A Roman Christmas
Outbound — Dec 20–21
Return — Dec 27
*Terminal typically used by British Airways for this route — we'll reconfirm exact terminal closer to departure, as assignments can shift.
+1 (615) 414-7128
Where You're Staying
The Style
Modern and trendy, two minutes' walk from Piazza di Spagna and steps from the Trevi Fountain and Via Condotti's high-end shopping. Rooms come with ETRO toiletries, a stocked minibar, and a 42" flat-screen.
After that date, cancellations or changes are subject to a fee equal to the first night's rate plus taxes and fees, per room.
Please note: the property is holding a credit card on file for this reservation, and no payment has been charged yet. If cancellation is not completed before the deadline above, the card on file will be charged for at least the first night's stay plus taxes, per room.
Hotel direct line: +39 06 98387006
Travel Protection
A quick note on the tour links throughout this itinerary: if a specific experience catches your eye, feel free to book it directly — most offer full refunds if canceled within 24 hours, though it's always worth checking the specific policy before booking.
One recommendation, though: we'd steer you away from purchasing the add-on trip insurance offered at checkout on individual tour platforms. Bought one experience at a time, that coverage gets fragmented and often costly for what it actually protects. Instead, Worldly Dream Travel works with two preferred partners for Travel Protection, covering your entire trip — flights, hotel, tours, everything — under a single plan that includes Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Emergency Medical/Health coverage.
Travel Guard
One of our longest-standing partners, chosen for consistently smooth claims experiences and clients who've come back trip after trip with good things to say.
Allianz
A globally recognized name in travel protection, and another supplier we trust after years of reliable coverage and strong client feedback.
We'll walk you through both options and get a plan in place once the rest of the trip is finalized — happy to answer any questions on coverage along the way.
Christmas Highlights & Must-Do's
A few seasonal experiences we think this family will love — more to come as we refine the plan together.
A Quiet Holiday Postcard
Best known as a fortress and former papal residence, Castel Sant'Angelo takes on a different character in December — its bridge lights spilling across the Tiber, making for a lovely transition between the Vatican and the historic center. The market here is smaller than Navona's, but that's part of the charm: a quieter, prettier moment worth building into the walk between the two.
A Christmas Walk Down Via del Corso
Via del Corso is lively year-round, but December turns it into a proper festive corridor — lit end to end from Piazza del Popolo down to the Altare della Patria. Once the lights switch on, the street fills with music, dressed-up shop windows, and small seasonal stalls. It's a natural stretch for shopping, but it also works as the connective thread of the day, linking the family's other Christmas market stops into one continuous walk.
A Shopping Street Worth Seeing
Before leaving the historic center, Via Condotti is worth building into the day on its own merits. It holds its own against Europe's other great luxury streets, but carries a warmth the others don't quite manage — and come the holidays, strings of lights suspended overhead turn the walk itself into part of the sightseeing, whether or not anyone's shopping.
Ice-Skating in Rome
After the mulled wine and Christmas sweets, lacing up a pair of skates is the natural next step. Several rinks open across the city each December, including the festive one inside Christmas World at Villa Borghese. For a bigger outdoor rink, the Ice Park at Foro Italico is a great option — and on a colder or rainy day, the rink at Galleria Porta di Roma has the advantage of being indoors, tucked inside a shopping center.
100 Presepi in Vaticano
A month-long exhibition of traditional nativity scenes ("presepi") displayed under the colonnade of St. Peter's Square, running from December 8 through January 6 — open daily 10am–7:30pm (5pm close on Dec 24 & 31). A moving, unhurried walk through the religious heart of the season, and an easy add-on to a Vatican day.
Note: the Vatican also hosts an annual Christmas concert in mid-December — we'll confirm the 2026 date and venue closer to the trip, as it varies year to year.
Spanish Steps, Christmas Edition
Alongside the twinkling lights of Via Condotti, the Spanish Steps themselves take on a quiet holiday glow — softly illuminated for as long as the season's decorations remain in place, turning the staircase into one of Rome's loveliest evening backdrops. The luxury boutiques lining the piazza join in with their own elegant window displays, so a stroll here in the evening feels less like sightseeing and more like wandering through a beautifully dressed stage set.
Rome's Christmas Markets
- Piazza Navona — the crown jewel, and the historical home of Rome's holiday markets. Daily, the baroque square fills with handmade toys, roasted chestnuts, a carousel dating back to 1896, and street performers. The crowd builds steadily through December, but the atmosphere stays joyful and family-friendly throughout. Runs from early December through the Epiphany on January 6.
- Piazza di Spagna — new this year: visitors can expect a charming market filled with high-quality crafts, elegant gifts, and festive stalls, all set against the backdrop of the beautiful Spanish Steps. A perfect spot to enjoy the holiday spirit while exploring the historic charm of Rome — especially convenient given the hotel search centered on that piazza.
- Piazza Risorgimento — right by St. Peter's Basilica, this market fills with decorative items for the house, handmade kitchenware, and costume jewelry, all set within a festive atmosphere with plenty to browse. An easy, natural pairing with a Vatican day.
- Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini — transforms into a festive gathering point this December, hosting one of Rome's neighbourhood Christmas markets. Tucked into the elegant Prati district, just beyond the Vatican walls, this square offers a distinctly local alternative to the more tourist-heavy markets elsewhere in the city. Here, Romans shop for gifts alongside visitors, and the atmosphere tends toward the genuinely convivial rather than the performatively picturesque. The market brings together artisan stalls selling handcrafted decorations, regional food products, and seasonal gifts — expect Umbrian ceramics, Tuscan honey, Calabrian preserves, and the sort of nativity figurines Italian families have been collecting for generations. The scent of roasted chestnuts and vin brûlé drifts through the air, mingling with the particular Roman combination of espresso and conversation.
Exact dates and vendor lineups shift slightly each year — we'll confirm specifics closer to December.
Itinerary at a Glance
Depart Nashville (BNA) on British Airways BA222 at 6:40 PM, arriving London Heathrow (Terminal 5) the morning of Dec 21 at 8:50 AM.
Connecting onward on British Airways BA554, departing Heathrow (Terminal 5) at 10:50 AM and arriving in Rome (FCO) at 2:30 PM local time on Dec 21.
Rome's neighborhoods are called rioni, and Trastevere is one of its most storied. The name means "across the Tiber" — the district sits just over the river from the city center, which is exactly where it gets its name. It was once home to fishermen and sailors drawn by the riverside location, but by the Imperial age, wealth had found its way in too: figures like Julius Caesar built villas here. That blend of old money and Middle Ages architecture is part of what gives Trastevere its charm today — cobbled streets, clusters of shops, bars, and restaurants, and old buildings with exposed woodwork make it a wonderful place to simply wander on a first evening in Rome.
Explore Trastevere Tour Options → Browse descriptions and tap the heart icon to save your favorites — we'll build the evening around whichever option feels right to you. Feel free to book directly as soon as you see availability that works — December is a very busy season, and spots move quickly.
The morning belongs to the Colosseo — not just from the stands, but from within it. With reserved access to the arena floor and the underground chambers below, the family will stand where gladiators and beasts once waited in the dark before stepping into the light, two thousand years of history settling in all at once.*
Lisa has been emailed the tickets and will need to bring a mobile or printed copy of the booking voucher, along with a government-issued ID for every participant — the name must match the tour registration.
- Arrive 15 minutes before the start time — no refunds for no-shows or late arrivals
- The tour may begin with either the Colosseum or the Palatine Hill/Forum — order isn't fixed
- Runs rain or shine, unless the site itself closes for safety reasons
- Only small bags allowed — no aerosols or sharp objects
- Mandatory security screening at every entry point — wait times vary and can be considerable in peak season; this is separate from (and not skipped by) the ticket line
- Meeting time is subject to change — Show Me Italy will call or text in advance if it does
From there, a short walk slips the group away from the crowds and into Rione Monti — Rome's oldest neighborhood, all narrow lanes and ivy-draped doorways — for a proper local lunch. A trattoria like Dar Bruttone or Ce Stamo A Pensà, tucked a few quiet streets from the amphitheater's shadow, serves the kind of handmade pasta and warm, unhurried hospitality that tourist-strip restaurants rarely manage.
Of Rome's 22 rioni, Monti is one of the most beloved. It wasn't always so genteel — in ancient times this was a rough, crowded quarter, long associated with the city's red-light district. Today it's almost unrecognizable: a favorite of local artists and creatives, full of independent boutiques, wine bars, and quiet corners that feel worlds away from the crowds a few streets over. What makes Monti special isn't a single sight to check off — it's the neighborhood itself, sitting practically in the shadow of the Colosseum yet keeping its own unhurried pace. A wonderful place to simply wander after a morning among the ruins.
It's also wonderfully central — a short walk from both the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia, and close enough to most of the historic center to reach comfortably on foot.
Monti's edge also holds one of ancient Rome's most fascinating corners: Trajan's Market, built around A.D. 100 and often called the world's first covered shopping mall. It anchored the great forum complex Emperor Trajan built on the north side of the Roman Forum, with Trajan's Column — dedicated in A.D. 113 — still standing nearby as its centerpiece. Many historians believe the market's arcades actually served as Trajan's administrative offices rather than shops. The structure rises across several levels, still open to explore today, with the remains of a library and delicate marble flooring among the highlights. It's also home to the Museo dei Fori Imperiali — a worthwhile branch-off from the Colosseum for anyone drawn to archaeology.
If there's time to linger, Piazza della Madonna dei Monti is the neighborhood's heart — a small square with a fountain, ringed by cafés. Locals treat its steps like a living room: lunch breaks by day, wine and conversation by night. A perfect spot to sit for a few minutes and simply watch the neighborhood go by.
The afternoon turns quieter and more personal, with a private or semi-private guide leading the family through the Roman Forum — past the very ground where Julius Caesar was struck down, and where his body was later carried and mourned by the Roman people. The path rises gently from there to Palatine Hill, where the view over the Forum's ruins, and the city spreading beyond them, makes for one of the most romantic afternoons Rome has to offer.
As evening falls, a final stop at the Trevi Fountain, glowing under its Christmas lights, closes the day the way it began — with a little bit of wonder.
Worth knowing: as of February 2026, Rome charges a small €2 fee to step into the roped-off area right at the basin's edge, daily from about 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM — it's a year-round policy now, not a seasonal one. The fee only applies to that closest viewing spot; the piazza itself, and simply seeing the fountain, remain free. After 10 PM, that area opens back up at no charge, which fits nicely with an evening visit like this one.
Another idea for another time: if you wish to learn more about the fountain and the "City of Water," Vicus Caprarius — a small excavated Roman domus and aqueduct cistern tucked just behind the fountain — is well worth a visit. It keeps its own hours (Tue–Sun, 11 AM–5 PM, closed Mondays) and isn't a fit for an evening stop, so it would need a free afternoon elsewhere in the trip.
*Arena floor and underground access are subject to availability and weather conditions.
Please note the Pantheon now requires a timed-entry ticket booked in advance — it's no longer a walk-up sightseeing stop. Tickets are also nominative, meaning each name on the ticket must match a photo ID at the door. We're not sure which platform these were booked through — if you can confirm, we're happy to double-check the details are all set. Tickets typically arrive as a QR code and are fine to show on a phone; a screenshot as backup is a good idea in case of spotty signal on the day.
The morning is booked and set: an 8:15 AM guided tour, running approximately 4 hours, through the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. This has been booked and paid in full through Project Expedition.
With the tour wrapping by early afternoon, there's time to ease into the rest of Christmas Eve — a relaxed lunch nearby, and a little time to breathe before the evening ahead.
Christmas Eve dinner: to be finalized.
Rome goes quiet on Christmas Day — most shops and monuments close, and the city settles into something closer to a family living room than a capital. It's the right day to slow all the way down. A peaceful walk through Trastevere makes for a lovely, unhurried way to spend the morning, with its cobbled streets and quiet corners feeling especially still on a day like this.
Christmas Day lunch is booked at Anavà, a gourmet spot inside Hotel Je Rome, just a few steps from the Trevi Fountain. Chef Danilo Mancini's menu takes playful, modern turns on classic Italian dishes — a lovely way to mark the day without needing to leave the historic center.
Website: anavaroma.it
A morning to split up, if the family likes: Galleria Borghese for Lisa and Steve (and any other adults who'd enjoy it), and Christmas World for the kids — both sit inside the same park, so meeting back up afterward is easy. Villa Borghese itself is worth savoring too — wide gravel paths, a lake with rowboats, and the kind of unhurried green space that's easy to miss on a faster-paced trip.
Slots are limited (as few as 180 visitors per 2-hour shift) and typically open about 10 days ahead — they can sell out quickly over the holiday period, so this is one worth booking as soon as the date is locked in.
Meanwhile, Christmas World — right in the same park — makes for a great morning for the kids: an ice rink, carousels, themed light installations, and a Santa's House for the younger ones.
In the afternoon, Testaccio is the neighborhood for it — Rome's old slaughterhouse district turned street food heartland, and the birthplace of the trapizzino. Mercato Testaccio, the covered local market, is full of small stalls turning out everything from suppli and porchetta panini to fresh pasta and Roman-Jewish specialties — a great, casual way to graze through a few bites rather than sit for a formal meal. A relaxed, walkable way to spend a couple of hours before regrouping for the evening.
A final unhurried evening from there — revisit a favorite piazza, linger a bit longer in Trastevere, and gather for a farewell family dinner.
The morning is also a good window for any last shopping — Via del Corso, Via dei Condotti, and Via Frattina are all close by and considerably calmer now that Christmas itself has passed, with post-holiday sales in full swing at many boutiques. A relaxed way to pick up any final gifts or a few things for the family before heading home.
Reservation details to follow.
An early start today — depart Rome (FCO) on British Airways BA563 at 7:50 AM, arriving London Heathrow at 9:50 AM.
Connecting onward on British Airways BA223, departing Heathrow at 1:10 PM and arriving into Nashville (BNA) at 4:40 PM.
It's an honor to be curating this custom Christmas holiday for your family. We'll be adding the final touches shortly, updating this itinerary as we go, right up through your departure.