Toy and Epiphany Stocking Fair at Piazza Mercato
The Befana Village in the historic heart of Naples
About Toy and Stocking Fair
A Christmas tradition in the historic heart of Naples
In the municipality of Naples, in Campania, the Toy and Stocking Fair is the event that officially closes the city's Christmas festivities. It takes place in the days immediately preceding Epiphany, between Piazza Mercato and Piazza del Carmine, two spaces that tell centuries of Neapolitan history: these were once the city's great market squares, overlooked by the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Carmine Maggiore with its bell tower, one of the tallest in the city. For three days, the entire area returns to what it has always been: a square of exchange, voices, and people.
The Befana Village
The heart of the event is the Befana Village, set up with around fifty wooden stalls and festive lights that trace a continuous path between the two squares. The stalls offer the typical assortment for the eve of Epiphany:
- toys of every kind and price range, from traditional folk items to the latest trends;
- Befana stockings, either pre-filled or ready to be customized;
- sweets, nougat, candies, and chocolate;
- Christmas decorations and homeware;
- Neapolitan street food and traditional winter flavors, from roasted chestnuts to fried pizza.
The atmosphere is distinctly Neapolitan, like a neighborhood festival expanded to the whole city: entire families walking from the historic center, children with stockings in hand, inflatables and entertainment, and marching bands crossing the square.
Music, parades, and concerts in churches
The program complements the fair with a calendar of free events. The days open with parades and brass bands moving through the squares, while the evenings move inside the district's historic churches, returned to the public thanks to the event. The Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore, a 14th-century Gothic jewel, and the Church of Santa Maria la Scala host free concerts with mandatory reservation; on the final evening, guided tours are added to Sant'Eligio and San Giovanni a Mare, with evening and night slots.
The Epiphany White Night
The grand finale is the white night on January 5th: a large concert in the square starting at 9 PM, featuring artists from the Neapolitan music scene and comedians, with celebrations continuing until morning, when the Befana finally reaches the homes. It is the moment when the fair reaches its peak attendance and the Piazza Mercato area remains alive throughout the night.
A gesture of solidarity
Linked to the fair is the initiative "Donate a toy that brings a smile", which in 2026 reached its twenty-eighth edition: visitors to the village can leave a toy intended for children from local families in difficulty. This is one of the reasons why the event is supported by neighborhood associations and the II Municipality.
A neighborhood to rediscover
The fair is also an opportunity to traverse a part of Naples often off the beaten tourist path: the Borgo Orefici, the historic citadel of goldsmiths, the ancient workshops of the Market, and the alleys between Corso Umberto I and the sea. Visitors arriving for a Befana stocking end up discovering one of the oldest and most authentic cores of the city.
Organizers
The event is promoted by the Tourism Department of the Municipality of Naples together with the II Municipality and a network of local entities: the Forum for the Promotion of the Mercato Orefici Territory, the Musicant Association, Assogioca, the Antiche Botteghe Mercato, and the Antico Borgo Orefici Consortium. Admission to the fair and all events is free.
Toy and Stocking Fair — edition 2026
Three days of the Befana Village
For Epiphany 2026, Piazza Mercato and Piazza del Carmine hosted the customary Befana Village, with 54 wooden stalls and festive lights open from 11 AM until midnight. Alongside toys and stockings to fill, there was plenty of room for sweets, Christmas decorations, and traditional Neapolitan winter flavors.
Concerts and open churches
The evening program relied on the district's churches: the Church of Santa Maria la Scala hosted a concert by Alfio Lombardi and the Italian Orchestra with a tribute to Renzo Arbore, while the Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore welcomed the That's Napoli Live Show directed by maestro Carlo Morelli. Both were free with mandatory reservation.
The white night of January 5th
Grand finale with the white night: guided tours of Sant'Eligio Maggiore and San Giovanni a Mare and, from 9 PM, the concert in the square with Mavi, Ditelo Voi, Mr. Hyde, and Gino Da Vinci, followed by celebrations until morning. During the event, the twenty-eighth edition of the solidarity initiative Donate a toy that brings a smile was launched.
Programme Toy and Stocking Fair 2026
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026
- Opening of the village: wooden stalls in Piazza Mercato and Piazza del Carmine, from the afternoon until midnight
- 6:00 PM — Disney-themed inaugural parade
- 7:30 PM — Performance by the Fanfare of the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment of the Garibaldi Brigade and launch of the 28th edition of "Donate a toy that brings a smile"
- 8:30 PM — Church of Santa Maria la Scala: concert by Alfio Lombardi and the Italian Orchestra, tribute to Renzo Arbore (free admission with mandatory reservation)
Sunday, January 4th, 2026
- Village open from 11 AM to midnight: toys, stockings, sweets, decorations, and Neapolitan street food
- 7:30 PM — Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore: "That's Napoli Live Show", directed by maestro Carlo Morelli (free admission with mandatory reservation)
Monday, January 5th, 2026 — Epiphany White Night
- Village open from 11 AM until late at night
- 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 11:00 PM, and 12:00 AM — Guided tours of the Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore and the Church of San Giovanni a Mare
- 9:00 PM — Grand free concert in Piazza Mercato with Mavi, Ditelo Voi, Mr. Hyde, and Gino Da Vinci
- Followed by — White night celebrations until the morning of Epiphany
Highlights Toy and Stocking Fair 2026
- 54 wooden stalls between Piazza Mercato and Piazza del Carmine, open from 11 AM to midnight
- Disney inaugural parade and Fanfare of the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment
- Concert by the Italian Orchestra with Alfio Lombardi, tribute to Renzo Arbore, at Santa Maria la Scala
- "That's Napoli Live Show" by maestro Carlo Morelli at Sant'Eligio Maggiore
- Evening and night guided tours at Sant'Eligio Maggiore and San Giovanni a Mare
- White night of January 5th with Mavi, Ditelo Voi, Mr. Hyde, and Gino Da Vinci
- 28th edition of the solidarity collection "Donate a toy that brings a smile"
Prices Toy and Stocking Fair 2026
Practical information — Toy and Stocking Fair
Location
Piazza Mercato and Piazza del Carmine, in the historic center of Naples (Mercato-Pendino area), a few steps from Corso Umberto I and the Borgo Orefici.
How to get there
- Train: Naples Central Station (Piazza Garibaldi), about a 15-minute walk along Corso Garibaldi and Corso Umberto I.
- Metro: Line 1, Università or Duomo stop; Line 2, Piazza Garibaldi stop.
- Car: The area is congested during the event and largely pedestrianized; it is advisable to leave the car in a city center parking lot and continue on foot or by public transport.
- Plane: Naples-Capodichino Airport, connected to the center by the Alibus shuttle.
Hours and prices
The wooden stalls are open from morning until midnight during the main days. Free admission to the fair and all shows. For concerts hosted in the churches, mandatory reservation is required, though admission remains free.
Tips
- Evening hours, especially the white night on January 5th, are the most crowded: those traveling with small children should prefer the afternoon.
- Bring cash: many stalls do not accept electronic payments.
- Take advantage of the visit to see the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Carmine Maggiore and the Church of Sant'Eligio Maggiore, both overlooking the fair area.
Contacts
Forum for the Promotion of the Mercato Orefici Territory — [email protected] — tel. +39 081 6129420.
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Where does it take place — Toy and Stocking Fair
Piazza Mercato e Piazza del Carmine
Piazza Mercato, 80139 Napoli