Rome is where the heart is

Christmas in Rome is like a box of torroncini – you know that what you’re going to get is sweet, and that you’ll never get enough of it.

All Christmas roads lead to Rome. And that’s only fair because the Eternal City is where the celebration of Christmas originated – the first Christmas mass was celebrated at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore while the earliest known nativity was unveiled for the Rome Jubilee in 1300.

Seven centuries later, the Romans’ enthusiasm for Christmas is still as fresh as free flowing spumante.

The centre of attention is obviously the Vatican, particularly St Peter’s Square. Here, a huge Christmas tree and a life-size nativity are set-up. Then on Christmas Eve, the Pope celebrates midnight mass inside St Peter’s Basilica – thousands follow the mass on big screens in the square. The following day, the Pope delivers his Christmas message from the window of his apartment above the square.

Thousands of faithful also flock to see the Santo Bambino in the Church of Santa Maria Aracoeli. The original statue was carved in the 16th century from a piece of olive wood taken from the Garden of Gethsemane – according to legend, after the statue was carved, it miraculously painted itself. The original statue was stolen in the early 1990s and a new one was carved. On Christmas Eve, the statue is placed in the church’s crib.

Other piazzas also dress up in all their festive finery. For the whole month of December, Piazza Navona is transformed into a massive Christmas market selling nativity figures, decorations and Christmas treats. Another Christmas market is organised near the Castel Sant’Angelo while an outdoor ice-skating rink is set up in Piazza di Spagna.

Campo de’ Fiori celebrates New Year in old style – as the countdown reaches a screaming crescendo, the locals living in the square adhere to the vintage tradition of throwing old things out of the window. Lovely to see, but mind your head. Another New Year’s Eve highlight is the classical music concert held in Piazza del Quirinale in the presence of the President of the Italian Republic. Other concerts are organised in Piazza del Popolo and Piazza del Campidoglio.

The best way to enjoy Rome during Christmas is by staying in a B&B which is close to the main festive attractions. The Best B&B Rome Pantheon is close to its namesake, which during the Christmas season is a gathering point for Romans intent on making merry. Another good place to stay at is the Arco de’ Tolomei guesthouse, right in the heart of Christmas-card pretty Trastevere.

This being Italy, most celebrations involve sitting down at a table heavily laden with the great and the good. The traditional festive menu includes tortellini and cotechino con lenticchie – the lentils represent money, so the more you eat, the richer you will be in 2012. The menu is also heavy on fish – Romans feast on seafood salad, marinated eel and pasta with clams.

Of course, not all restaurants stick to the same menu, and most quartieri have their own specialties. In Trastevere, there is no faffing around food – dishes like marinated vegetables or pasta with pecorino cheese and pepper are an ode to stunning simplicity. In Pigneto, Roman classics are given a fresh, mostly organic, twist while in Testaccio, you will definitely have the best quinto quarto – offal – of your life.

After a celebratory dinner, leave some space for sweet treats – after all, greeting the New Year with a tray of panettone and torrone will ensure that it treats you well in return.

Tell us all about your Christmas travels at christmas@timesofmalta.com