10 Things to do in Livorno at Christmas

Christmas is a magical time to visit Tuscany. One of the best things to do in Livorno is to travel to the surrounding villages. This will allow you to get to know different areas and interesting celebrations.

However, Livorno itself is one of the cities that host beautiful traditions that you can also enjoy. From watching the events where the Befana appears, enjoying festivals or simply having an Italian style Christmas dinner. Wherever you go you will find some Christmas magic, as Italy is known as the country where Christmas was born. Are you going to miss it?

If you've been in Livorno since November, you can get into the festive spirit early in the morning. This is the Wild Boar Festival held in the medieval town of Suvereto, a town in the province of Livorno. For at least 10 days until the eighth of December you can come to this area to celebrate.

It is a gastronomic event where the main dish is wild boar. Besides tasting this meat, you can taste Italian wine and olive oil. If you like wine and this festival is not enough for you, I recommend you to take a wine tour in Livorno that in winter are very prominent. This way you can do a wine tasting of the best of Tuscany.

At the festival you can also taste quality artisanal honey. Besides enjoying the gastronomic variety, you will have the chance to see the locals dressed in traditional medieval clothing. If you like the idea you can buy some clothes and join the celebration. You will also be able to watch the different competitions with a Middle Ages theme, an important part of the festival.

Another ideal way to get to know a region is to enjoy its gastronomy. During the month of December it is easy to find typical Christmas dishes, so you can have your Christmas dinner at any time. However, what I recommend the most is that you can enjoy it on Christmas Eve to live all the traditions and magic of Christmas.

Christmas food in Italy varies depending on the regions. Although in many places it is common to eat fish, in Livorno and other Tuscan cities it is customary to enjoy an hors d'oeuvre composed of mixed sausages, olives, pecorino cheese and chicken liver. This meal is known as the Tuscan Crostini or piscatones.

After the hors d'oeuvre it is time for the stuffed pasta, the first course. This egg pasta is filled with spinach and ricotta or potatoes with meat ragu sauce. The main course is a Tuscan style roast pork loin. To end this feast you can eat a delicious traditional Tuscan Christmas dessert: panforte. Delicious cavallucci and ricciarelli cookies are also eaten.

These exquisite dishes can be enjoyed in the best restaurants in Livorno. Among them are Al Fosso Reale and Trattoria Armandino - Specialitá di pesce. Get ready to eat delicious Christmas dishes to celebrate Christmas.

Between the fifth and sixth of January in Italy the tradition of the witch Befana is celebrated, very similar to the Three Wise Men. The witch is characterized by wearing a headscarf, broken shoes and a sack. During the night she flies over the rooftops with her broom, enters houses and leaves toys, candy or coal in the children's socks.

You can experience the tradition of the Befana in Livorno by attending different events. For example, at Villa Fabbricotti the Teatro della Brigata usually organizes an event where this friendly witch appears. You can come and book a sock with gifts for only 5 €.

Also, in Porta a Mare there is usually an event where the Befana arrives on board a Vespa to deliver gifts. This activity is usually free and in collaboration with the Vespa Club of Livorno. However, it is exclusively for children so if you travel with them it will be a nice experience.

If you want to see Santa Claus and the Befana in one place, I recommend visiting the Christmas Village inside the Fortezza Nuova. On the fifth and sixth of January children can visit this site, meet these magical characters and receive gifts.

Traveller tip
If you are traveling with children and want them to learn about new cultures and traditions such as the Befana in Italy, I recommend that you explain to them in advance. Tell them a little about the origins of the tradition, what this mythical character looks like and how Italian children celebrate the holidays. This will help them understand what they are seeing and they will enjoy it much more.

One of the traditional Christmas activities is to decorate the houses and streets with colored lights. This is also a beautiful tradition that you can enjoy in Livorno from the first days of December until the first weeks of January. Year after year the municipal administration is in charge of decorating the streets for the enjoyment of locals and tourists.

To appreciate the Christmas decorations you can walk through the city center from Via Marradi to Via Grance. I also recommend walking through Piazza Cavallotti, Borgo Cappuccini, Venezia, Salviano and the Station. Other places to visit are Piazza del Luogo Pio, Piazza Attias and Piazza Grande.

To see the decorations in all their splendor, one of the best things to do in Livorno is a night tour. Night falls around seven o'clock, so it is the ideal time for the tour.

As you walk through the streets you can visit some food stalls to accompany your walk with a sweet fritter or a hot drink. You will also have the opportunity to taste the typical Christmas cookies of the region. Another good idea is to end the walk with a Tuscan-style Christmas dinner.

Every year Livorno hosts the Christmas Village, organized by Proloco and sponsored by the municipality. It is held in the Villa Fabbricotti park and usually opens its doors from mid-November to January 6. To enter you must buy a ticket that has an average cost of 10 €. The entrance for children is cheaper.

If you decide to visit this attraction you will find a structure of more than 350 square meters. It is a place where you can feel the Christmas spirit and relive all the children's stories you heard when you were little. Therefore, I recommend you to go even if you are not traveling with children. Get ready for a magical adventure and to relive your inner child!

Inside the village you will find several areas such as the North Pole, the post office, Santa's attic and the toy workshop where all the gifts are made. You will also see the picturesque elves' room and a market. Here you can buy food, drinks, souvenirs and much more.

You will also find more than 10 wooden houses that house artisan workshops. You can also see music shows, elf parades, puppet shows and much more. It is a magical place where you can witness very emotional events featuring Santa Claus, the Befana and the Christmas elves, so don't forget to take a picture with all these endearing characters!

Interesting details

• Price: about 10 €.
• Location: Villa Fabbricotti, Livorno, Italy.
• When to go: from mid-November to January 6.

Music is an important part of Christmas, so I recommend going to as many Christmas concerts as you can while in Livorno. You will see a varied offer in different places from the beginning of December. The best part is that most of them are free, so you just have to make time in your schedule for the day.

The places where Christmas concerts are usually performed are the Barontini Cup Winery, the Church of the Capuchins and the Cathedral of San Francesco in Livorno. The musical groups that perform each year are the Spring Choir and the Orchestra of the Goldoni Theater. However, this can vary from year to year, as can the schedule of each concert. Note that most of the time they usually perform during the afternoon.

Usually the dates for these concerts are the first of December, the 20th and the 23rd. You can also attend a New Year's concert, known as Concerto di Capodanno. These events are usually held at the Teatro Goldoni in Livorno. The musicians are from the Mascagni Institute Orchestra.

Among the musical pieces usually performed at this concert is the Suite for Military Band by Englishman Gustav Holst. Also the Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo and Sobre el hermoso Danubio azul. It is certainly a musical experience that you will love to live at this time of the year.

The Central Market of Livorno is a place worth visiting at any time of the year, but especially on Christmas Eve. This site was built in the 19th century and is one of the most important and expensive buildings of that time.

When you enter this market you can admire its architectural beauty and take the best pictures of your vacations. Also, if you wish, you will taste local specialties such as a variety of fish, meats, vegetables, spices and sweet fritters. Inside the market there are also different events that you can enjoy.

During the month of December you can enjoy all this with a cozy Christmas atmosphere. However, keep in mind that the schedule is a little different. For example, on Christmas Eve, i.e. December 24, the market opens from seven in the morning until seven in the evening. While on December 31 it closes at three in the afternoon.

The market, in addition to helping you get the best products for Christmas dinners, is an ideal place to see the locals up close. One of the charms of traveling to other places is to know how is the daily life of those who live there. If you are interested in this, you can go on the busiest days and see the excitement of the Christmas holidays up close.

Interesting details

• Price: free admission.
• Location: Via Buontalenti, 51, Livorno, Italy.
• When to go: all year round, but December is a special date.

Another attraction you will love to visit is the Christmas Village in Piazza della Repubblica. This one is a bit different from the one set up in Villa Fabbricotti park. In this facility you will find an ice rink, several food stands and a big Christmas tree.

Besides the ice rink, the biggest attraction of this Christmas Village is its big Ferris wheel approximately 27 meters high. If you are not afraid of heights, going up on it will be a thrilling experience, you will be able to see Livorno from above! If you are traveling with children, they can also enjoy the Ferris wheel or the fun slide.

This event is organized year after year by the Lem Foundation and runs from the first days of December until January 6. It is an ideal place to spend a full day enjoying good food and attractions. When you arrive you will notice that it is a small amusement park.

Although admission to these facilities is free, each attraction has a specific cost. However, with less than 10 € you can enjoy most of them. Take advantage of the moment and drink a hot chocolate. Remember that temperatures in Livorno during December can drop as low as 2°C.

Details of interest

• Price: free admission.
• Location: Piazza della Repubblica.
• When to go: from the first days of December until January 6.

The Aquarium of Livorno is a fun place to visit at any time of the year. However, during December it becomes one of the most popular destinations as it offers different events and attractions. Also, being an enclosed site, it serves as a shelter in the coldest days, so you will not be bored at any time in Livorno.

Throughout December and until the first week of January you can go to the aquarium to see the exhibition of submerged nativity scenes. It is a different and very peculiar way to see a nativity scene and you will only find it in this place. You will also be able to appreciate all the Christmas decorations and beautiful lights. I am sure you will love it.

In addition to this very particular attraction, every year during December there is usually a new exhibit. In the year 2022 it was the case of the pot-bellied seahorses. So the next time you travel, don't hesitate to visit this place to have a nice time meeting the different marine animals of the Mediterranean Sea.

Interesting details

• Price: tickets cost an average of 15 €.
• Location: Piazza Mascagni, 1, 57127 Livorno, Italy.
• When to go: from the first days of December until December 23.
• Hours: the aquarium is open from 10 am to 6 pm.

Christmas in Livorno can be a perfect excuse to make excursions to other cities from this region. This way you can get to know more towns and their traditions during these dates. One of the places I recommend you to visit is Siena.

In this city, specifically in the town of Abbadia San Salvatore, the tradition of the famous Christmas Eve Torches is celebrated. The event consists of stacking many pieces of wood to form pyramids that can measure up to seven meters high and are placed in every corner of the historic center.

At six o'clock in the evening on December 24, the locals gather in front of the town hall to start the Lighting Ceremony with the "Blessing of the Fire". I recommend you go to this event so you can enjoy the carols performed by a band. From this point lighted torches are carried to the different points of the village to light the pyramids.

This tradition has made Abbadia San Salvatore known as the Village of the Torches. Year after year the locals gather for this ritual and dawn celebrating. You can join them and eat typical seasonal sweets, drink a mulled wine and sing.