Christmas in the Castelli Romani (Christmas Village)

A Christmas village inside a historic palace

Christmas in the Castelli Romani is the holiday event that brings Genzano di Roma to life every December, located in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region. The venue is not a tent or just any square: it is Palazzo Sforza Cesarini, a historic residence that dominates the town center and overlooks Lake Nemi. The palace halls are decorated as an authentic Santa Claus village, making the visit a perfect opportunity to discover a piece of local heritage that many only see from the outside for the rest of the year.

What to find inside

The experience is designed primarily for children, but adults will enjoy it too. Inside the palace, you will find:

• creative workshops and artistic activities, which change from week to week;
• face painting;
• elves who tell stories and guide the little ones from room to room;
• the Lego room, which is always very popular;
• the letter drop-off area, with the chance to meet and hug Santa Claus.

The weekly program is not fixed: it is updated regularly on the event's Facebook page, featuring different guests and activities each weekend. If you want to be sure to find a specific activity, it is best to check the calendar before you set off.

Artisans, gifts, and markets

Next to the village, artists and artisans set up their stalls with handmade creations: a small market section that allows you to finish your Christmas shopping while supporting local craftsmanship. In recent years, the setup of the stalls has been curated in collaboration with local associations, including APS Un Attimo Per Noi, together with the Pro Loco of Genzano and the Fondazione Giovanni Campaniello onlus.

The skating rink and the rest of the Genzano Christmas

On Piazzale Sforza Cesarini, in front of the palace, an ice skating rink is set up with Christmas lighting: in the 2025 edition, it was called Mariposa on Ice, managed by the ASL Roller Skating Club of Genzano, and remained open until Epiphany. The village does not exist in isolation: it is part of the wider municipal Christmas program, which offers guided tours of the palace, exhibitions, circus shows for families, and Christmas concerts in Piazza Tommaso Frasconi during the same weeks.

Genzano di Roma and the Castelli

Genzano is best known for the Infiorata in June, the carpet of petals that covers Via Belardi. The Christmas event is more recent and on a different scale, but it serves a precise purpose: to give the Castelli Romani a winter event for families just a few kilometers from Rome, at a time when the area is less frequented by tourists. The formula—historic palace, symbolic entrance fee, continuous activities for children—has worked since the first editions and has made the event a fixed stop in the December calendar of the Colli Albani, easily reachable from Albano Laziale, Ariccia, Velletri, and Lanuvio.

Tips for your visit

The best time to go is on weekend afternoons, when the program is at its busiest, though it can get crowded: those traveling with small children might find the morning shift more comfortable. It is worth combining your visit to the village with a walk on the viewpoint overlooking Lake Nemi and a stop at one of the town's bakeries to buy the famous Genzano homemade bread (IGP).