Why everyone is talking about Italy’s Epiphany 2026

It is used to say that "Epiphany all holidays take away," but this is only part of the story: Befana also brings many parties and lots of fun, especially for the youngest children, to whom this holiday is more specifically dedicated than Christmas. Preparations are underway just about everywhere to best welcome Befana on 6 January 2026, on an holiday so beloved by Italians. The nice thing is that everyone celebrates it in his or her own way, perhaps with gatherings of masked people as in Fornovo Taro (in the province of Parma), or with bonfires to chase away bad luck as is the custom in Verona (but not only!), but there is also room for some more "romantic" and evocative initiatives, such as the Befana from the sea in Savona.

Or even the aerostatic gathering in Mondovì, in the province of Cuneo, an area well suited for a flying party, for dreamers both young and old. And let's not forget the Befani, a group of singers from the province of Grosseto, who go around spreading traditional Maremma songs. Finally, what on earth will happen during "the night of the cucibocca" in the town of Montescaglioso in Basilicata? The only certain thing in short is that on tuesday, January 6, for Epiphany 2026, everyone will have fun, and with only a few days after the start of the New Year, attracting good luck with all the oldest and most established customs is almost a must! Not forgetting of course, the sweetest part of the Befana: and those who say they do not wish for her stocking are certainly lying.

The first piece of good news of the year is that Epiphany 2026 falls on a Tuesday, meaning in Italy it's possible to celebrate with a long weekend, perhaps with a short winter getaway to the mountains or one of Italy's many villages.

On this special day, halfway between religious celebration (the arrival of the Three Wise Men) and pagan tradition (the Befana is the most classic witch with a flying broomstick), events large and small can be found everywhere in Italy. Children are often at the center of this particularly beloved celebration, but moving from north to south, or from the coast to the mountains, you can see how each region has its own traditions.

In coastal cities like Venice or Cervia, for example, the sea is an integral part of the celebrations, with regattas or diving competitions. In the mountains, you can ski, but you can also experience a more intimate kind of celebration, typical of bays or small snow-covered villages. In cities and small towns, history takes center stage, with processions and reenactments, as it happens in Milan or Florence.

If you are in Lombardy and want many options to choose from, then it is Milan, as always, to offer many different ways to spend each holiday, and Befana is no exception. One idea to spend January 6th in an original way could be going to the Castello Sforzesco. There will also be The Procession of the Three Kings in Piazza Duomo, with fantastic musical performances and majorettes numbers. A grand style parade promising to be truly outstanding!

Let's also not forget the wonderful initiative called Befana benefical motorcycle ride consisting, as the name suggests, in delivering gifts to children guests of institutions around Milan city and province.

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The Befana in Veneto and particularly in Verona, the town of Juliet, does not exactly meet a good fate, since here the tradition of burning her is maintained: in Veronese dialect it is called “Brusar la Vecia”!

On the evening of January 6th in Piazza Bra, a puppet made of various materials (branches, faggots, wood shavings, jute) and about eight meters high is set on fire to ward off bad luck, a sort of good-luck custom – descending from pre-Roman rituals – at the expense of poor Befana! Its sacrifice is necessary for the transition from bad to good season, to say goodbye to the old and greet the new. We point out that this event will not take place in 2024.

Then in Venice there is the picturesque Befane Regatta, which every year enlivens and entertains spectators around the banks of the Grand Canal.

A procession of 150 figures will also animate the streets of Bologna for Befana: the so-called “Procession of the Magi” will follow a route starting from Piazza VIII Agosto to then continue till Piazza Maggiore, for the laying of gifts in the Church of San Petronio.

In the province, on the other hand, the actual protagonists will be the bonfires, and the most renowned localities for this witchcraft practice are San Giovanni in Persiceto and San Matteo della Decima. The "Vecia" does not fare well in Emilia either, then.

For Epiphany, one of the most anticipated events in Tuscany is Florence's Cavalcade of the Magi, a historical reenactment taking place in the center of the city. 

The event has deep ties to Florence (even introduced by the Medici family), which has regained its former glory since the 1990s. The parade is inspired by Benozzo Gozzoli's "The Chapel of the Magi," the celebrated fresco cycle. About 700 figures parade through the streets of the historic center starting from Piazza Pitti and ending at the foot of Piazza del Duomo for the laying of gifts.

In Pistoia, on the other hand, the Befana descends from the bell tower to distribute treats to all children. An acrobatic event carried out in collaboration with the Fire Department. Of the funny custom of the Befani in Grosseto, on the other hand, we have already mentioned.

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In the Marche region, Epiphany is certainly a beloved holiday, and Urbania's Befana is one of the most renowned in Italy. For many years now, the entire town has been transformed into an enchanted kingdom, with themed decorations and illuminations, thousands of stockings adorning the historic center, and plenty of real-life Befane to enliven the celebration!

Since 2016, an authentic Epiphany House has been established – created from a renovated space in the civic building – where stories are told and coal is made throughout the year.

The events related to Epiphany, in Urbania are really numerous in Urbania are really numerous and for Befana 2026 they last from January 4th to 6th: traditionally there are the descent of the Befana from the Bell Tower and the campanile of the Municipal Palace and the exhibition of authentic handicrafts. Urbania thus keeps the tradition alive and joyfully celebrates this holiday for the little ones.

Befana is eagerly awaited by children all over Italy, but the one in Cagliari, Sardinia's capital city, has a peculiarity: here Befana 2026 is above all about solidarity, with the distribution of gifts to less fortunate children, but also original widespread events like the one in the countryside near Santu Perdu, where the protagonists are some very cute llamas!

In fact, the delivery of gifts takes place in a super acrobatic way: the Befana will use skates to please the little ones. But this is just the beginning because there will be a show on stilts and a descent from the flying trapeze!

In Sassari, on the other hand, the firefighters will be the protagonists with an enterprising Befana riding the most iconic italian scooter, the Vespa.

An original idea to spend Epiphany in Piedmont could be going to the Museum of Cinema in Turin, where a very fun themed workshop called "Vola, vola la befana" (“Fly, fly Befana”) will be organized: tricks and special effects will be the master, leaving all children ecstatic!

Also very nice is the initiative of the Toy Museum in Bra,  with guided tours and activities for children.

Then we have already mentioned the fantastic international ballooning rally held in Mondovì, in the province of Cuneo, where the Aeroclub Mongolfiere di Mondovì will stage some amazing flights, starting on January 3rd, making January 6th truly magical.

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Rome has been filled with dozens of events, shows and markets all through the holiday season and Befana in Piazza Navona a few minutes from the Pantheon, has been one of the most anticipated events this holiday season. The event will not only cover January 6th, as the typical stalls have already been set up since December 1st! Exhibitions, shows and sweets galore for longer than a month then: what more could one ask for?

Among the many initiatives organized in Lazio for the Epiphany, the one in Ostia certainly stands out, with its very rich program of events entitled La festa della Befana. Stilt walkers, entertainers and dancers will make the party super lively, to the delight of young and old alike.

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We have already mentioned the "Night of the Cucibocca", an event closely related to Epiphany affecting the town of Montescaglioso in Basilicata. But what is it really about?

It is a somewhat creepy legend featuring the aforementioned cucibocca (literally “mouth-sewers”), scary hooded figures with hideous faces half-hidden by large beards, each equipped with a lantern and a large needle. The story has it that these shady figures roam around Montescaglioso on the night of Jan. 5-6th, forcing local people to lock themselves indoors and thus allowing the Befana to do her work.

This year Befana in Naples is really going wild: as many as three days of events await citizens and tourists, starting with the setting up of a themed village in the historic Piazza Mercato. 

The ancient square is halfway between the station and the old town, with some of the major attractions such as Cristo Velato or Naples Undreground. The big Befana festival will take place on 3, 4 and 5 January, and the events will end on the night of the 5th, with a music show.

Alternatevely, on Sunday January 4th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., a Befana on stilts will welcome children and adults at Città della Scienza, the city’s science museum, with stories, myths, and scientific curiosities. Creative and discovery workshops suitable for all ages, and a science show on chemistry and colors.

Children in Alberobello are waiting for an acrobatic Befana in the night of 5 January. This is when the good with will come down from the roofs with a rope and give candies to all the kids.

The magic of Epiphany shines in the province of Bari, among the trees of Selva Reale.

Among enchanted paths, fairies, and stockings waiting to be filled. Befana will meet the children in this beautiful forest, bringing surprises and stories.

If you find yourself spending the Epiphany period in Umbria and in particular in Perugia, you’ll get the chance to join a festival tied to tradition and culture, spread across the city center.

The day begins in Piazza IV Novembre with the Motobefana, a motorcycle rally that winds through the city center. The square then welcomes the arrival of the Befana accompanied by a parade of vintage cars and motorcycles, a reminder of a long-standing tradition in the city.

Later, there will be activities that highlight the festival's role as an opportunity for gatherings. In the afternoon, Piazza IV Novembre comes alive again with entertainment and initiatives for families.

The highlight of the event is the traditional descent of the Befana from the bell tower of the Cathedral, crossing the square and reaching the Fontana Maggiore, recalling one of the most anticipated rites of the Epiphany in Perugia. The day ends with the distribution of Befana stockings, the most awaited for events in Perugia for the children.

A very interesting way to spend Epiphany in Genoa could be to take part in beautiful free guided visits that are part of a magnificent tour. Thanks to this initiative, it will be possible to discover many anecdotes and curiosities about how this period is celebrated in Genoa, and children will be able to learn new and interesting things about their darling bringing sweets riding her broomstick.

Piazza Matteotti in this day is the heart of the celebrations, thanks to the arrival of the Befana who will descend from above using a Fire Brigade ladder truck! The good old lady will bring a stocking full of sweets to give to the children present.

The month of January in Sicily means only one thing: celebration! In addition to the festivities commanded throughout Italy, in fact, in Sicily, there are other very heartfelt ones such as those dedicated to St. Anthony Abbot and St. Sebastian.

As for Epiphany, on the other hand, there is i.e. the Re-enactment of the Holy Spirit in the baptism of Jesus, a deeply felt religious festival held in Piana degli Albanesi.

Or one could opt for the beautiful procession of biblical characters held every year on January 6th in Aci Platani, a hamlet of Acireale, where the highlights of Jesus' life are staged, with a special focus on the arrival of the Three Kings.

Epiphany is also a much-loved holiday in Trentino Alto Adige: in fact, many celebrations are held to celebrate this elderly and generous lady.

In Moena, in Piaz de Sotegrava  on the 5th of Januarythere will be gifts for everyone, theatrical performances and a nice mulled wine for the older ones. In San Martino di Castrozza games and music to cheer the children. In Predazzo the befana will arrive in the village under the tree dancing to the rhythm of her own music.

The Riva del Garda event is also special, with the "Befana Subacquea" emerging from the lake waters during a day filled with music and fun.

So there is no shortage of fun, you just have to choose!

The region most closely associated with the Epiphany fire tradition is perhaps Friuli Venezia Giulia. This Celtic-derived rite, which in Friuli is called pignarûi, has been passed down over the centuries especially in small communities such as Tarcento and Palmanova, but is still held in large cities such as Pordenone.

The epiphanic fires of Friuli are a great feast of purification and a reminder of good fortune. A puppet with the features of a witch is burned at the top of the bonfires, and afterwards they celebrate with singing, dancing, mulled wine, and a traditional pinza, made with good luck ingredients.

The most anticipated event in Reggio Calabria is The Befana Train, organized by the association Incontriamoci Sempre. A sort of Hogwarts-style wizarding train in short, where children will be able to take a ride together with the witchy granny and an entertainment staff that will organize several funny and amusing activities.

Departure will be from Reggio Calabria Centrale to Santa Caterina Station. Once off the train, the Befana will board a buggy, taking her among the children to distribute gifts.

In Abruzzo, people take advantage of the beauty of locations equipped with a sea view to make the celebration of Befana even more evocative: this is the case of Pescara with its Tourist Port and Vasto with its beautiful pier.

Another fun and original event is the organization of the "human tombola" in San Salvo, where participants will be real pawns having to place themselves on giant cards!

Christmas and Befana celebrations in Molise focus on children. After all, they are the real protagonists of the whole period since they look with wonder and enthusiasm at the magical figures of Santa Claus and Befana, and their candid souls lead them to be especially happy.

Perhaps the biggest event dedicated to children is Christmas in the City in Campobasso, running until Jan. 7th and featureing a packed program of activities designed especially to entertain children, from shows to make-up sessions, not to mention forays among the candy stalls.

So far we have seen acrobatic shows and Befanas from the sea, propitiatory bonfires and ancient and frightening legends. We close our list with a region where celebrations are all in all "moderate": a Befana caring to gifts and to give a smile to the little ones.

In Valle d'Aosta, therefore, we find simple and traditional celebrations, but who says that simplicity is not nevertheless extraordinary in its own way? The important thing is the spirit and the desire to make the children happy!

It means “manifestation” or “revelation,” referring to Jesus being revealed to the world.

January 6th

With public holidays, festivals, and the tradition of La Befana, an good witch who brings sweets or coal to children.

Epiphany is 12 days after Christmas.

Epiphany marks the traditional date of the Magi visiting Jesus, symbolizing his revelation to the Gentiles.

According to historians, Epiphany was already celebrated around the 3rd-4th century AD in the earliest Christian churches.