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Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

Italian Christmas Markets mercatini di natale

December 1, 2016 by Melissa Muldoon Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: www.kaylaspelling.com

Happy December 1st! Christmas is fast approaching. There are only 24 days left to shop! If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Italy at this time of year, you can visit one of the many Italian holiday markets that appear in many cities up and down the boot. These markets are popular with the locals as well as visitors from abroad. They spring up all over the Trentino region—the northern part of Italy closest to Germany—and there are also many spectacular markets in cities further south in Florence, Rome, and Naples.

For a listing of the top ten Italian Christmas markets click this link published by Italy Magazine.

Walks of Italy has published a pretty great listing of Italian Holiday Markets as well!

italianchristmasmarket_studentessamatta5
Photo Credit: Rick Steves

I am a particular fan of the Christmas market in Rome that is held each year in Piazza Navona. It is where a friend of mine purchased for me a Befana doll. La Befana is the Italian Christmas witch that brings presents to good little boys and girls. Sound familiar? More on the Befana in a future post! Stay tuned!

befana2015_studentessamatta1
Photo Credit: Studentessa Matta

In Naples – Napoli – you will also find the largest Christmas market selling nativity scenes. In Italian, they are called presepe. There is a street in Naples – Via San Gregorio – that sells presepe all year long. You can purchase all kinds of structures and figurines; all handcrafted to create your very own unique manger scene.

italianchristmasmarket_studentessamatta1
Photo Credit: Rick Steves

This Saturday, December 3rd I too will be participating in an Italian Christmas market in San Francisco. The local Italian women are putting together a holiday event at the Italo-Americano Museo in Fort Mason Center. (2 Marina Blvd., Building C). On Saturday the market opens at 10 am and runs until 6 pm. On Sunday we begin at 10:30 and close at 5 pm.

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Photo Credit: Studentessa Matta

Of course, Sophia will be there! I have been invited to take part in the Italian Christmas market and will be selling books and signing them. I will also have other Sophia gifts and goodies for sale as well.

melissa-mercatino_dreamingsophia1
Photo Credit: Studentessa Matta

Come join the fun this weekend and get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Stop by for a chat and pick up your signed copy of Dreaming Sophia!

p.s. I will post pictures after the weekend market on the blog!

Here are a couple of videos of Italian markets I thought you would enjoy. Buona festa and happy viewing!

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Filed Under: Italian Festivals, Culture Tagged With: Befana, christmas in rome, Christmas market Piazza Navona, Dreaming Sophia, Italian Christmas markets, Italy Magazine Christmas Market list, Melissa Muldoon, presepe, Rick Steves Italy Christmas video, San francisco christmas market, San francisco Mercatino di natale, Walks of Italy Holiday Markets

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Driving through the Maremma wending my way back to Driving through the Maremma wending my way back to Roma!
Grazie Antonio @notapioneer per una serata fantast Grazie Antonio @notapioneer per una serata fantastica a Vistamare ti auguro un futuro pieno della fortuna! 💙💛 #portasantospirito💙💛 lol ci sentiamo. Alla prossimo !
Love this place! Dinner with a spectacular view!!! Love this place! Dinner with a spectacular view!!! Vista Mare! Situazione attuale mi piace!!! 👍
Al ristorante VistaMare ! Che vista!!!! @vistamare Al ristorante VistaMare ! Che vista!!!! @vistamare
The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new n The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new novel!! 

More details and the big reveal of the title and the author and details how to sign up for the book club will come next week in a post on the StudentessaMatta.com website... so stay tuned. 

Currently, I'm still in Italy wrapping up a very successful language program in Arezzo! We had a wonderful time!

Now I'm at the beach and currently finishing up the next book club read! LOL

What I can tell you about the novel is that it is a contemporary adventure/murder mystery set in Italy, that takes you from Monte Carlo to London and to France where two thieves board the Orient Express to Venice as they track down Casanova's diary. 

Next week you will have the chance to sign up for group book club meetings of up to 3 or 4 readers, or individual sessions. The novel is available in print and audio and it is my recommendation, with plenty of lead time to read the novel during the summer months prior to the October start date, so that we can really dive into the story, and plot, and work on grammar and idioms.

Stay tuned! State sintonizzati! A presto!
This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Ca This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Castiglione della Pescaia
Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! 😃

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