Christmas in Montepulciano 2024: from November 16th to January 6th one of the biggest Christmas events in Italy returns

70 wooden houses for shopping, tastings of typical products, music and events, in addition to the unmissable Santa Claus Castle. The offer is expanded with the ice skating rink at the Poggiofanti Garden. A shuttle service is active to enjoy the event in complete comfort.

Everything is ready for the inauguration of “Christmas in Montepulciano” scheduled for Saturday 16 November at 10:30, in the Fortezza. The event, now in its eleventh edition, offers one of the largest Christmas markets in Italy, with over 70 wooden houses for Christmas shopping, a selection of sweet and savory street food, many attractions for the whole family, starting from Santa Claus Castle in the Fortezza. As always, a series of new features, events and surprises are planned that will be revealed in the coming days. In the afternoon, again on Saturday, at 5:30 pm there will be the lighting of the large Christmas tree in Piazza Grande, the lights and the video mapping show on the facade of the Cathedral, all accompanied by the notes of the Banda Poliziana.
To enrich the offer of the Christmas period in Montepulciano, the municipal administration has organized the setting up of an ice skating rink in the Giardino di Poggiofanti. The rink will be open to the public from Saturday 23 November and will remain available until 31 January 2024.

«Christmas in Montepulciano represents a special opportunity for our community and for visitors to immerse themselves in the magical atmosphere of the holidays. We are proud to offer a program full of events and attractions for all ages, which enhances our historic center and the excellence of the territory. This event is also an important driver for the local economy and an opportunity to share the beauty of our city with an ever-wider audience», is the comment of the Mayor of Montepulciano, Michele Angiolini.

As is known, the Christmas market is located in the upper part of the city, between Piazza Grande and Via San Donato and hosts exhibitors from all over Italy. In the Fortezza, the “Santa Claus Castle” will return, here visitors will be able to discover where Santa Claus lives with his elves, children will be able to visit the magical kitchen, the winter garden, ride on the sleigh, until the magical meeting with “the master of the house”. In the garden of the Castle, it will also be possible to take a ride on docile ponies and enjoy a rich offer of street food with sweet and savory specialties, inside the equipped and covered area. Also in the heart of the historic center, in the small square of vicolo del Leone (next to the Palazzo Comunale), the “Christmas Terrace” will be set up, a space created in collaboration with the Consorzio del Vino Nobile, where you can sip wine and taste the tasty excellences of the territory, in front of a breathtaking view.

The market will be open on November 16 and 17; November 23-24; November 30 – December 1; from December 6 to 8; December 14-15 and from December 20 to January 6, 2025 every day from 10:30 to 19:30. December 25 afternoon opening.

Santa Claus Castle will be open from 10:30 to 19:00 on November 16-17 and 23-24 and 30 (Sat); in December: 1 (Sun), from 6 to 8; 14-15; from 20 to 24 and 26. December 25 closed. From December 27 to January 6, 2025, it will be open every day from 2:30 pm to 7:00 pm and on January 6 from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm.

Shuttle schedules and routes. Created in collaboration with Autolinee Toscane and financed by the Municipal Administration, the service will be active on November 16-17 and 23-24 and 30 and in December on November 1; 7-8; 14-15 and 26, with continuous hours from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and departures approximately every 30 minutes. The shuttle terminus is, as always, the bus station in Piazza Nenni (Lo Sterro). The closest stops to the historic center are Porta delle Farine, for the upper part, and near Porta al Prato, for the lower part. The “interchange” parking lots touched by the shuttle route are: Piazzale delle Grazie parking lot; Via Loris Fortuna area parking lot; Parking Lot Scuole Statali (Via E.Bernabei); Parking Lo Sterro (P.zza Nenni), Parking Porta delle Farine and the square of the Vecchia Cantina (recommended stop for buses).

«We strongly advise our guests to inquire and use the shuttle service that we have made available, especially on the busiest days, so that they can organize a visit in complete tranquility – adds Alberto Millacci, Councilor for Economic and Productive Policies – using one of the indicated interchange parking lots allows you to park your cars, without going into the historic center and knowing that you can count on the same return service».

For more information on initiatives, parking and shuttles: www.nataleamontepulciano.it .

Natale a Montepulciano is an event organized by the Vivi Montepulciano Association, with the support of the Municipality of Montepulciano.