Naples - Concerts, music and film festivals, family shows, creative workshops, and international events: the 2025 Christmas calendar in Naples promises to be one of the richest in recent years.
Nearly 200 free events, promoted by the city administration, will enliven the city from December 5th to January 11th, transforming Naples into a vast, sprawling stage combining tradition and innovation, the historic center and the suburbs.
Among the expected guests are names who have marked the Italian and international music scene: Enzo Avitabile, Eugenio Bennato, Teresa De Sio, Tony Esposito, Raphael Gualazzi, Neri Marcorè, Beth Orton, Carmen Souza, Paolo Hendel and David Riondino.
"Naples, City of Music": a vision that grows stronger
"In planning the festivities," explained Ferdinando Tozzi, the mayor's delegate for the music and audiovisual industries, "we are reaffirming the vision of Naples as City of Music, a project that aims to showcase the city's cultural identity with an increasingly global perspective."
Embodying this spirit are several important events. Among the most anticipated:
Sacro Sud, a festival conceived by Enzo Avitabile and produced by Black Tarantella, is held in the churches of Santa Maria Donnaregina Nuova, San Pietro ad Aram, Sant'Anna dei Lombardi, and San Giovanni Battista a Teduccio.
"700 – Apotheosis of Naples, Capital of Music," a series of concerts by the Domenico Scarlatti Association, under the artistic direction of Enzo Amato. The series features five concerts in the churches of Santa Maria la Nova, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, and Donnalbina, retracing the golden age of the Neapolitan school of music.
Novecento Breve, a reading-performance by the poet Ferdinando Tricarico that explores great Italian poetry from the post-war period to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
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The great tribute to Neapolitan Power
The musical journey will culminate on December 29th at the PalaVesuvio with "Neapolitan Power – From the Origins to the Future," a Sponda Sud production. This celebratory event in four acts tells the story of the movement that has redefined the sound of Naples since the 1970s.
The evening will include:
a tribute by the Ensemble Parthenope to James Senese and Giuseppe Vessicchio, who recently passed away;
a tribute to Napoli Centrale with Pietro Santangelo;
a concert by Eugenio Bennato;
a choral finale that will bring together iconic artists such as Tony Esposito, Teresa De Sio, Raiz, Fabiana Martone, Dario Sansone, Roberto Colella, Tommaso Primo, Gabriele Esposito, Gianni LaMagna, Mauro Gioia and Napoleone.
Culture as a right: more investment in the suburbs
"After three years of cultural policies," declared Sergio Locoratolo, the mayor's delegate for cultural policies, "we're seeing a significant turnaround: 51% of cultural investments are going to the suburbs, surpassing the city center, which traditionally receives more funding."
The goal is an increasingly polycentric Naples, with a balanced distribution of events: "Culture is a right," added Locoratolo, "and as such, it must be universal and accessible."
To facilitate access and make the offerings more accessible, the Municipality will soon launch a new app and a dedicated website, where residents and tourists can consult the city's entire cultural program in real time.
Comments (1)
It's truly fascinating to see how Naples is preparing for Christmas 2025. With nearly two hundred free events, I hope there's something for everyone and that people will actively participate in these initiatives. The holidays are an important time.