Christmas Markets and Lights in Valle d’Itria

Monopoli: Illuminandia

 

In Monopoli, Christmas lights up with Illuminandia, a huge light park that combines traditional Apulian illuminations with scenic installations spread between the old town and the seafront.

From 5 December, when the majestic 22-metre light tree in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is switched on, the town turns into an emotional route made of colours, symbols and light effects that guide residents and visitors through the whole winter.

The heart of the project is the Parco delle Altalene delle Stelle a 15,000 m² area with giant swings inspired by the zodiac signs – free to access and designed to let adults and children “swing among the stars”.

A few steps away you’ll find:

• the Cupola della Neve in Piazza Palmieri, an immersive installation of lights and music

• the Natività Luminosa in Piazza Garibaldi, recalling the most intimate and spiritual side of Christmas

Created by Faniuolo Illuminazioni, a historic company from Putignano, Illuminandia is not just a Christmas decoration, but a true urban storytelling project: a light trail that invites you to walk, take photos, stop, and rediscover Monopoli with the same wonder as a child in front of a city turned into an open-air light gallery.

Locorotondo: the Borgo delle Meraviglie

Locorotondo is the beating heart of Christmas in Valle d’Itria: the historic centre fills with lights, decorations and creative installations that turn every alley into a picture-perfect postcard.

Christmas lights 2025

• Switch-on of the Christmas lights:  for 18 November 2025 at 5:00 p.m., with an opening celebration in the historic centre.

• Christmas lights and “Natale nel Borgo delle Meraviglie” period: from mid-November to 11 January 2026, with the village fully lit up and a rich calendar of events.

The lights decorate:

• Via Nardelli (the panoramic balcony)

• Corso Umberto

• Piazza Mitrano

• and the whole historic centre

with light arches, themed installations and plenty of Instagram-friendly corners.

Christmas market dates and locations

• Dates: from 30 November 2025 to 6 January 2026

• Where:

  • Piazza Aldo Moro

  • the public gardens (villa comunale)

  • the streets around the Town Hall

Here you’ll find local handicrafts, Christmas decorations, nativity scenes, typical products, street food, and on the busiest evenings, live music and family shows.
The Christmas market usually opens in the afternoon and evening, with extended hours at weekends.

Alberobello: Christmas markets among the trulli and Christmas Lights

If you imagine the trulli lit up like in a Christmas movie, Alberobello is a must-see stop on your Valle d’Itria Christmas lights itinerary.

Christmas Lights 2025

Christmas lights and luminous installations wrap:

• Rione Monti and Aia Piccola

• Largo Martellotta

• the route leading to the trullo-shaped church of Sant’Antonio

Lights are planned from 5 December 2025 to 5 January 2026, with videomapping and light shows projected directly onto the trulli.

Christmas Village among the Trulli & markets

According to the 2025 programme published by Visit Puglia, the main attractions include:

Christmas Food & Wine Village among the Trulli

• Dates: from 6 December 2025 to 6 January 2026

• Where: Piazza del Popolo and surrounding areas

• What you’ll find:

  • wooden chalets serving crêpes, panzerotti, pettole, traditional sweets, olive oil, local wines

  • stalls with handicrafts and Christmas products

  • hands-on workshops on orecchiette pasta and local crafts

Santa’s House & ice rink

• Dates: from 6 December 2025 to 6 January 2026

• Where: in the Christmas Village area
  Perfect for families: children can meet Santa Claus and ice skate literally at the feet of the trulli.

Living Nativity Scene

• Dates: from 26 to 29 December 2025
  Set among the trulli, with costumed characters and period scenery.

The Christmas market opening hours are usually:

• Weekdays: afternoons and evenings (from around 4:00 p.m. until late)

• Weekends and holidays: often all day long, with continuous opening.

Martina Franca: the Christmas Village

Martina Franca brings Christmas into its baroque setting, among elegant palaces and incredibly scenic squares.

Santa’s Village and Christmas markets

In the historic centre, the Christmas programme usually includes:

• Santa’s Village

• more than 40 stands of handicrafts and food & wine products

• an ice rink 

• a tourist train running through the main shopping streets

• fairground rides for children and the chance to hand deliver letters to Santa

Typical opening hours:

• Weekdays: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

• Weekends and holidays: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

This is one of the most complete Christmas markets in Valle d’Itria for families, combining shopping, entertainment and lights.

Cisternino: Natale Magico

Natale Magico a Cisternino turns this characteristic Valle d’Itria village into an open-air stage dedicated to the holidays.

The core of the event is the living nativity scene, set up in the historic centre on 26 and 30 December and on 2 and 6 January: a route through alleys and small squares where the Nativity comes to life thanks to costumed actors and scenes spread across the most atmospheric corners of the town.

The narrow streets of the village light up with Christmas installations and decorations, wrapping Cisternino in a warm and festive atmosphere.

At nightfall, Christmas music becomes the soundtrack of the old town: from gospel and classic carols to modern DJ sets, culminating in a big New Year’s Eve live concert to welcome the new year together.

Foodies can explore the authentic flavours of the area thanks to stalls devoted to tasting and selling local products: a journey through scents, traditional recipes and food & wine specialities telling the story of the soul of Valle d’Itria.

The Christmas markets are unmissable, with stalls full of handicrafts, unique pieces and original decorations to make your home even more special during the festive season.
Wandering among the stands feels like travelling between tradition and contemporary creativity.

To make the event truly family-friendly, the programme also includes games and entertainment for both adults and children, all about sharing and having fun together.

To complete the picture, Christmas-themed exhibitions invite visitors to discover the more cultural side of the holidays, between visual arts and references to local heritage: a chance to experience Cisternino not only as a fairy-tale backdrop, but also as a place of history, art and memory linked to Christmas.

Ostuni: Zucchero e Cannella

Ostuni, the famous White City overlooking the Adriatic Sea, turns into a huge light park at Christmas, with the fifth edition of its Christmas village Zucchero e Cannella.

From 6 to 8 December 2025, Viale Pola and Piazza Italia are wrapped in a magical atmosphere, becoming a proper Christmas village dedicated to families, visitors and fans of local traditions.

To make the experience even more special, there will be live music performances and striking light installationsguiding visitors along the whole route, surrounding them with a warm, festive and genuinely authentic atmosphere.

Opening hours

• 6 December: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

• 7 December: 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

• 8 December: 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Free entry

Zucchero e Cannella is the perfect occasion to experience Ostuni in a mood of joy, flavour and togetherness, completely immersed in the truest and most genuine Christmas spirit.

               Where to stay in Valle d’Itria during the Christmas markets

To make the most of the Christmas markets and lights in Valle d’Itria, the best option is to stay in a trullo or a masseria near Locorotondo, Alberobello or Cisternino: you’ll be right in the middle of the Christmas lights triangle and can easily move from one village to another.

                                                          With HelloApulia you can book:

• Trulli and villas with countryside views for those who want total peace and quiet

• Apartments in historic centres if you prefer to experience the Christmas lights on foot, without using the car

All of this with the comfort of a holiday home in Puglia that lets you enjoy the markets in the evening and then come back home to relax in the heart of Valle d’Itria.