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 with beautiful traditions that you can also enjoy. From watching events where the Befana appears, enjoying festivals or simply having an Italian-style Christmas dinner. Everywhere you go you 'll 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. It's the Wild Boar Festival that takes place 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. In addition to tasting this meat, you can also 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 around Livorno, which in winter is very popular. This will give you the chance to taste some of the best Tuscan wines.

At the festival you will also be able to taste quality artisan honey. As well as enjoying the gastronomic variety, you will have the chance to see the locals dressed in traditional medieval costumes. If you like the idea, you can buy some and join in the celebration. You can also watch the various medieval-themed competitions, 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 experience all the traditions and magic of Christmas.

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

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 biscuits are also eaten.

These exquisite dishes can be enjoyed in Livorno's best restaurants. These include 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 characterised by wearing a headscarf, broken shoes and a sack. During the night she flies over the roofs with her broom, enters houses and leaves toys, sweets or coal in the children's socks.

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

Porta a Mare also hosts an event where the Befana arrives on a Vespa to hand out gifts. This activity is usually free of charge and in collaboration with the Vespa Club of Livorno. However, it is exclusively for children so if you are travelling with them it will be a nice experience.

If you want to see Father Christmas and the Befana in one place, I recommend you visit 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 travelling 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 all the more.

One of the traditional Christmas activities is to decorate the houses and streets with coloured 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 takes care of decorating the streets for the enjoyment of locals and tourists.

To appreciate the Christmas decorations you can stroll through the city centre from Via Marradi to Via Grance. Other places to visit include 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 glory, one of the best things to do in Livorno is a night tour. Night falls around seven o'clock, so it's the ideal time for a 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 biscuits of the region. Another good idea is to end the walk with a Tuscan-style Christmas dinner.

Every year Livorno hosts the Christmas Village, organised by Proloco and sponsored by the town council. It takes place in the Villa Fabbricotti park and is usually open from mid-November to 6th January. To enter you must buy a ticket which costs an average of €10. Children's tickets are cheaper.

If you decide to visit this attraction you will find a structure of more than 350 square metres. It is a place where you can feel the Christmas spirit and relive all the children's stories you heard as a child. Therefore, I recommend you to go even if you are not travelling 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' hall and a market. Here you can buy food, drinks, souvenirs and much more.

You will also find more than 10 wooden houses housing craftsmen's workshops. You can also see music shows, elf parades, puppet shows and much more. It's a magical place where you'll be able to witness very emotional events featuring Father Christmas, the Befana and the Christmas elves - don't forget to have your photo taken with all these endearing characters!

Interesting details

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

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

The usual venues for Christmas concerts 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 Theatre. However, this may vary from year to year, as does the timetable of each concert. Please note that most of the time they usually perform during the afternoon.

The dates for these concerts are usually 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 Orchestra of the Mascagni Institute.

Among the musical pieces usually performed at this concert is the Suite for Military Band by the Englishman Gustav Holst. Also the Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo and Sobre el hermoso Danubio azul. Without a doubt, this is a musical experience that you will love to live at this time of year.

Livorno's Central Market is a place worth visiting at any time of the year, but especially on Christmas Eve. This place 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 holidays. Also, if you wish, you can sample local specialities such as a wide variety of fish, meat, vegetables, spices and sweet fritters. Inside the market there are also various events that you can enjoy.

During the month of December you can enjoy all this in a cosy Christmas atmosphere. However, bear in mind that the opening hours are a little different. For example, on Christmas Eve, i.e. 24 December, the market is open from seven in the morning until seven in the evening. On 31 December it closes at three in the afternoon.

The market, as well as helping you get the best products for Christmas dinners, is an ideal place to see the locals up close. One of the charms of travelling to other places is getting to know the day-to-day life of those who live there. If you're interested in this, you can go on the busiest days and see the excitement of the festive season up close.

Interesting details

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

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

Besides the ice rink, the biggest attraction of this Christmas Village is its big Ferris wheel which is approximately 27 metres high. If you're not afraid of heights, riding it will be a thrilling experience - you'll be able to see Livorno from above! If you are travelling with children, they can also enjoy the Ferris wheel or the fun slide.

This event is organised year after year by the Lem Foundation and runs from the first days of December until the sixth of January. It is an ideal place to spend a full day enjoying good food and rides. 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, for less than €10 you can enjoy most of them. Make the most of the moment and have a hot chocolate. Remember that temperatures in Livorno during December can drop as low as 2 °C.

Interesting details

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

The Livorno Aquarium 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. Moreover, being an enclosed site, it serves as a shelter on colder days, so you won't 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 here. You can also see all the Christmas decorations and beautiful lights. I am sure you will love it.

In addition to this particular attraction, every year during December there is usually a new exhibition. In 2022 it was the case of the pot-bellied seahorses. So the next time you travel, don't hesitate to visit this place to spend 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 23 December.
• Opening hours: The aquarium is open from 10am to 6pm.

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 this time of the year. 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 piling up many pieces of wood to form pyramids that can be up to seven metres high and are placed in every corner of the historic centre.

At six o'clock in the evening on December 24th, 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 played 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 wake up at dawn celebrating. You can join them and eat seasonal sweets, drink mulled wine and sing.