Episode #259: Winter in Italy – A Trip Report

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Ever wondered about taking a trip to Italy in Winter? Learn why winter might just be the perfect season to explore Italy, with surprises and insights from a recent trip with her family. We’ll also delve into the atmosphere of Italy’s festive season and the enchanting experiences that only a winter in Italy can offer. So, grab your coat and join us for an adventure that promises to warm your heart even in the chilliest season.

Summary

Having just returned from a winter trip to Italy, Untold Italy founder Katy takes us through her recent journeys to Rome, the Dolomites, and Venice, revealing hidden gems, unique experiences, and the allure of Italian winter wonderland adventures. Discover why this season might be the best time to explore Italy! We also look ahead to 2025 with our range of Untold Italy tours and our expert Trip Consultants helping people plan and hone their Italy trips for the coming year.

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What you’ll learn in this episode

  • Katy took a trip to Italy this winter, with her family, which included Rome, the Dolomites, and Venice
  • For those who don’t come from a cold destination, like Katy, coming from Australia, heading to somewhere that is cold and snowy is a special experience
  • Christmas markets and decorations continue in Italy from around the 8th December to the 6th January
  • In Rome, they stayed near Campo de’ Fiori and visited Piazza Navona with its Christmas market and carousel, as well as nearby museums
  • Other adventures in Rome included the Roman pasta challenge, exploring the charming Garbatella neighborhood, cycling in Villa Borghese gardens and a Catacombs Tour
  • Katy experienced firsthand the difference in visiting Vatican Museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica during Jubilee 2025, with access through the newly open Holy door and extra pilgrim visitors and security
  • From Rome to Bolzano it is an easy 5-hour train journey and they arrived just in time for the last day of the Bolzano Christmas market
  • They re-visited the Murano thermal baths – a family favorite
  • San Candido offered the perfect places for the kids to have their first try and skiing
  • The family enjoyed scenic drives and visits to Lake Misurina and Cortina D’Ampezzo
  • Last stop was Venice as they were flying out of the convenient airport there
  • Their brief visit included a Vaporetto ride, exploring the Grand Canal and dinner
  • Although the period between Christmas and New Year is busy in all European cities as Europeans take winter breaks, after that is a great and quiet time to visit Italy, especially the usually busy cities like Rome and Venice

Timeline Overview

  • 05:30 Rome’s blue skies and manageable winter climate
  • 09:10 Italian Christmas: Festive atmosphere stroll
  • 12:21 Roman pasta challenge with lids
  • 14:39 Exploring Roman museums near Piazza Navona
  • 20:54 Vatican Tours: Early bird tips and the Pilgrim Experience at the Basilica door
  • 28:34 Bolzano and the Dolomites – Where proud tradition meets modern efficiency
  • 30:46 Murano Thermal Baths Experience
  • 35:33 Venice in Winter and departure tips

Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

  • Campo de’ Fiori – literally  meaning “field of flowers”, this is a square south of Piazza Navona famous for its market
  • Piazza Navona – beautiful, central piazza in Rome
  • Villa Borghese – the largest park in Rome
  • Garbatella – neighborhood in Rome
  • Museo di Roma – Palazzo Braschi – a museum near Piazza Navona that charts the history of Rome from the Middle Ages through to the early 20th century
  • Palazzo Altemps – museum of Greek and Roman sculptures in a 15th-century palace
  • San Sebastiano fuori le mura – famous as a favorite basilica of Mother Theresa and the Chapel of Relics, houses an allegedly stone imprinted with the footprints of Jesus
  • Bolzano – in the far north of Italy, near the border with Austria. This was Nikki’s first home in Italy and is one of our 35 best cities to visit in Italy
  • Merano – spa town in South Tyrol
  • Tre Cime – Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen) are the 3 peaks in the Sexten Dolomites
  • San Candido/Innichen – part of the Tre Cime Natural Park, in the Dolomites, on the border of Austria
  • Vipiteno/Sterzing – I Borghi più belli d’Italia (the most beautiful villages of Italy) town in the Dolomites
  • Lake Misurina – the largest alpine lake in the Dolomites
  • Cortina d’Ampezzo – glitzy ski resort in the Dolomites
  • Mestre – on the mainland about 10 km away from Venice, convenient for the airport and commuting into Venice

Food / Drink

  • Cacio e pepe, Gricia, Carbonara, and Amatriciana – the 4 famous pasta dishes of Rome
  • bacari – the name for cafe bars in Venice where you can find your cicchetti

Words / Concepts

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