Christmas in Puglia 2022
Christmas is the period of the year that the young and old await with trepidation. The lights, the decorations, the colors, and the flavors that we can only taste during this period of the year make us dive into the long-awaited Christmas atmosphere. So why not plan a nice trip around the 2022 Christmas markets in Puglia?
The markets not to be missed and the recipes of typical Christmas sweets in Puglia
The 2022 Christmas schedule in Puglia is very rich: the historic centers of the typical villages decorated with lights and wrapped in Christmas music will transport us to a magical reality full of surprises…
Christmas Markets in Puglia: Monopoli
Monopoli is filled with lights, colors, and sounds and offers a calendar full of events for all tastes. It starts on November 26th with the switching on of the lights in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.
On December 3rd, the first of a series of scheduled events include a light show on the fountains of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, followed by cabaret shows, musicals, and traveling bands that will cover the center with Christmas music.
An ice skating rink will be set up in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele from November 26th to January 8th, open every day from 10 AM to midnight.
For the little ones, Santa Claus Castle will be open on December 3rd, open every day from 5 to 9 PM and during holidays also from 10 AM to 1 PM. During the same hours, the Christmas market and craft market will also be set up, where you can find many gift ideas.
Christmas Markets in Puglia: Locorotondo
Locorotondo has been surprising for some years now for the schedule of Christmas events and for the installations whose photos have been shared around the web during the past years.
Also this year the Locorotondo program is full of events: it starts on November 20th with the switching on of the Christmas lights in the historic center where every corner is decorated, leaving visitors breathless.
The Christmas markets begin on November 28th and will continue until January 8th where you can buy decorations and many gift ideas.
It will be possible to book a guided tour in the historic center of Locorotondo to discover the history, traditions, and cuisine.
Christmas Markets in Puglia: Alberobello
It is worth visiting the country symbol of Puglia: Alberobello which always manages to give great emotions but represents a magical experience in a Christmas guise! The perfectly decorated historic center is filled with Christmas music and the lights are projected onto the cones of the trulli, creating a unique and absolutely unforgettable triumph of colors.
The living nativity scene is an experience not to be missed, it consists of 200 figures who narrate the story of the nativity from December 26- 29th and booking is mandatory.
From December 7th to January 6th the Christmas markets will take place in Alberobello with handicrafts and food and wine products.
Christmas Markets in Puglia: the markets not to be missed
Bari
Christmas in Bari begins, as per tradition, on December 6th, the day of San Nicola with the lighting of the large tree in Piazza del Ferrarese. The Christmas markets will take place on the wall of old Bari.
The village of Santa Claus will be set up in Piazza Umberto and will be inaugurated on December 8th. Events for the little ones will be organized every day.
Polignano a mare
The streets of this splendid village will come alive with live shows, a contemporary circus, street artists, storytellers, and a living nativity scene. The lanterns and the soft lights will bring the atmosphere back to the Christmas of the past…
Lecce
The Christmas markets in Lecce will start on December 7th and will remain until January 6th, and will take place in Piazza Mazzini.
From December 7 - 12th, is the chocolate festival in Piazza Sant'Oronzo where master chocolatiers from all over Italy will offer their chocolate decorations that will be available for purchase.
From December 8 - 22nd, the traditional fair of Santa Lucia, known as Fiera dei Pupi features the master puppeteers, skilled craftsmen of papier-mâché and terracotta.
Typical Christmas Sweets in Puglia: mandorle atterrate- “Landed Almonds”
Landed almonds are typical Apulian Christmas sweets made of only two ingredients: toasted almonds and dark chocolate. This dessert is very quick and simple to prepare and keeps for a very long time.
The original recipe calls for whole almonds, but some prefer to chop them. Even the choice of chocolate is at personal discretion: the original recipe calls for dark chocolate but nothing prevents you from using milk or white chocolate.
Ingredients
250 g toasted almonds
150 g dark chocolate
Preparation
Toast the almonds on a baking tray for about 15-20 minutes at 100° degrees according to the degree of toasting desired and let them cool. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler in a fairly large bowl.
Once completely melted, put the toasted almonds and turn them with a spoon until they are completely covered in chocolate.
Arrange small-sized cups on a tray and with the help of a teaspoon put about 5 almonds in each cup (if you want to make larger sweets, use larger cups).
Place in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, until the chocolate is completely solidified. Store the landed almonds in a container with a tightly closed lid.
Typical Christmas sweets in Puglia
The typical cartellate and the pettole, covered with abundant honey (or sugar or vincotto), will be the cuddle that will sweetly conclude a day spent with the people you love - around markets and nativities or simply at home, in the warmth of your fireplace.