From 15 December to 7 January discover the festive atmosphere in Cortona. This year the theme is of light and reflection with many attractions, events and initiatives organised for the period.
See calendar below. Not to be missed is the
Live Nativity in Cortona’s Pietraia area (see times and dates below) and
Luci sul Trasimeno (
Lights on Lake Trasimeno) -– claimed to be the biggest Christmas tree in the world in Castiglione del Lago from Friday 8 December to Saturday 6 January. For Jazz fans, there is
Umbria Jazz winter in Orvieto from 28 December to 1 January (
www.umbriajazz.it) and also a host of
Christmas markets (see below).
EXHIBITIONS IN CORTONA CHRISTMAS 2023-JANUARY 2024
Collective Photographic Exhibition: ‘The Place of the Heart, a place is never just that place, that place is also a bit of us’.
S. Agostino cloister
8 – 26 December 2023
Recycling and Reuse: paper transformed by children" - works by the I.C.C. 1
S. Agostino centre
8 December to 7 January 2024
Christmas in Art art exhibition organized by cultural association Minotaur
S. Agostino centre
8 December to 2 January 2024
EVENTS IN CORTONA - 15TH DECEMBER TO 7 JANUARY 2024
Christmas Concert – Tuscany Regional Orchestra
Signorelli Theatre
Friday 15th December 2023 - 9.00 pm
Montessori in Cooking and in Practical Life – Dr. Cristina Venturi
S. Agostino Centre
Saturday 16 December 2023 -10.00 am
Christmas in memories – Gente di Santamarinova Company
The Loggias at theatre Signorelli
Saturday 16 December 2023 - 5.30 pm
Archaeologies, Conference of the University of Alberta, guest Dr. Paolo Giulierini
MAEC Medici Salon
Saturday 16 December 2023 - 4.00 pm
Cortonese Philharmonic Concert
San Domenico
Saturday 16 December 2023 - 6.00 pm
Proloco Cortona – Aps and Calcit Valdichiana: charity event called ‘A network of colours…for Life’.
Cortona town centre
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 9.30 am
A day of magic in Terontola
Terontola town centre
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 2.30 pm
Snowfall in the square
Piazza della Repubblica
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 4.00 pm
Inauguration of the photographic exhibition 'Coltures & Cultures: images of Cortonese peasant life in the 1950s' by Photo Club Etruria
Casali Palace
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 4.00 pm
Presentation of Duilio Peruzzi's book 'Colture & Culture. Study and images of Cortonese peasant life in the 1950s'
MAEC Medici room
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 5.00 pm
David Boldrini: Concert at the Cathedral Organ. Municipality of Cortona. Free entry
Cathedral of S. M. Assunta
Sunday 17 December 2023 - 6.30 pm
Christmas Choirs – The children of the Cortona Comprehensive Institute 1
Piazza della Repubblica
Wednesday 20 December 2023 - 5.45 pm
Primo Canta Bimbo – all schools (kindergarten, elementary and middle school) will perform songs to wish everyone a happy Christmas followed by buffet and tombola
Multipurpose room, Mercatale
Wednesday 20 December 2023 - 6.30 pm
Sheep Dog Show – Mattia Monacchini
Piazza Signorelli
Saturday 23 December 2023 - 3.00 pm
Cortonese Market
Cortona town centre
Sunday 24 December 2023 - 9.00 am – all day
Live Nativity
Pietraia
Monday 25 + Tuesday 26 December - 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm (weather permitting)
Entertainment FIRE AND LIGHT EXHIBITIONS – ‘Dreams of the Fenice’ Company
Piazza della Repubblica
Tuesday 26 December 2023 - 5.00 pm
Gospel concert
Signorelli Theatre
Thursday 28 December 2023 - 9.00 pm
‘Don Milani without Myth’ - Emmea Theatre Company
Signorelli Theatre
Friday 29 December 2023 - 9.00 pm
New Year's Eve in the Square
Piazza della Repubblica
Sunday 31 December 2023 - 10.00 pm
Breakfast at the MAEC Museum
Piazza Signorelli
Monday 01 January 2024 - 10.00 am
New Year's Concert – CorOrchestra
Signorelli Theatre
Monday 01 January 2024 - 5.00 pm
Live Nativity
Pietraia
Monday 1 January + 6 January + 7 January 2024 - 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm (weather permitting)
‘Ciak si canta’ – Team Susy show
Signorelli Theatre
Friday 05 January 2024 - 9.00 pm
‘Procession of the Three Kings’ organized by the Lions Club Valdichiana Host, the Lay Dominican Fraternity “Beato Pietro Capucci” of Cortona, the Piccolo Teatro Città di Cortona and the Council of Terzieri.
Church of S. Domenico
Saturday 06 January 2024 - 4.00 pm
Arrival of the Befana
Piazza della Repubblica
Saturday 06 January 2024 - 6.00 pm
Special performance by the Historical Group and Flag-wavers of the city of Cortona
Piazza della Repubblica
Sunday 07 January 2024 - 5.00 pm
Christmas markets in Tuscany
Source: lovefromtuscany.com
FLORENCE
Northern Europe arrives in Florence’s historic centre with the Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt, with delicious treats like pretzels, strudel, mulled wine, and all sorts of Christmas decorations and candles.
The typical wooden houses fill the beautiful square of Santa Croce in Florence. With the Santa Croce Church watching over the scene, a magical atmosphere is guaranteed. From 18th November to 17th December 2023
AREZZO
Piazza Grande in Arezzo becomes the enchanting setting for a great Christmas Market, with typical products and souvenirs. This year open from Thursday to Saturday – from 18th November to 21st December 2023 – then until 1st January 2024 open every day, see full program on the official site ).
34 typical mountain huts make a Tyrolean-themed market, selling a variety of traditional decorations, plus beers, wooden crafts and food. Many events, including a video-mapping show that will colour the beautiful Piazza Grande and paint the Medieval buildings with multicoloured lights – a real spectacle. The house of Father Christmas welcomes kids for letters and workshops.
In the small town Chiusi della Verna, near Arezzo, you’ll also find a Christmas Market every Sunday throughout December.
MONTEPULCIANO
The main square of Montepulciano hosts a wonderful market with 80 wooden stalls selling local artefacts and gastronomic goodness. Piazza Grande is decorated with a great Christmas tree and there’s a Father Christmas Castle too, perfect for the little ones.
In this town famous for its Vino Nobile a special space is reserved for wine: the ‘Christmas terrace’ is the place to taste local wine and food. You’ll also find plenty of nativity scenes too.
When? Every weekend from 18th November to 22nd December 2023 – then from 22nd December to 7th January 2024 open every day from 10:30am to 7:30pm, except on Christmas Day, when the market will be open only in the afternoon.
PALAZZUOLO SUL SENIO, MUGELLO
On Sundays during the month of December the small town of Palazzuolo sul Senio in the mountainous Mugello area, organises atmospheric Christmas Markets, with local food and gift ideas. This town is famous for its presepi, or nativity scenes, that will dot its historic centre until 6th of January.
CHIANCIANO TERME
The spa town of Chianciano Terme in southern Tuscany every year becomes the setting for a fairy tale-like “Paese di Babbo Natale”, inspired by Father Christmas’s land, set in the beautiful park Parco Acqua Santa (famous for its thermal waters) every weekend starting from the 11th November and then every day from 23rd December until 6th January 2024
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