Many cities and towns in the Umbria region get dressed up for the holiday season in December: discover with me some of the interesting events and the magic of the themed markets that you cannot miss if you decide to spend your Christmas holidays in Umbria.
In December the beautiful historic centre of Perugia turns into a real Christmas village and houses the themed crafts market, with national and European exhibitors, fun activities and creative workshops open to both adults and kids to make original Christmas decorations and sweets. A very interesting section is the one dedicated to winter ornamental plants, but you can't miss the kids' favourite attraction: Santa Claus House. The Christmas spirit reaches also the fascinating Rocca Paolina that opens the door to the most beautiful market in Italy, as it did for the last twenty years during Christmas time. In the square there is a food court to enjoy mulled wine and hot donuts in addition to the inevitable sausage sandwiches.
In the medieval town of Gubbio you'll find the largest Christmas tree in the world, with a base of 450 metres up to the height of 750 metres. Every year since 1981 a group of volunteers has set luminaries of various type and colour on the slopes of the Ingino Mount to recreate the shape of a giant tree: over 250 green lights delineate the contours, more than 300 multicoloured lights cover its body and at the top 200 bright lights draw an impressive comet with a surface of about 1,000 square metres. The tree is officially switched on with a heartfelt ceremony on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and remains active until Epiphany. I suggest you enjoy the spectacular view in the evening, when it gets darker. During this period the historic town centre offers the traditional Tyrolean style Christmas market in the squares Piazza Bernini and Piazza San Giovanni, where you can also find many goodies and chocolate treats. In the streets of the centre, you can even see a life-size nativity scene and a living nativity scene with performances and animations.
You cannot fail to be enchanted by the Christmas markets of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. The event “La Magia del Natale ad Assisi” (the Magic of Christmas in Assisi) takes place every year during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the squares Piazza del Comune and Piazza Santa Chiara with several initiatives to involve kids, including workshops, Christmas tree decoration, entertainment activities, readings, face painting and shows performed by jugglers and puppeteers. You also shouldn't miss a tour on Santa Claus train! The entire holiday season is rich in plays and concerts.
