Asiago Christmas Markets: An Ageless Tradition

I’m so blessed to be living in Europe just in time for Christmas this year. Christmas Markets are famous throughout Italy and Europe, and my list of “to-see” markets is quite long. In Italian, a Christmas Market is called Mercatini Di Natale. They are in most of the major towns around Italy and even throughout countries like Germany and Switzerland. The Asiago Christmas Market was the first on my list as it is only an hour drive from Vicenza. Known for its cheese and beautiful surroundings, Asiago is located in the Veneto region in Northeastern Italy.

Looking at the weather report, we saw that it had been snowing a good bit of the week, so it was guaranteed to be a beautiful drive. I never truly realized just HOW breathtaking it would be when we rounded the switchback curves and had a clear sight of Asiago. Be prepared for car sickness as these curves are not for the slight!

Crazy switchback roads in Asiago

The snow just sits lightly on the pines

Where to Stay

I booked us a hotel in the center of Asiago – Albergo Speranza – which was perfect for a weekend getaway. Definitely not a five-star resort (and they didn’t speak English), but it was perfect for staying near the town center with free parking. This way we didn’t have to worry about driving to or from the Christmas Market. It had WiFi, a balcony, and a private bathroom.

Interesting Private Bathroom in our hotel with a fold out shower wall

Asiago Christmas Market Information

The Asiago Christmas Market is located in Piazza Giovanni Carli – the main square. This year (2017), it runs 11 November through 7 January. During the months of November and early December, they are mainly open on the weekends 10:30 – 12:30 and 15:00 – 19:00 (they close for lunch/riposo). From 22 December to 7 January, they are open every day. You can find more timetables via their website here.

At first, Christmas Markets all seem the same, but they are each unique in their own way. You will only discover this by exploring and adventuring through multiple of them. The Asiago Christmas Market had lots of handmade items. The vendors were housed in adorable wooden huts and there was plenty of Vin Brule, pulled pork, and ornaments. They also had an assortment of winter clothing – such as scarves, toboggans, and gloves – I was super thankful for this since I didn’t have any winter clothing and could buy some right on the spot. Home decor was also plentiful, many of which included Christmas decorations, blankets, and coffee mugs.

It is a joyful and merry experience even if you aren’t looking to buy anything. There’s something magical about spending an hour or two in holiday cheer with your loved one that warms the soul. It also helps when there’s snow all around you and lights decorating each of the streets throughout the night.

My husband and I decided to start gathering souvenirs from each town/city that we visit and we jointly decided on collecting snowglobes. Asiago was our first collected snowglobe and I can’t wait to grow our collection!

We loved Asiago!

Enjoying our vin brule on this cold night

I hope you have the opportunity to visit at least one Christmas Market in Europe! Let me know if you do as I’d love to hear about your experience. I’ll continue to keep you posted on our next adventures 🙂

Thanks for reading as always!! Ciao,

Summer Rae