Natale a Costigliole d'Asti
Costigliole d'Asti's Christmas programme, from the switching-on of the lights in early December to the band's Epiphany concert. At its centre is Il Castello di Natale, a craft market laid out through the heated rooms of the town's castle, with Father Christmas, workshops and a children's corner.
Why it's special
The market isn't a row of huts in a car park. Artists and craftspeople set out their work room by room inside the castle of Costigliole, so it goes ahead whatever the weather. Around it, many of the town's twenty-plus associations fill the month: the town band parades as 'Babbi musicali', the Alfieri flag-wavers march up to the castle, the Pro Loco pours hot chocolate and vin brulé, and the frazioni get their own lights and Christmas Eve toasts.
Programme · 2025
Natale a Costigliole 2025, put together by the Comune with the town's associations.
- The castle market is indoors and heated.
- In 2025 it was open 10:00–18:30 on its five days, with Father Christmas in the Sala degli Specchi from 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 18:00, so children can bring their letters.
- The craft workshops (wreaths, Kokedama, fan painting, Sumi-e) take ten people at most.
- The family films at the Teatro Cinema Comunale are pay-what-you-like.
- The programme goes up on visitcostigliole.it in early December; for the market, write to mercatini@costigliole.it.
In December Costigliole d'Asti moves its Christmas into the castle. Il Castello di Natale is a market of artists and craftspeople set out through the castle's rooms, with gift ideas, a children's corner, workshops where you make a wreath or try Japanese Sumi-e painting, and Father Christmas waiting in the Sala degli Specchi to collect letters. Because it's indoors and heated, it's one of the few Christmas markets in the area that doesn't depend on the weather. It runs over one or two weekends in the first half of December; in 2025 it also opened on the 8 December holiday.
The rest of the programme belongs to the town's associations. The lights go on in the centre and the frazioni at the start of the month. On the market's last Sunday the band plays its way up to the castle dressed as Father Christmases, the Alfieri flag-wavers follow, and the Pro Loco hands out hot chocolate and vin brulé. There are children's concerts in the parish church, a tombola in Boglietto on St Stephen's Day, family films at the town theatre between Christmas and New Year, and the band's Epiphany concert on 5 January to close the season.
The new programme is published in late November or early December; the last two years are above. If you come for the market, the same weekend is a good time to taste Barbera at the town's cellars: in 2026 Tenuta Ronzano pairs it with bollito on 12–13 December.
More events in Monferrato in January 2026 →
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Past editions
| Year | Dates | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | Natale a Costigliole 2025, put together by the Comune with the town's associations. Fri 5 Dec, 17:30 – Christmas lights switched on in Costigliole and the frazioni 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 Dec, 10:00–18:30 – Il Castello di Natale: craft and artists' market through the castle rooms, a crocheted Christmas tree by the Uncinettine di Costigliole, children's area, Father Christmas and letters (10:00–12:00 and 15:00–18:00), workshops (wreaths, cards, Kokedama, fan painting, Sumi-e), bar 13–14 Dec – "Un poster per la pace", the Lions Club drawing competition by pupils of the Bellone middle school, Sala delle Rose and Sala dei Valletti in the castle; prize-giving Sat 13 at 10:00 Sun 14 Dec, 10:00 – the Complesso Bandistico Costigliolese parades as "Babbi musicali" from Piazza Medici to the castle Sun 14 Dec, 15:00 – Gli Alfieri flag-wavers and musicians march from Piazza Umberto to the castle; 16:00 hot chocolate and vin brulé from the Pro Loco inside the castle Sun 14 Dec, 18:00 – "Aspettando il Natale": Christmas music and stories for children with SymphoniaM, parish church Christmas Eve – vin brulé from the Alpini after the 21:00 mass in the parish church; panettone, hot chocolate and vin brulé after the 23:30 masses in Boglietto and Motta Fri 26 Dec, 20:00 – Tombola di Santo Stefano, parish hall in Boglietto Sat 27 Dec and Sat 3 Jan, 15:30 – family films at the Teatro Cinema Comunale (pay what you like) Mon 5 Jan, 21:00 – Epiphany concert by the Complesso Bandistico Costigliolese, parish church |
| 2024 | 6 December 2024 – 5 January 2025 | "Il Natale a Costigliole" 2024, by the Comune with the town's associations. Fri 6 Dec, 18:00 – Christmas lights switched on in the town and the frazioni Sat 14 – Sun 15 Dec, 10:00–18:00 – Il Castello di Natale: craft and local-produce market in the castle with about 30 exhibitors; "Appuntamento con Babbo Natale" 11:00–12:30 and 15:00–18:00; free children's workshops 14–15 Dec – "Un poster per la pace", the Lions Club drawing exhibition, former church of the Confraternita della Misericordia Sun 15 Dec, 15:00 – "Voci di Natale per le vie del paese": the primary-school choir with the Complesso Bandistico Costigliolese and Gli Alfieri, from Piazza Scotti; 16:00 hot chocolate from the Pro Loco Sat 21 Dec, 21:00 – "Historia de un amor", tango theatre by Somos Tango, Teatro Comunale Sun 22 Dec, 18:00 – "Aspettando il Natale", Christmas music and stories for children, parish church Fri 27 Dec, 21:00 – "Spiriti a Pembrokeshire", Christmas show by the Belli Da Morire, Teatro Cinema Comunale (pay what you like) 29 Dec, 3 Jan and 5 Jan, 15:30 – family films at the theatre (pay what you like) Sun 5 Jan, 21:00 – Epiphany concert by the Complesso Bandistico Costigliolese, parish church |