Buon Natale: Sina Brufani, Maria Luigia & Astor are Italy’s Best Kept Holiday Secrets

Italy’s villages are magical places to spend the holidays.

For music lovers, they may be drawn to La Sterza, the birthplace of Christmas carol legend, Andrea Bocelli.

From November to the end of December you’ll also find towns throughout the country celebrating:

• with outdoor Christmas markets,
• tales of La Befana (an old woman riding a broom who delivers gifts),
• living nativity scenes,
• and larger than life Christmas trees.

Below are three recommendations to escape the European crowds this festive season, live like a local, and discover under-the-radar destinations with Sina hotels, the longest standing collection of hotels owned by the same family within Italy:

• Perugia – Christmas markets in Pergia, the historic center of Umbria’s capital, line the underground halls and alleyways of the Rocca Paolina, a 15th century fortress. The first and only luxury 5-star hotel in historic downtown, Sina Brufani, is a short drive away from the world’s largest Christmas tree (honored by the record books in 1981 and measuring over 2,200 feet tall) in Gubbio. Its restaurant, Collins, boasts an expansive balcony to admire the lit hillside below.
• Viareggio – From the end of November until January 7, the charming town of Viareggio, nestled in Northern Tuscany on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, transforms into Father Christmas village celebrating the delicacies of the territory, with entertainment, illuminations, and charity toy drives. From Sina Astor, a seafront hotel that overlooks the white sand beaches, guests are encouraged to borrow electric bikes to peddle to and from the village.
• Parma – The artistic city of Parma in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna could easily be confused with a Hallmark movie set with colorful twinkling lights illuminating its cobblestone laneways. During the festive season, Fairs of Parma welcome the Winter Jamboree, Christmas Markets, and workshops for children. Sina Maria Luigia, an art forward hotel, is located close to all the action and a charming location to feel like a local.