Rome is especially beautiful at Christmas time. The Spanish Steps is a perfect place to start, close to the most exclusive shopping streets where the famous designer boutiques – Valentino, Prada and Dior among them – put on magnificent window displays. Romans and tourists alike come to marvel at the lights and decorations, buying bags of warm chestnuts to eat as they stroll along the streets.
Christmas in Rome officially starts on 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when the lights are lit on the city’s Christmas trees. Rome’s most famous tree is the one in Piazza Venezia but my own favourite is the even taller tree in St Peter’s Square. The atmosphere is magical, with the Basilica in the background and a large nativity scene close by, this year designed by a Peruvian artist.
For the past four years the Vatican has hosted the 100 Presepi exhibition, featuring nativity cribs from Italy and across the world. This year, because of Covid restrictions, it is outside in the Colonnade of St Peter’s Square but I think that makes it even more special.
The famous Christmas Market in Piazza Navona has been cancelled again this year but outside the Auditorium in the Parco della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano, there is an ice rink and market with street musicians and artists. The Auditorium itself hosts wonderful Christmas concerts throughout December and January including rock, classical and Gospel music.
For me, Christmas is most especially a time for my family, to gather together, to eat together and to remind ourselves of the best family memories. It is traditional in Rome to eat fish on Christmas Eve, perhaps spaghetti alle vongole and fried artichokes. On Christmas Day we eat roast lamb or pasta – fettuccine, cannelloni or lasagne perhaps – and we always finish with panettone, an essential Christmas treat.
Right across Rome’s property market, the past year has been busier than we could ever have predicted. Sales have been significantly better than 2020 of course but also better than 2019. We registered around 32,000 sale transactions in 2019, 29,500 in 2020 and are expecting 40,000 by the end of this year, making 2021 the best year for the past decade.
The type of properties that people want have changed, just as they have in many cities worldwide. Our homes have to be places to live, work, socialise and relax and buyers want not only space but also well-designed, comfortable homes with excellent facilities, playrooms for children, fitness centres, good security and a concierge. They want an escape from the busy city pace and this has made new developments, in particular, very popular.
Over the past six months we have seen tourists return to Rome, reigniting demand for short-term rentals. International investors are back too and we expect demand for these top-quality new homes to continue in 2022 with a number of projects due to launch. The Eternal City remains forever in fashion.
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