From November to January, Bressanone hosts the Christmas Market within the splendid setting of Piazza Duomo, between the cathedral, the parish church of San Michele, and Town Hall. Although small, it is one of the most beautiful and picturesque in South Tyrol; the finely decorated wooden houses sit alongside gourmet booths where you can sample specialties from the Isarco Valley, and a comprehensive calendar of events, like the spectacular multimedia show of lights and music "Natalie" that gifts amazement and emotion to the town, concerts, exhibitions, guided tours, carriage rides, skating rink in Piazza Vescovado, and steam carousel for the children's happiness.
The Bressanone Christmas market is part of, together with those in Merano, Bolzano, Vipiteno, and Bruneck, the five original South Tyrol Markets, also certified as Green Events because they promote sustainability, regionalism, and genuineness.
In Bressanone there is also the ancient tradition of the mangers, set up inside the Bishop's Palace.
The Christmas markets of Bressanone, located near the Plose ski area, are a good reason for organizing a weekend of snow and relaxation, discovering local craftsmanship, tasting South Tyrol's traditional food and attending, enveloped by a magical Christmas atmosphere, many unique events.
The Christmas Market: products and events
At Christmas Market in Bressanone, there will be different traditional wooden houses where you can find many typical products: handmade candles and ceramics, glass spheres and angels, wood carvings and figurines, mangers, terracotta items, and many Tyrolean-style gift ideas.
A lively crowd of people invades the piazza and the surrounding areas, giving a truly special, intimate and cheerful atmosphere, heated by steaming cups of vin brulé and local specialties. You will be immersed in joyful festivities, where you'll fully enjoy the tradition of Christmas.
Beside the stalls, Bressanone also amazes with its offerings that complement the marketplace and engage both the young and old: every day there are concerts by choirs and bands, typical recipes, workshops, theater performances, liturgical celebrations, carriage tours for the center historic...
Lights and magic during the Market
After the success of "Soliman's Dream" and "Natalie", this year in Bressanone a new multimedia show will light up the city "Liora. The value of time".
Bressanone and the tradition of the Nativity
The Bishop's Palace (Hofburg in German), the ancient residence of bishops of the South Tyrol city, located in the center of the city, houses the Museum, the Diocesan Archives and the Museum of Mangers. The collection present in the Hofburg of Bressanone is one of the most important in the world and also contains examples of historical paper mangers.
Among the most important mangers is certainly the one made by Prince Bishop Count Karl Franz von Lodron, composed of nearly 5,000 figurines, and the large one in the church of the episcopal palace. You can also admire the Baroque style, two ivory Genoan mangers, one made of wax, the Sicilian terracotta manger, and the liturgical monocromatized terracotta one from Martin Rainer's private collection, which represents the manger tradition of the Val Senales
How to get here
Bressanone is located in the Isarco Valley 40 kilometers from Bolzano, 35 kilometers from Brunico, and 30 kilometers from Vipiteno.
- Cars and campers: A22 highway, recommended exit Chiusa - Val Gardena (south). Take the state road for approximately 15 km north. Three parking lots available: Parking Autosilo in via Dante, 5 minutes walk from the town center, open 24 hours; Parking Acquarena in via Brennero (no motorhomes) entrance from the north, 5 minutes walk to the town center; Parking Bressanone Sud on the state road, 20 minutes walk to the town center;
- Train: all intercity and eurocity trains on the Bologna - Brennero line stop at Bressanone station. Once at the station, a bus service, running every hour or several times a day, leads to the various surrounding destinations;
- Airplane: nearest airports, Verona Villafranca (190 km) and Innsbruck (85 km). Bergamo, Verona, Treviso and Venice airports are connected by a shuttle service to South Tyrol.
