ceremony with Santa and the Snow Elf is free with entry, and so are the elf dance shows on January 2, 3 and 6. The theater shows, Gardaland and the dinner with Santa are paid.
When does the Christmas season start at Gardaland?
Gardaland Magic Winter runs from December 5 to January 6, with festive lights, shows and decorations. Tickets start from 27 euros online with a launch offer until December 5, and the standard online price is 34 euros. The park is at Castelnuovo del Garda, in the Verona area.
What is Santa Lucia and why does she bring gifts in Verona?
Santa Lucia is Verona's gift bringer, and the custom comes from a story from the 1200s. An eye epidemic struck the city's children, and families took them barefoot in a procession to the church of Saint Lucy. Children who did not want to walk were promised gifts in their shoes, and gifts have come on her night ever since.
What do Veronese kids put out for Santa Lucia?
On the evening of December 12 they leave milk and cookies so the saint can refresh herself, a few carrots for her donkey and something for the Gastaldo, her helper. Good children get toys and sweets, and the ones who were not so good get a bit of coal.
What do kids find on the morning of December 13?
Santa Lucia's plate full of sweets, with wrapped gifts beside it. In the past the gifts were simple: walnuts, peanuts, tangerines and licorice. In December the bakeries also sell frolline, short pastry cookies for Santa Lucia.
What are the banchéti de Santa Lùssia in Piazza Bra?
They are the stalls of the Santa Lucia fair, set up in Piazza Bra in the days before December 13. They began when merchants opened stalls of toys and sweets for the crowd going to the saint's church, which then stood in the square. Today they sell toys, sweets and small gifts.
How big is the Santa Lucia fair in Verona?
In 2025 there were more than 300 stalls from all over Italy, open from December 9 to 12, until the eve of the feast. The fair is organized by the City of Verona and fills Piazza Bra and via Roma. The dates change a little every year, but always fall in the days before December 13.
Who designed the comet star at the Verona Arena?
The Veronese architect and set designer Rinaldo Olivieri, in 1984, from an idea by Alfredo Troisi. He was inspired by a map of the city in which the Arena and the square in front of it looked like two empty spaces, and built a steel and light arch connecting them. Since then the star has become a symbol of Verona's Christmas.
How big is the star in Piazza Bra?
It is 70 meters tall and 82 meters long, weighs about 80 tons and is held together by 2,500 bolts. The Guinness book recognizes it as the largest architectural star in the world. When it returned to the square in 2024, after two years off, its tail was made of mirrors and lights.
Since when are there nativity scenes in the Arena?
Since 1984, when Alfredo Troisi founded the International Nativity Exhibition under the arches of the Roman amphitheater. It gathers more than 400 nativity scenes from museums, private collections and craftspeople around the world, and has made the Guinness book. The star in Piazza Bra was built to go with it.
Was the pandoro really born in Verona?
Yes. On October 14, 1894, the Veronese Domenico Melegatti received a patent for a soft cake shaped like a truncated pyramid with eight ribs, the date when the official story of pandoro begins. The name comes from pan de oro, which means golden bread in Venetian.
Why is the pandoro shaped like an eight-pointed star?
The eight-pointed star was drawn by Angelo Dall'Oca Bianca, a Veronese impressionist painter, for the cake that Domenico Melegatti patented on October 14, 1894. Before pandoro, Verona already had the nadalin, a star-shaped cake from the days of the Scaligeri.
What is the Veronese nadalin?
It is a typical Verona cake in the shape of an eight-pointed star, considered an ancestor of pandoro. It goes back to the 1200s, the time of the lords of the Scala family, and is made from a soft, leavened dough. Pandoro came much later, with Melegatti's patent in 1894.
Why does Verona's Christmas market look like Nuremberg's?
Because it is organized together with the German city of Nuremberg and follows its Christkindlmarkt, with wooden huts, decorations and local products. The heart is Piazza dei Signori, also called Piazza Dante. In 2025 it was in its seventeenth edition.
Where was Santa's House in Verona in 2025?
In the Cortile del Tribunale, next to the market stalls. Children could pick up a Christmas Passport, a booklet to fill with stamps while walking around the market, which earned a small gift. Under Palazzo Barbieri there was also an Enchanted Forest with sleighs and cable cars.
Can kids ice skate in Verona at Christmas?
In 2025 yes. Piazza Sacco e Vanzetti became the Winter Area, with an ice rink and themed shows, and there was a big rink in the basin in front of the former Arsenal, with the Scaliger Bridge in the background. The market with wooden huts ran from November 21 to December 28, 2025.
What family theater is on in Verona this Christmas?
The Snow Queen, a dance theater piece for ages 4 and up, is at Teatro Stimate on December 20, and The Blue Arrow, based on Gianni Rodari's Befana story, is there on January 3. Tickets are 7 euros, or 6 for ages 3 to 12, and free under 3 with booking. At Teatro Nuovo, the Pimpa musical is on December 30 at 4 p.m. and A Christmas Carol on January 1 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Is there a Befana show near Verona?
The Blue Arrow, a stage version of Gianni Rodari's Befana story, plays at Teatro Stimate in Verona on January 3, for ages 4 and up. It also plays at the DIM municipal theater in Sandrà, Castelnuovo del Garda, on December 13 at 4 p.m. Tickets there are 7 euros, or 6 reduced, and free for ages 0 to 3.
Are Christmas events in Verona in English?
Most events here are in Italian, since they are local theater shows and village entertainment. The elf dances, the tree ceremony and the markets are easy to enjoy without much language. For the shows and the dinner with Santa, check with the host.
Sources
- Verona si veste a festa: luci, mercatini di Natale e magia delle feste, SiViaggia
- Mercatini di Natale a Verona 2025, The Wom Travel
- Fiera di Santa Lucia, Verona, Itinerari nel Gusto
- Natale a Verona, Italy Segreta
- The Comet Star returns to Verona, Travel Verona
- L'affascinante storia del Pandoro di Verona, Italiani.it
- Verona at Christmas: markets, nativity scenes, lights and much more besides, Volotea Volare
- Piazza Bra, Wikipedia
- Il Natale diffuso a Verona: Adotta una piazza 2025, Comune di Verona