Tomorrow we head to Paris then on to London for Christmas. I am told by Italian friends that the Christmas lights in Paris are fantastic. I am excited to see them as Roma just is not as sparkly this year as it has been.
The tree in Piazza Venezia is grand, and the one in Piazza San Pietro certainly is grand, although we have not been able to get over there at night yet. (We have until January 6 to do so.) Many of the lights in Roma are sweet, subdued, befitting Roma’s usual level of lighting, soft and amber.
I am disappointed that Via del Corso is lacking lights this year. For the past four holiday seasons, lights have been strung from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia. This year — at least as of last Thursday — nothing! I guess that goes along with the scaled-down mercatino in Piazza Navona. We haven’t made it down there since it opened late last week, but it is supposed to be more about games for kids and Christmas decorations and artisanal items, instead of the junky atmosphere of years gone by. That sounds nice because it has been pretty cheesy in the past, though the children loved it. I hope to get down there at New Years.
So before we skip town, here are a few holiday scenes from Roma. At the bottom of this post, you’ll see four years of lights in Via Del Corso, from 2011-2014. Sad the tradition has not continued.
Auguri everyone! I’ll write from Paris in a few days.
Love the tree juxtaposed against the Colosseo.
More lights in the historical center. Nothing too garish.
Looks like they used the 2012 lights from Via del Corso on this street a couple of blocks away.
Sparkling ball, one of a series hung above one small street.
Giant Menorah in Piazza Barberini.
Umbrellas floating over a street near the French Embassy.
A side street in the historical center.
Tree in Piazza Venezia, nearing completion.
Piazza San Pietro. The tree is large, but dwarfed by the basilica, as is everything in Roma.
Tree in Piazza San Pietro.
Close up of the creche in Piazza San Pietro.
The entire creche at San Pietro is huge.
Pilgrims arriving to go through the Jubilee Door at San Pietro. The Jubilee started along with the Christmas season on Dec, 8.
Tree and nativity in the lobby of our building. Traditionally the portiere puts up a tree.
Nativity scene in the lobby of our apartment building.
Via del Corso 2011, 150th anniversary of the Italian State.
Via del Corso 2012
Via del Corso 2013
Via del Corso 2014
Girovaga 