Christmas festivities - December 2025/January 2026
Italy, the Bel Paese or Beautiful Country, is now a destination for all seasons, and the Christmas celebrations are a wonderful time of year to enjoy festive destinations in the cities as well as in the mountains or on the coast.
Christmas holiday in Italy are an attraction for everyone. From Italian holidaymakers in search of relaxation, tasty dishes and unforgettable views, to foreign tourists on the lookout for the best religious and heritage traditions, festive gourmet restaurants, or the most exciting artisanal fairs and markets in small towns and villages.
With more than 2.7 million international and domestic airport passenger bookings into Italy in December 2025, with an annual variation of +3%, the positive trend that has defined the past year has been confirmed (if we consider only tourists who stay in Italy there are 2.4 million airport arrivals, up +6.1% on the previous year). This growth trend looks like continuing in 2026, with around 2.3 million airport bookings, up 3.9% on the previous year (1.9 million staying visitors, +4.4% on 2025) expected in the month of January 2026.
The charm of Italy during the Christmas holidays knows no bounds. In December and January Italy prepares to welcome millions of travellers, with figures that once again tell a story of success. If domestic flows are a guarantee and prove stable at 36% of the total, international movements are still driving growth.
Leading the way is the Spanish market, which will total some 611,000 airport arrivals, closely followed by the United Kingdom with over 583,000 arrivals. There is no shortage of Italian travellers, who exceed 383,000, while France and Germany confirm their love for Italy with 328,000 and 308,000 arrivals respectively.
But the flow map is even more varied: 280,000 Polish, 212,000 Albanian and 208,000 Romanian tourists arrive from Eastern Europe, while 166,000 arrivals come from the United States. And to complete the picture there are also travellers from the Benelux countries, with the Netherlands at 118,000 and Belgium at 121,000.
Large Italian cities are preparing to set the stage for this festive invasion. Milan stands out with 1.6 million airport arrivals, followed by Rome with 1.2 million, clearly outstripping the other cities. Also on the podium of the most popular destinations are Venice (491,000), Naples (296,000) and Bologna (258,000), while Bari, Catania, Turin (where January exceeds December), Florence and Pisa complete the list of Italy’s most visited cities.
Business tourism? This season it takes a step back, yet it doesn’t vanish, accounting for 3% of arrivals. On the international front, Italy confirms its leading role: second only to Spain, but ahead of competitors such as France and Turkey.
Christmas, in short, is the time when Italy shines more than ever, with markets, lights and a festive atmosphere that continue to enchant the world. This underscores how holidays in Italy are even more a symbol of sharing, inclusion and welcome, on tables in homes as well as in hospitality for travellers who have already booked ahead, but also for those who will decide at the last minute to celebrate the festivities this year, Italian-style.
Advertorial
