New Year's Eve in Italy, known as Capodanno, is a festive celebration filled with traditions that blend food, family, and a little superstition. Italians know how to ring in the New Year in style, with customs that are meant to bring luck, love, and prosperity for the year ahead. 

Here’s how Italians celebrate this special night!

On December 31st, Italians gather for La Cena di San Silvestro, a festive dinner filled with symbolic dishes that bring fortune and success for the year ahead.

Lentils are a must-have on every table. Their small, coin-like shape represents wealth and prosperity. They are often served with Cotechino, a savory pork sausage, or Zampone (stuffed pig’s trotter), as pork symbolizes abundance and moving forward into the future. The more lentils you eat, the more money you’ll gain in the new year!

Another key food is the pomegranate, with its vibrant red seeds symbolizing fertility, abundance, and happiness. Many Italians enjoy a spoonful of pomegranate seeds at midnight to ensure a year full of positivity and good fortune.

The feast varies across regions: coastal areas feature seafood dishes like baccalà (salted cod) and calamari, while inland regions favor hearty meat-based dishes and stuffed pastas. For dessert, traditional panettone and pandoro sweeten the occasion, representing hope and joy for the new year.

The evening is about sharing good food, laughter, and reflection as families savor the final moments of the year together. It’s a beautiful mix of tradition, symbolism, and celebration.

If you’d like to learn more about traditional Italian holiday dishes in December, check out our article on Christmas traditions!

In Italy, wearing red on New Year’s Eve is more than a fashion choice: it’s a cherished tradition believed to bring good luck, love, and prosperity for the year ahead. This custom, particularly popular in the form of red undergarments, has deep roots dating back to ancient Roman times. Red was considered a powerful color, symbolizing health, fertility, and protection against misfortune and evil spirits.

Today, the tradition has taken on a more festive tone. It’s common for Italians to gift red lingerie to loved ones during the holiday season, often as a playful yet meaningful gesture of good fortune. Shops and markets in Italy are filled with red items in December, from undergarments and accessories to scarves, socks, and even bold red dresses and ties. The belief is simple: wearing red as the clock strikes midnight will ensure happiness, success, and perhaps even romance in the coming year.

Whether subtle or statement-making, adding a splash of red is seen as an essential part of celebrating Capodanno. It’s a fun, symbolic way to welcome the new year while staying stylish and, hopefully, very lucky!

In southern Italy, particularly in regions like Naples and Calabria, there’s a fascinating and symbolic New Year’s Eve tradition: getting rid of old and broken items to welcome a fresh start. This custom reflects the idea of letting go of the past, both literally and metaphorically, to make space for better things in the year to come.

Historically, this tradition was taken quite literally. As the clock struck midnight, families would throw objects like pots, pans, dishes, and even pieces of furniture out of their windows! While it might sound extreme, this dramatic gesture symbolized discarding negativity, bad memories, and the burdens of the past year. It was a way to cleanse one’s home and life, making room for renewal, prosperity, and good fortune.

Today, this practice has softened and is less common in cities, though remnants of the tradition still linger in some towns. In rural areas or small villages, families may still place broken or unused items outside their homes to mark the occasion. The message remains the same: out with the old, in with the new.

If you’re visiting southern Italy on New Year’s Eve, keep an eye out: not just for falling surprises but also for the deeper symbolism of this unique custom. It’s a vivid reminder of Italy’s belief in the importance of moving forward with a clean slate and renewed hope for the future.

In Naples, a charming and symbolic tradition helps ring in the new year: eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each chime of the clock. This custom, believed to have originated in Spain, has become a beloved part of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Naples and other parts of Italy.

Each grape represents one month of the upcoming year, and the sweetness or sourness of each bite is said to predict the tone of that month. A sweet grape promises happiness and smooth sailing, while a sour one hints at potential challenges. It’s a fun, lighthearted way to reflect on what the new year might bring, blending superstition with a bit of playful suspense.

The challenge lies in keeping up with the clock's chimes: 12 grapes in 12 seconds is no small feat! Families and friends often laugh as they race to eat the grapes in time, turning the tradition into a joyful, shared moment full of laughter and good-natured competition.

For Neapolitans, this practice is not just about fun but also about ensuring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead. Whether the grapes are sweet or sour, the act itself symbolizes hope, resilience, and the belief that the new year is a fresh opportunity to make the most of every moment.

If you find yourself in Naples on New Year’s Eve, don’t forget to join in: grab 12 grapes, count down to midnight, and savor the promise of a year full of possibilities.

Fireworks are an essential part of New Year’s Eve celebrations across Italy, lighting up the night sky with dazzling colors and thunderous booms. These displays are not just for show: they hold a symbolic meaning of driving away evil spirits and clearing the path for a brighter, luck-filled year.

In cities like Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples, the atmosphere is electric as locals and visitors fill the piazzas to watch these spectacular shows. The fireworks often begin as the clock strikes midnight, exploding in brilliant cascades of red, gold, and green against the backdrop of Italy’s iconic landmarks. The displays are usually accompanied by live music, dancing, and cheers of “Buon Anno!” (Happy New Year!), as people celebrate in unison.

From the elegant shows over Venice's canals to the grand displays in Rome’s historic center, each city adds its own flair to the tradition. Smaller towns and villages also participate with smaller yet heartfelt celebrations, often paired with local music and festivities. The beauty of these fireworks lies in their ability to bring people together in shared wonder, marking the start of the new year with light, joy, and hope.
If you’re visiting on New Year’s Eve, ask us for the best Fireworks Shows to catch on this special night!

As the final moments of the year count down, Italians prepare for one of the most cherished New Year’s traditions: the midnight toast. When the clock strikes twelve, glasses of spumante or prosecco, Italy’s signature sparkling wines are raised high to welcome the new year with a spirit of joy and togetherness. The bubbles in the drink symbolize happiness, lightness, and celebration, making it the perfect way to mark a fresh start.

Along with the toast comes the tradition of the midnight kiss, a tender gesture that signifies love, unity, and hope for the year ahead. For couples, the kiss is a romantic promise of happiness and togetherness. For families and friends, heartfelt hugs, laughter, and good wishes fill the air as everyone embraces the excitement of a new beginning.

The clinking of glasses, the sparkle of fireworks, and the warmth of shared kisses and embraces create an unforgettable moment of joy. Whether with loved ones or in a lively piazza surrounded by strangers who feel like friends, the midnight toast and kiss bring Italians together in a beautiful celebration of life, love, and new possibilities.

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