The Best Things to do in Rome in December 2023

The off-season period in Rome starts mid-November and lasts until February, which means fewer crowds everywhere. Assuming you are going to visit Rome during the warmer months, it’s advisable to arm yourself with patience due to the long waiting lines everywhere and crowded streets.

But it’s a different situation for December! If you decide to visit The Eternal City during this festive period, you can relax and take your time exploring Roman streets and monuments. Waiting lines for sites like the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica are much shorter and more manageable. Still, we advise you to purchase Rome’s skip-the-line tickets for monuments like these.

Alongside stress-free sightseeing and picture taking, you will find that accommodation prices drop during the off-season compared to the summer. Accommodation providers tend to keep lower prices throughout December and most of January (with New Year’s Eve being the exception). So if a budget-friendly trip is your cup of tea, December may be the perfect time for you to visit Rome. Add to that the Roma Pass Card, and you can have a worry-free vacation.

The bonus is that Rome offers plenty of things to do in December since it’s the holiday season!

The Christmas Day – Urbi et Orbi

As it is one of the most religious holidays of the year, you can expect many places to be closed on Christmas day. Romans traditionally celebrate the day in the company of their families. But fear not, if your vacation falls on this date, there are still a lot of things to do in Rome to celebrate Christmas. From attending midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica to visiting Christmas crèches around the Eternal City.

On Christmas morning, you can attend the Pope’s addressing and blessing to devoted masses at Saint Peter’s Square. The Pope showers his blessings twice a year ( Christmas and Easter) in a ceremony called Urbi et Orbi. So if you want to catch a glimpse of the Pope in person and attend the traditional holiday celebration, be sure not to miss this event.

Saint Stephen’s day

Celebrated on the 26th of December, St. Stephen’s Day gets celebrated as an extension of Christmas Day. It is a day when families head out to visit Christmas markets and nativity displays in churches. Roman Churches commemorate this feast day, for instance, the church of Santo Stefano Rotondo nearby the Colosseum.

New Year’s Eve

Much like the rest of the world, Rome celebrates the beginning of the new year in grand style. The largest public celebration of New Year’s Eve takes place at Piazza del Popolo, accompanied by music, dancing, and of course, spectacular fireworks.  

Food & Beverages in Rome during December

The time of the year when we can indulge ourselves in tasty, traditional food must be December, and Rome is no exception when it comes to that. Of course, you’ll enjoy pizza and pasta if you are visiting Italy, but that is a traditional food you can enjoy all year round. There are some seasonal specialties you should try while spending the holiday season in Italy. 

If you have a sweet tooth, there is plenty of treats to try out in Rome during December. A well-known, tall, fluffy cake in the shape of a star, topped with powdered sugar that melts in your mouth while you eat it, called Pandoro is an Italian staple. Panettone is another dessert option that will, for sure, satisfy your sweet tooth. This dome-shaped cake is filled with candied fruits and is an Italian holiday staple. Another treat that Rome has to offer during the festive season is Torrone, a nutty delicacy made of egg whites, sugar, and honey complemented by a tasty crunch. You can easily find Torrone in most Italian grocery stores and bakeries.

You may be a more savory type of foodie, but be sure not to skip one of many delicious artichoke dishes traditional for the winter season in Italy. Both Roman-style (carciofi alla Romana) and Jewish-style (carciofi alla Giudea) cooked artichokes are delicious. They are one of the best-known winter delicacies of Rome.

Be sure not to miss the delightful street food sold on the Christmas market and spoil yourself with roasted chestnuts from the Roman streets.

A tasty and heartwarming beverage that will satisfy both kids and adults is the Italian equivalent of hot chocolate – Cioccolata calda. This thick, sweet treat will surely warm you up on a crisp winter day.

If you want to add a kick to your festivities in Rome, try out Caffè corretto. This drink combines espresso and grappa (grape-based alcohol) and translated to English literally; it means – proper coffee.  

Shopping in Rome during December

Rome’s city center is world-renowned for being a great place to shop, and it’s no different during the holiday season. You can buy your Christmas presents or treat yourself to a Roman shopping day out of a movie.

Via Condotti, a well-known street for its luxury designer shops, offers holiday window displays that are a delight to look at in themselves. But if you are more interested in a budget-friendly shopping experience, head out to Via del Corso, which is surrounded by reasonably priced shops and serves correctly for your gift buying needs.

When it comes to shopping, the number one thing to do in Rome in December is visit all the little stalls and booths on holiday markets. The streets of Rome fill up with vendors who sell handmade goods and souvenirs.

Don’t miss out on the Rome tourist attractions!

Just because you are visiting Rome during December, you don’t have to dedicate your vacation to festive activities exclusively. December, and the winter season, for that matter, are the perfect times of the year to visit Rome. The lines are shorter, and the museums and monuments are less crowded, plus December provides plenty of exciting offers and things to do in Rome. Sites like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Vatican Museum, Borghese Gallery, the Trevi Fountain, and Sistine Chapel stay open and regularly work during December. And they are definitely something you don’t want to miss during your visit to Rome. So you might consider checking out the hand-picked Colosseum guided tours or booking the best Colosseum Tickets beforehand.