Christmas World Rome Review: Is It Worth Visiting?
If you already know me a little, it is no surprise that I am more of a summer than a winter person, and my mom and I have a yearly tradition of counting down the days until spring. The only thing that really keeps me going during this time of year is, of course, nothing less than Christmas. Christmas is, especially for someone who lives abroad, truly something to look forward to, and I am always ready to immerse myself in the Christmas spirit.
This year in Rome, in Villa Borghese, you can find Christmas World, a Christmas village that is, according to their website, the biggest in Europe.
On the 13th of December, my friend and I went to visit Christmas World to have a day filled with holiday joy and, of course, to review it. Since we are both from the Benelux, and my friend even lived in Vienna for a couple of years, we considered ourselves worthy of judging a good Christmas village. You can visit Christmas World in Rome until the 11th of January, and by the end of this post you will know whether I think it is worth going or not.
What is Christmas World Rome
As I mentioned above, Christmas World is a Christmas village located in Villa Borghese in Rome, and it is open from the 29th of November until the 11th of January. It is very easy to get there by public transport, as you can take the metro to the Flaminio metro station and from there walk five to ten minutes to the entrance of the Christmas village.
Once you arrive in Villa Borghese, you really cannot miss it, as it is a huge area covering around 40,000 square meters. Christmas World includes different themed areas, with eleven attractions, as well as musicals, shows, performers, shops, and food stalls. When I say attractions, think of an ice rink, a slide, small coasters, carousels, and more. Overall, with all the lights and decorations, it truly feels like a Christmas spectacle.
Highlights and Impressions
Upon arriving, I have to say I got a little scared, because as far as the eye could reach, I only saw families with small children. I wondered if we, as women in our twenties, were maybe not the right audience for Christmas World. While families with kids are clearly the main target audience, I can still say that I enjoyed Christmas World very much.
First of all, the village looks absolutely amazing. There are different sections, each with its own theme based on a city. You will find Berlin, London, New York, and even Paris, complete with a small Eiffel Tower. There were many more attractions than I anticipated, with lots of funfair-style rides, all decorated in full Christmas style.
What I also loved is that throughout the village there are many performers, such as elves and other Christmas creatures, who clearly love their job. It really warmed my heart to see them interacting with the kids, and it adds so much to the Christmas vibes. The shops are also fun, with Christmas decoration stores and even one where you can create your own teddy bear.
While the attractions are not included in your ticket, which I will get into later, the musical performances and other shows, such as the twice-daily parade, are included in the price. I think this is a great addition to the Christmas village.
Food and Drinks
When it comes to a Christmas market or village, I think the food and drinks on offer are very important. While I was not really wowed by the food, I also did not have the chance to try everything, so maybe I could have been surprised. There are definitely a lot of options, ranging from cute cafés with pastries to supplì, churros, and pizza fritta, as well as more fair-style foods like fries, hot dogs, burgers, and of course hot chocolate.
What I really liked is that the food stands are also slightly themed, depending on which section of the village they are in. I thought that was a very cute detail. In general, I was not disappointed with the food selection, but should you go there specifically for the food and drinks? I do not think so. Also, as expected at this type of event, the food can be quite expensive.
Crowds and Organisation
Since I am a true Virgo, I really appreciate good organisation. Christmas World is very well organised, everything feels professional and well prepared, and they even have their own app. In this app, you can find a map of the village with all the attractions, food stands, toilets, and the schedule for shows and parades.
I am not sure how necessary this app really is, but if you like to do some extra research or planning before your visit, I can definitely recommend downloading it.
My friend and I visited Christmas World on a Saturday, which is obviously one of the busiest days, but it still did not feel overly crowded. There are plenty of spacious areas, so you do not feel squeezed in, which can sometimes be the case at traditional Christmas markets.
Tickets and Practical information
The prices for Christmas World tickets vary a little depending on whether you are visiting during off-peak, standard, or peak season. I visited during the standard period and paid €16.50 for a ticket, which I think is quite expensive. From ages 13–17, you can get a youth discount ticket, and children aged 4–12 can get a child discount ticket. Children under 4 can enter the village for free.
Included in your ticket are, of course, the entrance, the musicals, the parades, and other shows. There are also some additional activities, especially for children, and for the full list I recommend checking the official website. All the attractions and food stands are not included in the ticket price, and the attractions range from €3 to €6 per activity per person. I can imagine that if you are visiting with your family, this can make for a very expensive day.
Christmas World is open every day from 10:00 to 20:00, with a few exceptions during the holidays, which you can find on their website.
Is Christmas World Rome Worth Visiting?
The most important question is, of course: is Christmas World in Rome worth visiting? To this, I would answer: yes. If I were to rank my overall experience, I would give it a 7.
First of all, I think Christmas World works best for families. There were a lot of children present, and you can really see why this is the target audience. However, that does not mean that adults cannot enjoy Christmas World. I had a great time admiring all the decorations, listening to the Christmas music, enjoying the food, and just the general vibes. We visited during the day, but I can totally imagine it being even more beautiful in the evening, with all the Christmas lights.
In the end, I think Rome was missing something like this, and I really appreciate Christmas World for filling that gap. The design is great, with all the decorations and attention to detail, and even their website and Instagram are very well thought out and beautiful. Would I go again? Yes. If Christmas World returns to Rome next year, I would definitely go again, maybe in the evening to enjoy all the Christmas lights.
That said, if you prefer a Christmas village that is a little less oriented toward children, Christmas World may not be the best fit for you.
