Exploring Italy | Bolzano Christmas Market

This year I made it a point to go to a couple of Christmas markets. We didn't get to any at all last year and next year I hope to go to German Christmas markets (Nürnberg is at the very top of my list). So this year it was all about the Italian markets.

First we went to the market in Verona. It was super cute and quaint but very small.

The second market we attended was in Bolzano. It's the biggest Christmas market in Italy. Bolzano is in Northern Italy, really close to Austria. The town looks much more German than Italian. It's very Bavarian and I love it. It's only been an Italian town since WW1!

I love everything about Christmas markets. They are quaint and cozy and they just ooze Christmas spirit. Exploring with a cup of vin brulé warming my hands...well it just made me happy.

Warning: This post is really photo heavy. I've read all sorts of articles about how blog posts shouldn't contain more than a few shots to get your point across - but I don't care. This post deserves a million photos. :)

Bolzano is nestled at the base of the Alps. It's just magical there, there's really no other way to describe it. I fell in love with it the first time we visited and I still feel the same way.

We experienced the market during the daytime and at night...here are some shots from when the sun was still up. The market was full of all sorts of treasures. Some kitschy, some classy. There were giant pretzels and paninis. White hot chocolate, hot chocolate, vin brule. It just smelled delicious.

The best part is that everything is handmade and made with love. No crap.

We rode the cable car up the mountain to explore for a bit. At the top we found a big drink tent.

The drink tent served vin brulé -aka mulled wine/glugwein (both white and red) as well as apple cider. It was FREEZING so we lingered for a while so we could warm up.

 

By the time we got back down to the bottom it was dark. I have to say that I think the market was even more magical at night.

 

This was such a great experience for our family and I am now so ready to experience the German markets!

Happy Monday!

 

xoxo

S

 

Comments

[kathy]

Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing!

[Debbie]

So magical! I loved all the pictures!

[Kris]

Bring on the photos! I love them. Thank you for sharing!

[Leah]

At the end of these posts I'd love to know what you if anything you purchased. I would have wanted one of everything! So lovely. Thanks for sharing.

[Stephanie Howell]

Great idea! I actually didnt purchase a thing, sadly. Unless you count the Vin Brule! xo

[sherried]

Thanks for sharing. Made me want to start saving and come to Italy at Christmas time. Love all the pictures.

[julis]

So lovely photos! thanks ;)

[kristyn]

You can never have too many pictures in a post! thanks for sharing. The market looks wonderful.

[Leigh Erin]

These are amazing photos, looks brilliant!

[Suzanne]

We are moving to the Netherlands this summer (we lived in Germany in the late 90's) and I cannot wait to get back to the Christmas markets. We will be adding this one to our list. Thanks for giving me some more travel ideas. DI you rent a house there?

[Stephanie Howell]

No- it was just a day trip. Its only a couple of hours from us.

Sent from my iPhone

[Andrea]

Such a beautiful post. I love, love, love, love all your pictures! :)

[Allison]

so beautiful! love all the pics!

[Linda S.]

Never too many pictures! I loved them all, looks like a lovely place.

[Helen]

Lovely post.

[Sherry Cartwright]

Beautiful photos. I would have been mesmerized by all the Christmas decorations and the spirit of the season. Love handmade and all its beauty.

[Jennifer]

Stunning, glad your family went!
Have simple like that in Chicago, glad we went, beautiful!

[Cele Schaffer]

Love to see these adventures! But gotta say that picture of your girls on Christmas is adorable!! Brightened my day.

[Raquel]

I don't think you need to worry about the right and wrong way to blog! Lol! The pictures were wonderful! You'll LOVE the German Christmas Markets too.

[Kim Delaney]

Absolutely beautiful!!

[Grace]

thank you for not following any blogging "rules" lol I love all the pictures it wasn't enough lol I am searching on line for the perfect Beffana. I have one from when I was little but put it away like a museum piece. Grace xoox

[Kristine]

Like many others...never too many pictures

[rkokes]

thanks for sharing so many pictures-loved seeing all the amazing ornaments!!

[CJ]

It looks absolutely magical, what a wonderful adventure. CJ xx

[SusanB]

Wow - just wow...I'll be adding this to my travel bucket list. It looks amazing and magical and wonderful.

[Vera W. Yates]

These are absolutely stunning! We plan on going to Italy in May and I can't wait to see this beautiful country.

[Patricia Dunbar]

truly magical....I could have looked at 1000 photos...soooo nice that you share your amazing experiences with us....I almost feel like I am there...(wish I was)....are you going to want to come home with his tour is done???? I think it would be hard!

Patricia
the PaperTemptress

[Helen]

Lovely photos..thanks for sharing this magical journey.

[natalie (QSOgirl)]

Oh wow!! This market looks absolutely amazing--and from your description sounds like it really was. I would have had serious problems trying not to buy every single ornament. So gorgeous!

[[email protected]]

We went to Munich Christmas market a few years ago and I must admit I was slightly disappointed. But then hubbie decided to get the train to Nuremberg and this restored my Christmas market love - you'll love it if you go next year. Although Bolzano looks magical. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a happy and peaceful 2015. Hugs to all x

[Linda E]

Thanks for sharing ALL of these beautiful pictures. So glad you don't listen to what people say you "should" do on your blog. That's what makes your blog one of my favorites. Hope you brought home some beautiful treasures! Merry Christmas!

[Candy]

Yup! Even as I write this I am looking at our treasures from a couple of years ago. Several ornaments that remind me dearly of our Christmas trip. I remember the freezing part too. Of course, hubby still talks about the drinks. Ha! But when I return it will be for long days and warm sunshine. Going at Christmas is special, but not at the top of the bucket list, at least not at my age. The photos are spectacular. So glad you have these memories.

[Rachel W]

Oh my word. This looks like a dream. A big fat Christmas dream! I think visiting a European Christmas market needs to go on my bucket list. This just looks so magical!

[[email protected]]

Oh Steph, what wonderful memories you all are making! I soooo enjoyed the pics! Thanks! Happy New Year to the Howells! Love, Ret

[Megan]

That looks amazing! I love all the photos!

[Jill Sprott]

Wow, what an experience! And I must say, I am a fan of photo-heavy posts. Keep 'em coming! :)

[Molly McCarthy]

No such thing as too many pictures! Thanks for sharing so many and especially the detailed ones. How much did you buy?

[Katherine]

Love the photos! The German Christmas markets were one of our favourite things when stationed in Germany with the British forces several years ago. x

[Glenda M Pitt]

Personnally I love pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing.

[k]

Love the photos! Happy New Year and God bless. k

[Laura]

I agree with Glenda M. in that I appreciate all the pictures. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see all those beautiful things in person. Your post has a variety of pictures and in that sense it doesn't feel photo heavy at all. Thanks for sharing the memories your making across the world ;-)

[CarrieH]

I love that you and your family are able to go on so many adventures (and that you share). This special time may never come again, so take thousands of pictures and record those memories every way you can. You have years to sort it all out later on. Thanks for sharing--love it.

[Karen C]

Never too many pictures! :) This market looks magical and truly Christmas-y. Thanks for sharing!

Do you get your kids a Christmas ornament each year? An ornament from Italy to have on their trees when they are grown would be very special. And if you got them all the same one then on each of their trees as grown ups they would have something the same as their sister's trees. My Mom did this and it is really cool to see the same ornaments on my brother's trees.

Please keep those photos coming!

[Stephanie Hackney]

Steph,

Thanks SOOOOO much for all the pix! You transported me right back to my childhood in Germany!

Back Story: My Dad's a retired Marine and my Mom's German and they met in Germany when she was a phone operator, and he was a Marine guard, at the consulate in Frankfurt. I spent much of my childhood in Germany with my Mom (when my Dad had tours on which we could not accompany him, and during summers).

Going to the Kristkindtmarkt was always magical for me - it's what meant the holiday season had begun! Wearing a furry coat, hat and mittens and sipping hot chocolate (or Maltzbier) and eating huge pretzels and cookies while walking around was the best part of visiting the Markt.

A few years back my hubby and I visited my Mom in Frankfurt and then drove down to Nurnberg for the market - it was Magical with a capital M! I was instantly transported back to my childhood. :)

If you do go to Nurnberg, be sure to visit one of the local Gasthaus restaurants just off the market square - amazing, traditional food!

And, grab some of the Nurnberger Lebkuchen, the best there is! It's super soft and yummy gingerbread and it's usually covered either with a sugar glaze (think glazed donut glaze only less sweet) or chocolate (the good German chocolate - yummy!).

As for whether or not you should include lots of photos, I say DO! Your photos did such a great job of capturing the event and the mood.

Happy New Year!

Steph

[tammyk.]

I'm a major fan of your blog, your beautiful family and your grand adventure! I love the photo heavy posts!! Thank you for including us in your life!!

[Jenni Hufford]

those ORNAMENTS!!!! so gorgeous!!! thank you for sharing!

[Michelle R]

The ornaments OMG! I'd have spent SO MUCH MONEY!
Wonderful photos! Loved this post!

Happy New Year!

[Shelbie]

Oh my. Bring on all the photos! I've always dreamed of visiting Italy and now I will dream of visiting near Christmas time. Thank you for sharing your lovely adventure.

[Martha]

Never worry about too many photos. You capture things that many of us will never see in real life. And beautifully!! You are an awesome photographer!

[Valerie]

So beautiful but I NEED more photos! Love hearing about and seeing photos of your wonderful adventures. Happy New Year Stephanie (my very favorite blogger and scrapbooker)!

[Leslee Cotterell-Barrow]

European Christmas markets are the BEST! Was married in Germany back in the day and loved visiting the Christmas markets in Germany! Would love to go back. Great photos to bring back wonderful memories for me!

[Kimber-Leigh]

stephanie, thank you for sharing these! your pictures are magical & oh, how i'd love to experience these markets some day! i think the second to last picture is my favorite--it just seems full of light and joy and all that the market should be! :)